One of the unique things about Mashhad is that it’s surrounded by fascinating landscape, only minutes outside the city. The stark landscape north of Mashhad is dotted with endless hills, lonely villages and gorgeous rocky outcrops. The area is known for its wild cherries. Winters are relatively mild in the plains. The snow stays on the ground a short time, but when it’s there, the landscape turns into a poetic wonderland. Roads are relatively smooth, although a 4WD is required on many dirt roads. It’s easy to spend an entire weekend driving these roads, from one village to the next, taking pics and totally forget the passage of time.
Most of the pics below were taken in the area around the town of Golmakan (see map below) and the village of Pawyeh. The little cabin is Saeideh’s uncle’s where the family often gathers.
Also published on Medium.