TRAVELERS

Lovely

Thanks! You are SO lucky to experiece Abyaneh the way you did....I WISHED I could stay at one of those amazing homes while we were there......

The village is a goast town

Actually (nice word) most people who visit Abyaneh think that they are among the first few who have discovered it. The truth is the same people you see in photographs come of their house everyday and act as normal people in the course of business and unbeknown to the tourist, they pose for photographs and then they go home and laugh their ass off that they fooled the tourists again.

This has been going on for at least 50 years. Many of the same faces have been seen in so many photo essays. The old woman with big nose (I know that is not a rarity in Iran) has been posing for photographers since she was 13 and now she is 89!

If you really want to enjoy that village, do not take a camera and that would totally confuse the natives to the point of madness. They get confused if they see a tourist with no camera. It's like torture.

You can tell all of the above validity by looking at their dresses. Who in the world wears such clean brand new dress in village, unless if going to a wedding....

Alborz Jaan

Actually Abyaaneh is not what you imagine:

most of the poeple you see in the pictures,their children are holding high academic postions all over the world.one of the first schools of Iran is in this village.Yes they are mostly content,I travelled many times to this village & talked to a lot of them,and when asked why don't you join your children in Tehran or other countries,without an exception they would answer: why?!

P.S

Khanoum Koochak picture is missing hear,hope she is still alive,for years she was the signature of this village .

lovely pictures

sepaas

The questions that run through my mind...

...whenever I see images such as these are:

1) for how much longer will life continue in this way?

2) would I want this lifestyle for myself and my children or do I enjoy these beautiful scenes it because I am just an observer?

3) how content and happy are the people of Abyaneh?

Inevitably, I move one and realize that my fascination is limited to just seeing someone elses photos.  I frankly could not bring myself to use their impoverished condition as a backdrop to my travel photos.

Beautiful photos anyhow, thanks.

Alborz

With and Without...

.
.
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In Praise of Love

Without you
I still
Can be everything
But with you
I can be even more

Barren Mountain

...First this is one of the best photography of Abyanneh village I have seen thus far.

...Second, the surrounding mountains around the village is simply breath taking and the photographer has down a fine job to nicely jaxtapose the hinterland with the village itself.

...Third I think with minimal effort stretching over a long period of time (Tradition) it is possible to "GRADUALLY" --Gatrah Gatreh jam gardad vangahee daryaa shavad---turn these barren mountain to green vista with planting ever green trees with water to be diverted from Qom (time's up) to abyanah village.

....Fourth who says you cann't start a grad fabulous water park amuzement for summer in this area to compliment the abyanneh hotel to boost more revenue... Who said?

....fifth ....well ...let me pressure my mind for some new thoughts more ...will you?

Centalization... Decentralization...