Home > Notebook > Half Robin Hood, Half Yasir Arafat

From Tabriz I made my way to Kaleybar. I wanted to hike up to Babek castle. It was cold there, not a one restaurant, only few kebap places, children wanted me to sign for them and yard of Araz hotel smelled of gasoline. Few cars were parked there and to Iranians were pimping white Paykan ^WIKI. They managed to put in it racing steering wheel and seats and were working on the sound system. It was real loud.

From Kaleybar to the castle is a six km walk along the road and then two hour climb up the hill. I wanted to take a taxi for those six km but drivers were waving their hand and saying "Police! Police!" and did not want to go. So I walked. Beautiful scenery, somewhat like Pyrenees. Two km down (well, up, actually) the road was really police and army totting machine guns and one plain cloth guy waiting. He spoke some English. And that he is very sorry but the castle is closed today and I can't go there lest I have special permit. Where I could get one he did not know. But day after tomorrow, maybe, the castle is going to be open and accessible even without permit.

I guess castle was closed because of Babak's birthday. At that time there is always a big party at the castle. Lonely Planet says that for Azeris (inhabitants of Iranian Azerbaydzan) Babek is somebody between Robin Hood and Yasir Arafat. National hero.

But not everything was done in wain – on the way back I was picked up by group of Iranians who were passing by and I went with them for real Iranian picnic.