Masouleh Iran

Nestled along a slope of the Alborz mountain range in western Iran, Masouleh is a perfect town to get away from city life, especially if you have spent too much time in the frantic traffic of Tehran.

While situated 1050m above sea level, the town is not far from the Caspian Sea. Its climate is quite special, as the predominant weather feature of the town is its fog! As such, most of the houses are covered in a yellow clay which allows better visibility in the fog. Add to the fact that the houses are all built along a slope, and thus the view of the town from afar can be really pictureque!

The houses are also interconnected in such a way that its architecture is unique in the whole of Iran. Firstly, no vehicles are allowed into the town, as the streets are too narrow anyway. More interestingly, the layout of the houses is such that, the roofs of the houses are also the courtyards (and streets) of other houses!! Hence, the special architecture of Masouleh is popularly known as "The yard of the above building is the roof of the below building". So it's pretty interesting wandering up the streets of the town (and tiring as well).

I was also lucky that when I was there in Nov, I encountered their first snowfall of the season. So literally in 2 days, I managed to see 2 different views of Masouleh! Pace in the town is remarkably laidback, and many Iranians (esp from Tehran) like to come here to spend their weekend holiday. While Masouleh can be visited in a day trip, an overnight stay is highly recommended if you are keen on photography. The only issue for me is, if you have a heavy backpack, lugging up the slope is no fun!!

Masouleh can be reached via shared taxis from Fuman. From Tehran, there are comfortable buses to Rasht, where you then transfer to Fuman (again shared taxis). There may be buses from Tehran to Fuman too, according to various sources, but I have not found any. While it may not be that convenient to access to, once you reach Masouleh, you'll be glad you did!

Jindo Miracle Sea Festival

Once a year in Jindo, one of many islands off Mokpo in the province of Jeollanam-do in South Korea, a festival would take place that would seem of biblical proportions. Known as Jindo Miracle Sea Festival, or Jindo Sea Parting Festival, the seas would part to reveal a road leading from Jindo to a neightbouring island.

While also known as the 'Moses Miracle', local legend instead tell of an old lady who was somehow left behind when the other villagers in Jindo fled to the neighbouring island because of some wild tigers. She prayed to the Sea God who then parted the sea for her to join her family. The phenomenon though, divine or not, actually happens 2-3 times a year, when the tide is at its extreme lowest, revealing a land bridge of sorts that actually connects Jindo to that particular island. The Festival though, was to be held only once a year (well to make it special I guess), and during then, you could join in the festivities and walk the 2.8km land bridge to the island.

Like many festivals in Korea, a carnival of sorts are almost mandatory, complete with food tents, music and performances. Once evening descends (approx 5pm), when the sea "parts" for an hour or so, the locals spring into action - no, not to cross the parted sea, but to scour the land!! This is something definitely more down-to-earth - free seafood for the masses! From seaweed to mussels, from crabs to abalone, families comb the land bridge for the riches of the seabed. No doubt what sort of dinner these families are having for the week... What a sight!

There are express buses from Seoul to Jindo which takes about 5hrs, and there are direct ferries from Jeju to Jindo too. However, for those who would want to enjoy the festival or event longer, it may be a good idea to stay in Mokpo, which is easily accessible via train from Seoul as well. Mokpo to Jindo is just 30minutes by bus. There are a couple of accomodation options in Jindo too, but as the Formula One race had arrived in Mokpo some years back, the upgraded motels in Mokpo seemed very well valued with excellent in-room facilities at affordable prices (we had a luxurious twin room for 55,000 won).

For those who have yet to experience a "miracle", check out Jindo's Miracle Sea Festival! ;)

Aurora Ice Breaker

An icebreaker is a special ship (or boat) that can travel in ice-covered waters. It has a strengthened hull that breaks the ice when it moves through these waters, thus carving out a trail for itself. In Hokkaido Japan, there is such a ship which also acts as a cruise ship for tourists, and its one of the more memorable journeys one can experience in winter Japan.


The Aurora Ice Breaker is one of the major attractions in Abashiri, a town in north-east Hokkaido. It will take you onto the frozen sea of Okhotsk, and you will enjoy a hour or so of cruising, witnessing the crashing and crushing of ice as the ship ploughs through the drift ice and ice floes. If you're lucky, you can see sea eagles and seals, but I only managed to see the multitude of sea gulls sqawking away. However, it was still quite an experience looking at the ice covered sea and the trail of "destruction" as the ship moves through it.



Be prepared with reliable cold and wind gear, as the winds on the cruise ship is fantastically strong. I had to make do with shooting with my thick gloves on, as it was impossible for me to take out my gloves, as the cold is really biting! Also, if you have multiple lens with you, changing lens is quite challenging as well, so if you really need to, I suggest going back into the cabin to change lens. Once adequately equipped, I'm sure it will be quite an experience!


Tickets to the cruise ship can be bought at any travel agencies in Abashiri itself. Of course, do check out when the Aurora runs, cos obviously, it will only operate in certain times in winter. Enjoy!