One of the things I’ve learned from nature is that difficult paths lead to beautiful destinations and everything in life is like that. With good friends, devoted to our homeland and nature, Pouria and Meysam, after a cosy night in a village, called Esel Mahaleh, nestled at the foot of the Daryasar plain, we set off on a beautiful path, not too difficult.
A path that quietly hinted at the beauty of the destination. A path so captivating it could pull your mind far from ordinary life, to the point that you might forget to take photos for a while. It truly engaged the heart and soul.
Travel companions, however, play a vital role in these twists and turns, in my opinion. These two seemed to have already lived deeply, to have found answers to their curiosities about life. It’s as if they’ve discovered how to live in a way that everything falls into place. They’ve found the way.
It feels like we’ve moved past that youthful phase where we sit and have philosophical discussions just to feel enlightened. Now, we've reached a point where we believe we should simply live... understanding each other without speaking. This is where shared thought and shared journey find their meaning.
Here, midway through the path, I was short of breath (or maybe my blood pressure had dropped) but that feeling was blended with excitement and created such sweet moments that I wished I had captured them in a photo. Thanks to my fellow travelers.
There are places in this world where, the moment you arrive, their beauty takes your breath away. Daryasar Plain is undoubtedly one of those breathtaking places.
In the hidden corners of this vast world, there exist places that capture your soul at first glance, places where your breath is held in awe, and your heart finds unexpected peace. Daryasar Plain in Mazandaran is truly one of these dreamlike and soul-stirring lands, a vast meadow nestled between the towering peaks of the Alborz mountains. In spring, it spreads a colorful carpet of wildflowers and the scent of rain-kissed earth, unveiling a slice of paradise before your eyes.
This astonishing plain, lying at the edge of forest and mountain, wrapped in mist and breeze, is a place to feel serenity and escape the noise of life. It is here, in this magical expanse, that you may come face to face with a different version of yourself.
In Daryasar plain, silence takes the lead. But the cows break this silence, and the horses run with passion and freedom, as if shouting the very feeling of liberty. Birds join them, singing and soaring swiftly through the sky.
This is a place where nature is more powerful than humans; as if it holds the reins, and it is nature that decides how the world should unfold. Thousands may come and go, yet this place remains unchanged, under the unquestioned rule of nature.
This is exactly the point where you truly feel the supremacy and majesty of nature. Its beauty on one side, and the incredible emotions it stirs in you on the other, both draw you into a deep and profound silence.
Daryasar feels like it’s beyond reality, a place separate from this world. It’s like stepping into a land for the very first time. The past seems to fade away in a light fog, and you feel like you’ve just been born. Honestly, it feels like you’ve found yourself again, more clearly and more closely than ever before.
Here, time doesn’t seem to matter. You can’t tell what season it is, and the seconds pass by quietly. You feel fully present, and it’s hard to let your mind wander somewhere else. Daryasar is one of those places where a person should escape to, just to reconnect with themselves.
Meysam and Pouria were away for a little while, and without realizing it, I fell asleep. If you know me, you know I’m a very light sleeper, I wake up at the smallest sound. But here, everything felt different. It was like my mind had let go of everything around me, and I drifted into a peaceful sleep, surrounded by nature.
Oh, those birds... their songs were like an invitation to dream.
Travel has taught me that the unknown isn’t as scary as I once thought. Getting to know different cultures, symbols, and people, and seeing the world in a new way has helped me become ready to face any situation, no matter where I am. I use what I’ve learned in nature and meeting new people.
In the Daryasar plain, the farther I walk and the more I move away from signs of civilization, instead of fear, I feel a deep sense of peace and safety. It’s as if an invisible force or a strange law of nature takes over me, something unfamiliar to everyday logic, but deeply familiar to the soul of a traveler. I feel this same way when I meet new people for the first time.
Since turning thirty, my reactions to life’s surprises and unknowns have changed. I feel less anxious and worried. But sometimes, this new calmness brings its own kind of fear, like there are still hidden things in the dark corners of my mind, waiting to come out and remind me what fear once felt like.
Daryasar… Amid the mist, mountains, and green fields, I stood and thought that some journeys are not for seeing, nor for taking photos, nor even for gaining experiences, rather, they are for listening and breathing in; listening to every delicate sound within this symphony of silence, and breathing in what we now call “nature.”
Here, time seems to stop. The mountains gaze at you, the mist gently settles on your shoulders, and the meadows silently embrace you. This is my last photo from Daryasar, but not the last feeling I will carry from it, nor the last thing I will write or speak about it.
It’s the feeling of knowing that whenever you need silence, there is a place in this world that will welcome you, without questions, without judgment, without expectations. And perhaps that’s what a journey truly is: finding a place that understands you without you having to say a word.
A part of me will always remain here, among the clouds and the grass. This is one of those places where I have left a piece of my heart.
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