It's high time, I think, that we stopped forcing everyone to pore over our own vacation albums and, for once, take a peek at theirs. For example, what do tourists from abroad think of traveling here? Are they keen on American food, comfy in our hotels? Do they find it tricky getting around?

There are new travel blogs that are extremely interesting and also travel blog veterans that continue to publish great content. Here are some of my favorites.

From the stone-carved grandeur of ancient Persia to the dizzying bits of tile work and mirrored glass that define Islamic architecture, Iran's history is deep and visual. And if UNESCO World Heritage sites are your thing, Iran boasts over a dozen of them.

. Majestically astride two continents, it is a mystical playground of historical marvels, a palimpsest of civilizations that takes travelers back in time.

After wrestling with the subways in Paris, trains in Italy and street maps in Ramallah, getting lost in a place where I can speak the language seems luxurious.