Caravans and picnics: A legacy of roadside feasts

In many imaginations - and in the movies - the great trade routes from East to West are dotted with caravanserais, way stations built about every 30 kilometers, or the distance a loaded camel could cover in a day.

But modern travelers along the old Silk Road can see standing examples today, including a particularly fine one alongside the grand bazaar of Esfahan.

These mud-brick rooms, arranged around courtyards, were places to exchange goods and stories, and to share carefully packed foods with locals who could provide fresh produce and meat.