Tehran - last but not least ;-)

For the first time during our trip, we decided together with Asia to separate - she wanted to go to Kashan, while I decided to go straight away to Tehran. And also for the first time we decided to get there by train (Kashan is on the way to Tehran, so we took the same one). When we got to the station I felt a bit like at the airport - not only our luggage was checked, but also our passports. for a moment I was quite scaried that I won't go anywhere (without actually knowing the reason...), because policeman was checking veeeeeeeeeeeeery precisely my passport.

We were with our German friend Fabien, but unfortunately we didn't buy our tickets at the same time, so we couldn't stay in one compartment. Moreover, since he was a guy, our efforts to sit together already at the beginning were doomed :-(.

Tehran is a very specific city and 95% of people don't like it. it's huge (the biggest city in the Middle East with population of 15 million people), grey, covered by SMOG (incredibly!) which doesn't let you to breathe, with a big traffic. But I was in this 5% who actually could appreciate its beautiful location (in the valley, surrounded by mountains), hillarious murals, beautiful shahs' palaces and that it's a CITY ;-). Tehran definitly shouldn't be underestimated!!

As I wrote before, Tehran is all covered by smog. It's the first thing you smell after coming to the city. Breathing here is really difficult and cause widespread pulmonary illnesses (it is estimated that about 27 people die each day from pollution-related diseases). The government, however, is engaged in a battle to reduce the air pollution, but I think it'll take many years to really battle this problem!

I was told that Tehran is completely different city that all those I've visited - almost like another country. There's a bigger liberty, girls don't wear chadors, but colourful scarfs which actually don't cover their hair. I was also told that people will not watch at me ,as they are used to the foreigners. And indeed - there were people who didn't watch at me - very few though ;-) and it was only when I was walking with my Iranian friend. When I was alone, again - circus has arrived ;-)

Tehran was also quite different in terms of customs. Although it's forbidden in Iran for girls and boys to walk together and show any kind of affection, I saw many such couples in parks. It's actually one of the very few places where young people can meet quite freely.

For me the most interesting place in Tehran was former U.S. Embassy, which is now the US Den of Espionage. This historical place is famous for the so called Iran hostage crisis between Iran and the United States where 52 U.S. diplomats were held hostage for 444 days from NOvember 1979 to January 1981, after a group of Islamist radicals took over the Embassy.

I went there with my friend from the College of Europe, who works in the German Embassy in Tehran. It's impossible to see the building of the former Embassy, but the most interesting place is actually the wall with anti-american murals which surrounds the building. Taking pictures of them is forbidden and if police sees somebody taking pictures, they can confiscate a camera. I was hoping that with Jan nothing will happen. Luckily I didn't need his diplomatic intervention ;-)

Talking about Germany - this is what you can find in front of the German Embassy:

My second favourite place in Tehran was jewels museum, formally known as the Treasury of the National Jewels. There are quite many restrictions to get in - everybody had to leave its belongings (including cameras, mobiles, wallets etc.) in the wardrobe and then pass by metal control gate. And even inside the alarm was ringing all the time when somebody pushed the exposition's windows. The museum has an AMAZING collections of jewels owed previously by Iranian shahs'. And we even couldn't see all the jewels, as most of them was hidden in the cave and only the presidents of the countries (and not the prime ministers!) could see it. I wonder which splendors I couldn't see, as those which I've seen totally amazed me! Unfortunately I couldn't take any pictures there as it was forbidden bringing the cameras inside.

I have also met many different men's reactions toward us (single, European girls). First of all, when people have learned we travel alone, they were very surprised we got the visa (they all were sure it's impossible) and we met such reactions really several times. Secondly before going to Iran we were told that nobody would talk to us, that we will be also ignored sometimes, what in 90% wasn't true. We spoke with several guys, everybody was curious about us, about Europe, our countries, about our opinion of Iran. I had just one unpleasant situation - I was going by taxi and my scarf felt down and then, all of a sudden I noticed three FURIOUS guys in another car, who showed me to put my scarf on head straight away. If I met them on the street, I think they would be able to hit me.. But in general Iranian men are very gentle toward women - also foreigners. They were even surprisingly gentle! Nobody bothered us, nobody was annoying - they all have very big respect to women unlike men in many Arab countries. A proof of this respect can be also found in the metro - first and last carriage is always reserved for women, in order to let them feel comfortable. But if they want, they can of course take the mixed carriage, in which in reality 90% passengers are men. Since I was visiting Tehran with my Iranian friend I was always taking the mixed carriage and even in this crowdy carriage men were doing there best to stay as far from me as possible.

I did love my stay in Tehran also because of great people I met and especially the craziest -khail divune - Iranian family ever, who hosted me in their appartment. Merci!!! and boos-e-bozorgh :-)

all ways lead to Yazd

when we got to Yazd, the taxi driver knew without asking where to take us - there is just one such a famous place in Yazd - the Silk Road Hotel... I just wonder whether the other hotels/hostels do exist in Yazd (apparently yes) and if so, whether they do have any clients? All my friends who visited Yazd stayed at the most famous traditional hotel in Iran - Silk Road Hotel (or Orient hotel). and when we got there, we were really impressed!! it was the spirit of the Middle East and not another second rate, dirty hostel. but since Silk Road is the most famous hostel in Iran, there's no wonder that there were no free places.. But there were rooms in Orient hotel, which is on the same street, has the same managers and is actually the same. Fortunately Orient had also European toilets! some of you maybe don't know that Middle East toilets are slightly different than ours - basicly they are squat toilets, still ok to use (but not to put toilet paper in), but if you're used to a throne, you're happy when you can use it :-)

Yazd turned out also to be a truly meeting place and once more time we became convinced that Iran is such a small country!! or maybe basicly there are so few tourists who visit all the same and this is why we used to meet the smae faces all around in Iran;-) anyway we met so many people we saw already somewhere in Iran(and especially our dear buddy Ross :-) and it was really cool to see them again. we used to spend our evenings by smoking sheesha (well, we have heard that it was forbidden in Iran, but as we discovered already, the word "forbidden" doesn't exist in Iran, there's no rule that Iranians wouldn't break..), talking, playing name game or just relaxing :-)

the dnext day we woke up early, we had a fantastic breakfast and we decided to get lost in Yazd's old town, which is considered by many as the most beautiful and the most interesting Iranian city. well, I stilll find Esfahan to be my favourite one, but Yazd is indeed astonishing! the old town is built all of mud-brick and full of little streets where you feel like in labyrinthe and where it's really easy to loose orientation! Yazd is also considered to be "the oldest living city on Earth" and some say that the city is inhabited for about 7000 years! after 5 minuts of visiting, some mysterious, local guy showed us to follow him... we decided to risk. and it was a good decision as he showed us the most interesting places of the old city. the only problem was, that the guy was a bit too fast and "faster" was one of the very few words he knew in English..

in Yazd I also felt- for the very first time- that Iran is a hot country! actually I'm perfectly resistant for the hot temperatures and wearing long trousers, tunic and a scarf in 35 degrees didn't cause any inconvenience for me. but in Yazd it was at least 45 degrees and even me had to capitulate and come back home ;-)

but Yazd isn't the only interesting place in this area. so the next day - together with Hasan - our guide and driver, our small group went to explore the Yazd's surroundings. we visited some forgotten cities and Chak Chak (Iran's most important Zoroastrian pilgrimage) . here we were witnesses of the very touching moment when an Iranian guy who lives in U.S. saw for the first time after 20 years his sister.. we also me other Zoroastrians, who (like all Iranians) were extremely nice and who (like almost all Iranians) wanted to take pictures with four blondes ;-)

Later, we went to the mudbrick village of Kharanaq aka Ghost City and it was aweeeeesome!! last people left Kharanaq 30 years ago, and since then it stays empty. but the best part of the trip was climbing to the top of shaking minaret! actually we were also supposed to stay and sleep in a hostel, but I just didn't feel like staying there... it was too quiet, no internet, no shops, no hot water, flies everywhere etc.. I'm afraid I'm typical city and civilization animal and when I said I didn't want to sleep there, then eveybody (blaming me!!) decided to come back to Yazd as well ;-))

but we had also a great evening there, as all evenings in Yazd though. Dale made us discover "dizzy" - probably typical Yazd dish :-) it was not very special in taste (though good), but preparing it, was indeed special :-)

:-(

I came back to Poland already a week ago, but I still cannot write a post from Yazd and Tehran.. first I was waiting few days for my luggage (containing a thing to download pictures from my camera), which disapeared in Istanbul.
Now, when I finally got, it turned out that my memory stick got crazy and any computer cannot read it.. I hope I will solve this problem somehow and I even don't wanna think that I could loose all my pictures from Iran... :-(

Shiraz

After three great days in Esfahan, I really didn't want to leave this beautiful city, but the time was running out... So on Friday morning we took a bus to Shiraz (about 500 km). Unfortunately this time the driver was less crazy and he was very slow, so we arrived to Shiraz in the evening. The hotel we decided to go to (Anvari) was marked in Lonely Planet as "our pick", but we were quite disapointed with it. It was not very atmosferic, it was difficult to meet other people and the sheets were dirty (but they're actually everywhere in Iran..). Moreover for the first time in Iran we were asked about our occupations and next destination after Shiraz... statistics or intelligence??

the same evening we decided to go out and to see a bit the city. And we met our Australian friend from the train and Tabriz. Did I mention Iran is sooooo small? :-) the first contact with Shiraz wasn't very impressive. Everything was closed but shops with clothes for men! and the dummies were hillarious! Moreover there were only men on the streets and they were really annoying... Later we went to eat something and we had a very interesting conversation in kebab shop:

- so what is Persian kebab?
-it's an Iranian kebab
-aha...

- ok, so what vegetables are in the stew with eggplant? there's an eggplant and what else?
-actually there's no eggplant..
-aha....

as Asia said - Monty Python :-)

the day after we went together with our English friend - Ross - to the Naqsh-e Rostam (with magnificent rock tombswhose are believed to be those of Persian kings and to Naqsh-e Rajab with bas-reliefs.

Last but not least - we visited magnificent Persepolis (VI century BC). Prices for the entrance are incredibly low! Persepolis costs 5000 rials (which is about 30 eurocents....(!!!!!)). But whole Iran is very cheap for Europeans. For example usually we pay for the hotel/hostel about 5-10$, bus ticket from Esfahan to Shiraz was for 5$ (with small meal on the board).

After Persepolis we visited Shiraz. we were so excited in the Vakil Mosque, cause we were told we have to lend chadors, but then it turned out they were not the true black chadors, but in the flowers, looking like courtains.. so we were very dissapointed.. but anyway we had fun ;-)

we've found already a famous old guys who has birds choosing a fortune - we still don't know what the bird has chosen for us, as the fortune is in Farsi.