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 :-)