SeriesIts a bit overwhelming to arrive in a country which is so different from my own and to be able to write about all the feelings that I am going through in such a short time, but I will try anyways — in fact its taken me long enough to write this update that its not all that spontaneous anymore.
Nothing that you have heard about Iran is even close to the reality. In North America people often told me that going to Iran was a crazy idea, which is not surprising considering the picture painted by the Canadian and American media. In Europe people remember that there were lots of contacts with Iran before the Islamic revolution, and they are aware of the many archeological wonders that are hidden there; but still there is enough anxiety to prevent most people from visiting. The country itself doesn't do much to improve its image or to open up to the rest of the world.
First I want to point out that even though Iran is in between Irak and Afghanistan, we do not hear bombs go off, we are not overflown by jets. These wars are very far away. People go on about their normal lives, they are not in fear that Iran will get invaded anytime soon. As far as I can tell, no one is planning to blow anything up! These are all cliches, but I think that its worth saying. People here lead normal lives...
The food is amazing: starting with fruits which are incredibly tasty... I have never tasted such good pomegranates or dates. Pistachios are roasted with saffron. Oranges are very sweet, not acidic at all. Iranian cuisine is full of perfumes that are surprising to me: meat can be cooked with cinammon or pomegranate. There are a lot of rice-based dishes, and the bread comes in an infinite variety; much like in India. Obviously since its Ramadan here, eating lunch is always a challenge, but we usually buy fruits and bread.
People are very kind, surprisingly so. They will go out of their way to help you, to such extents that its sometimes embarassing. They are very soft spoken, although they speak little French or English, which makes communication quite hard at times. I am picking up words slowly, but the greatest difficulty is usually rembering them since they are so different for me.
Iran is a developing country, not a third world one. The roads are good, there is electricity, gas and running water in the smallest villages; and cell coverage along the highways even in the desert. Everything is very clean, on par with Europe (without the dog shit) and North-America.
My biggest surprise was that even though I arrived in the middle of Ramadan in the first Islamic Republic ever created, it did not sound like an islamic country. One would be hard pressed to hear the call to prayer, at least in the parts of Tehran I was in. The people I have met are not religious fanatics, they don't care much for Islamic law; and usually infringe on it, although behind closed doors. Its all about appearances. Obviously the chador is ever present when walking around on the streets, but even that can be worked around. I will have an update on this fascinating topics in a few days after I have more photos to illustrate my points.
This country is run by a bunch of thugs, I've been told. The government is run by religious extremists, who quote the Quran to justify the regulations they enforce. This makes it very difficult to introduce changes, but like any group in power they want to remain in power and so they do compromise when forced to. Internal and external pressure is forcing changes: Just 3 years ago a mixed group of boys and girls had to go out in separate cars, but now they can carpool together. Public demonstrations of enthusiasm were frowned upon: laghing loud or clapping. Nowadays no-one cares. These are small concessions surely; but with half the population of this country under 30 change will surely come from women and the youth.
I am currently on the road travelling through the archeological sites of central Iran. This update is posted from Esfahan. I should have more time to share the sights and discoveries in about 10 days after I return to Tehran.