My 54-year-old Japanese mother was inspired by my recent Iran photos to take me on a mother-daughter bonding trip to Tokyo Disneyland. Why? Because the mosques reminded her of Aladdin, and she was eager to experience the 'Arabian Coast' of Disney Sea and go on the 'Small world' esque ride called 'Sindbad's Adventures'. After ice cream and wearing ridiculous Aladdin and Jafar hats, we sat down for some fierce chainsmoking (hiding from Mickey and the screaming kids) to compare Disney and Iranian architecture. So then, speaking of huge colorful domes, sparkling tilework and magical fantasies a [View Full Entry]

---

---

The 14th century poet Hafez, gave me a sign to me before I left to Iran. Randomly turning to his page of poems, I had concluded through his words that it was right for me to go back to his land to find out more about Iran. he was right. When i sat at the base of his tomb's gazebo, i felt a distinct connection as i sat there with his anthology. Although i'm far from being Iranian (ie. being Jap-Aussie) there was a certain quality I felt when i stared upon his tombstone. Shiraz is a marvellous city indeed, [View Full Entry]

---

---

As the province of Kerman is close to the borders of Afghanistan and Pakistan, it has continued to play a vital part in the opium (or basically any other drug) trade. Although illegal, it's cheap and sexily abundant. In order to deal with it, roadside patrol checkpoints stop cars extremely often, to the point that a few days' there trains you to be the ideal passenger. According to my driver, here are the following rules for the female tourist: "No English, they will not understand and think you are saying blasphemous things. No Persian! They will be suspicious...you are spy in [View Full Entry]

---

---

I swear I'm currently not on any bloody hallucinagens as I write this, and nor did i take any while i was travelling in Iran. But really, visiting historic and religious sites definitely gave me a glimpse into the beautiful world of heavenly light. Here exists rooms that offer a reminder of the immaterial world for any visitor. The Iranian perception of light is a completely unique one. I noticed that in all buildings, there was a very delicate understanding and capture of daylight that flowed into halls and porticoes. Divine light has the power to provide a sense of immortality, [View Full Entry]

---

---

At the Shirazi bazaar, I saw a man carrying bundles of dyed red wool whose teeth were tinged in a shade of ginger red. From the Ronas plant or a mere cherry-flavor popsicle? I prayed it was the prior. Regarding natural dyes - did you know that the red colour of the finest carpets come from a plant called 'Madder'? If consumed, the plant slowly turns one's bones red. This was where I witnessed the teeth of a madder grower. His grin was red. Daily brushing, he claimed, never let it fade away. I've watched the Disney movie, Aladdin, several [View Full Entry]

---

---

Was it my driver's stash of Marijuana that stopped the police? The forbidden Titanic soundtrack we were listening to in the car? An Iranian officer barked at me to get out of the car. I panic. Is it the japanese kimono i'm wearing? Is this not acceptable as hejab alongside my headscarf? The bearded man holding a kalishnakov yells at me and I hesistantly meet the 45c degree heat outside the car. A bunch of local guards stare at my bizarre outfit and glare at me. 'Where are you from?' they ask in Persian. I squeal 'Japan!' while i try [View Full Entry]

---

---

When I visited the tomb of the famous Persian poet Hafez, he was a complete stranger to me. Although I'd read some of his poetry, I could not comprehend the all-time rock star status he seemed to hold amongst Iranians. This garden complex in Shiraz was where I saw XXX-rated scandals: young couples holding hands, kissing cheeks and laughing in unsegregated groups holding their anthologies of Hafez's poetry. What was this place? What was the power this 13th century poet held even in this present modern world? It was far beyond imaginable thinking of current college friends sitting toget [View Full Entry]

---

---

Portraits of turbanned Ayatollah Khomeini are everywhere, whether it be on a huge billboard in Tehran or a postcard pasted on a goat-shed in Kurdistan. Eventually, it came to the point that he felt like a friendly smoking buddy on my trip, and I was no longer intimidated by his signature 'angry Sean Connery' look. Anywhere, I'd light up a cig, feel his stare, and nod in acknowledgement. Yo, long day man. The national icon has become the visitor's local mate. In all urban areas, local hot spots happen to be located on either Imam Khomeini street or square, so [View Full Entry]

---

---

Tough hiking proved to be impossible for me during my trip in Iran, not only for my untoned blubby form (next stop, Jabba the Hut!) or my smoker's black lungs, but the sad fact that my only pair of walking shoes had been destroyed when (one of) my bottles of scotch erupted in my suitcase and drenched my shoes in beautiful liquor as soon as I got to Iran. I personally wouldnt have minded giving off a scent of Johnny instead of some annoying fruity perfume reserved for baby prostitutes, but I knew that cops would give me trouble while [View Full Entry]

---

---

I have a secret shame during my journeys, that is, I always inquire the word for 'Snow' in the local language during my travels. Why? Well, due to language barriers, my taunted nickname at my Aussie school was 'Yucky Jen Crummy'. It was a rather sad coincedence that my japanese names sounded similar to such unfortunate vocabulary. Both of my first names mean 'Snow'. So, as a result I always sought new words for my name. I've found out so far that in Turkish it is 'Kars', 'Lumi' in Finnish, 'Nipha' in Greek. They seem to sound so much better [View Full Entry]

---

---