Blogs from Tehran, North, Iran, Middle East - page 8

One day I was walking around in Tajrish Square, north Tehran, looking for things to do. Started flirting with the idea of riding with one of these crazy motorcycle taxi guys. So started hustling with one of them to get the cheapest rate. He was a very pleasant fellow, whom I began to like. After we agreed on the price, he gave a me a tour of rich neighborhoods of north Tehran. Moshtaba is a 24 year old migrant from Borjnurd, small town in Khorasan, north east Iran. When I asked him if ever any of those pretty Tehrani girls get behind the motorcycle is replies, not a chance. He is married with a small child and lives in North Tehran. His family have been farmers, but their land holdings are small, which has prompted him ... read more

Day 4 Tehran to Demavend. The Demavend peak is a spectacular site to watch. On clear days it is easily seen in the Tehran's northeastern skyline. It stands above 18000 feet and even in this latitude and beginning of the fall it is covered with snow. It is a cone shaped structure and is an active volcano. It is a about 60 km north east of Tehran and the road that takes you there cuts though the Alborz mountains which is quite scenic. Huge barren mountains surround the road on every side. There are countless small villages and settlements along the way up. My destination is the village of Reineh, which is a launching area for the climbers to the Demavend peak. A small windy side road off the main high way takes you uphill towards ... read more

On the plain ride from Dubai to Tehran sat next to a Pakistani emigrant to Dubai who regularly travels to Iran as a consultant for an IT company. He said the first time he set foot in Tehran he was surprised as he had conjured a completely different image of Iran. Instead of what he thought would be an underdeveloped backward and oppressive city, he found it to be surprisingly clean, with a vibrant commercial activity, and an efficient high-way system and modern infra-structure, set in a spectacular setting the Alborz mountain range. Indeed the proximity of the city to this mountain range with the highest peak of 18000 feet is its most remarkable feature. But much has changed since I left it in my early teen years.... read more

La frontiera tra Turchia e Iran e' stata superata con molta facilita' e senza alcun minimo controllo dei bagagli alla ricerca di sostanze proibite, dannazione! Giusto il tempo di cambiare le poche lire turche in Rials che mi ritrovo in mano due grandi mazzette da non ho ben capito quanto, ma che bastano a farmi sentire ricco ed onnipotente; probabilmente il cambio e' stato una fregatura, ma il venerdi' le banche sono chiuse e comunque chissenefrega: le mie tasche sono gonfie da scoppiare e non vedo l'ora di addentrarmi in questo nuovo paese! Ci fermiamo a Maku, prima citta' dopo il confine, e realizziamo che e' troppo tardi per prendere l'autobus per Tabriz, ma non vogliamo assolutamente passare la notte in questo anonimo villaggio; gli unici mezzi in partenza sono diretti a Tehran e ci ritroviamo ... read more

So a reader sent me a short youtube link to a redonculous parody travel ad to the Middle East: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_hH1cPRXI0 Sure, it's black humor to it's deepest darkest black hole, but 'oh dear' enough to check out. Thanks for the worries, but Iran's really not all that dangerous once you're there as long as you don't confuse the country's name with its western neighbour's! (it has happened, no joke, at a UN Ambassador's university seminar. The guestspeaker who congresswoman made the mistake was not on 'wanna grab drinks after this gig?' terms with the Iranian UN Ambassador at least. Much of the American media, including the popular Glenn Beck, has said a lot of harmful comments about Iran. I'm a frat-party-ridden college kid so I cannot say that I am a specialist about the country...but ... read more