Put the ipod away

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There was a real adrenaline rush when I entered here. The joy, the fist pumps - all built up from the anxiety of whether I was going to get in or not, even though I had my VISA but not a flight out. With an open mind, no pre-conceptions I agreed that I will be as trusting as I have ever been. I wanted this to be the most open I have been in any country.

I arrived in Shiraz (central Iran) with a bloated bladder and a toilet on the other side of customs. I got through customs without a problem and exchanged money. Iran has a confusing thing with money. They have Tomans and Rials. Rials are the official currency but everyone talks in Tomans. Tomans is a 0 less than Rials and now there is no such currency as Tomans. Confused?

I exchanged money into Rials whilst talking in Tomans. The highest given note was 50 000 Rials (or 5000 Tomans) that is about AUD$8.50. It was 1030pm and I walked out of the airport with a wad of cash. The taxi drivers were friendly enough and asked me to join other locals to make it cheaper and I was dropped off at my hotel.

One of the first conversations I had in the taxi was about Australia and Iran in the football World Cup Qualifying for France 98. This would be a feature in nearly all conversations. Even when people couldn’t speak English I would say. “Azizi. Na, na” and shake my head with displeasure. That little shit scored two goals against us.

My hotel was pretty average really but was warm enough since its winter here. It’s decked out in a Persian rug predominately red and smells of foot odour. The bed had an indent, rock hard pillow and a noisy shop front outside my window. It saw a massive domestic on my last night, which went from alleyway to alleyway. Bottles were flying, alarms going off, yelling, tears. It was concerning enough for me to move to the far side of my bedroom in case a bottle went through the window.

With limited sleep on the first night I headed out for my first day in Iran. It was so good to walk a street and not get people hassling me for my money like in SE Asia. Because of the cold, the attire was rugged up. This probably made women who are covered with the hejab less dramatic.

Even though I was trying to be open-minded it was hard not to think that maybe I will do something wrong and offend someone. But Shirazi people are the most open minded Iranians according to my book and a friend who has travelled here.

I was walking to an agency to book a flight to Tajikistan and the first person to speak to me offered to drive me 150m to the office just to talk to me (where was he 20 minutes earlier?) So I did, he was an English teacher and gave me his number and said if I wanted to meet up this is my number.

After that a guy with his right hand in a sling, he broke his finger as a goal-keeper and supports Persepolis one of Tehran’s big two football teams. He was getting his shoes fixed and had to go after a while and gave me his email and phone number. At the beginning it seemed like this country is a bloke pick up joint.

There are women walking around and I am not sure what I am supposed to do here. Do I ignore? Do I acknowledge? One thing is for sure, when there is eye contact, the veil drains out the peripheral and leaves just the eyes… and a bit of the nose. Its no wonder Iran has one of the highest nose job rates in the world, if that’s all you’ve got to go by. Jeans are a popular attire for the younger women although that is underneath the traditional clothing. But the smart ones dress a tight fit like the travel agent I went to.

After finding out from an attractive travel agent that my flight to Tajikistan can’t be booked yet I went to my first site. Arg-e Karim Khan formed a Royal court which is really worth an unmention apart from that the south east tower has a lean after subsiding into the sewerage system (Sounds worse than it looks.) There just after the entrance I was greeted by a man and 3 women. I heard the 3 women laughing and talking to the man. I assumed it was to ask him to talk to me. So he came over and introduced himself. His English was just okay and one of the girls could speak okay too. She would be the girl I think I was trying to be set up with.

When we finished walking around the lifeless site they joined me to the Vikal Bazaar. Just before we got there the guy got a phone call and said he had to leave but the girls will walk around with me. They were from Tabriz (north Iran) and studying in Shiraz. Now at this point I felt awkward. I know this place is the open-minded city of Iran but shit on my first day I don’t want to create any enemies. Plus couldn’t get too much of a conversation. She would say “You feel comfortable around me?” this was all be done whilst the other two walked slightly ahead.

Look from what I could see I didn’t find them attractive so I am not going to get myself into any shit. They had to leave and go to Uni and she gave me her phone number and her sisters. The other one I for some reason wasn’t allowed to talk to. So before we departed I said, “What is your name?” She looked a bit nervous and looked at her friends as if to say ‘Um should I? Am I allowed?’

I moved on towards Hafez’s tomb. But before I got to Hafez I came across Imamzadeh-ye Ali Ebn-e Hamze. It is a tomb of Emir Ali a nephew of Shah Cheragh who died here trying to help Imam Reza (explain him later.) This is the friendliest shrine in Shiraz for non-Muslims. They allow you to enter provided you ask (to be polite.) After taking my shoes off it was an eye boggling experience. Inside are miniature silver mirrors reflecting in a 1980’s mirror ball style. In the middle is the shrine lit up and housed through gold bars intertwining.

I sat down near a corner. Again the smell of foot odour that the Persian carpets loved to keep. Preys over the loud speaker, it can be hypnotic. Bellows out of “Allah!” The area is cordoned off into Male and female. The Male area is with the shrine whilst the females are behind a black curtain. Whenever they felt the need to touch, prey or kiss the shrine they’d appear from behind do their thing and go back to their place.

Also inside they give food and drink. I was next to a poor guy who snapped up two meals. The meals are just packaged biscuits and a popper of fruit juice. It is classed as sacred food that I didn’t know at the time and said, “No I’m okay”. It was one of those places when you go to a religious place and go. “Ahh so that’s what this religion is about.” Few very public places in the world have that left. Actually the Golden Temple Amritsar India is the only place I’ve had that feeling. So Hamze is a good spot to start understanding the process of Iranian life.

Outside I was allowed to take photos and another guy talked to me. He was a retired nuclear surgeon and he would walk with me to Hafez’s tomb. Once I reached the outskirts of Hafez people started opening up to me about how they don’t like the government it’s not good what they are doing (to our countries reputation.) I would not say too much and just listened trying to sort out what I should say. (Not many would elaborate from there though.)

Hafez is ‘The’ Great Iranian poet. He memorized the Quran early in his life and created poems that have a mythical sense and most Iranians believe that his poems can be used for anything in life. Most Iranians can quote something of his work. The guy I walked with quoted something about the weather. Always a good cop out when you’re put on the spot.

People come here and perform Faale Hafez a ritual where you stand over Hafez’s tomb ask a question regarding the future. Open up his book at a random page and read out his poem. That will tell you what your future holds. His book is classed as second only to the Quran. Possibly first in Shiraz since he is a local boy. By the way he was born around 1324.

There I met Bazza (name changed) and I would spend the rest of my first day with him. He showed me what young people do to hang out. And in Shiraz hangout means finding a place where there isn’t a lot of Police and all the young men and women go to find a friend. Hafez’s tomb is one of those places. There I was greeted by 3 girls probably about 16-17 and one said, “I am very handsome” with supports of girlish giggles from her friends. So that was unexpected.

Moving on through the afternoon we went to Jahan Nama Gardens where it was a quieter young persons hangout. We would catch taxis, which would stop and start like a bus as it would pick up and drop off passengers along the way. On public buses it is segregated into front males, back females. When females get off the bus they have to get off, go to the front and pay or hand in a ticket to the driver. Whilst the men pay the driver as they get off.

Despite some cultural differences, throughout the day and early evening I couldn’t help but think that this is the friendliest place I have ever been to. I was just amazed in the hospitality. I was offered to stay at a house, offered help, given food, friendly hellos it was almost too much. In between fragrance samples being handed out (must have got 10 in the first day) I would speak English to people that wanted to practise. They would come up to Bazza and say, “Is it okay if I practice my English?” They would ask me how they went once they exhausted their vocabulary. It was all tiring stuff.

It was soon evident that Iranians like to talk. And they don’t mind who, where or when they can talk. They’ll put up a conversation before shutting up. The conversations were so diverse and intense. On occasions my brain could not retain everything.

Hanging around the main shopping road is where most singles hang out after dark. Timezone in a shopping centre is only open to families on Thursday nights as Friday is the start of the weekend. I was allowed in as I was a foreigner and that gave another aspect to life here in Shiraz. Some parks are family orientated too.

Bazza was clearly of higher intelligence than yours truly so I brought up a topic he would not be able to compete with. One of the conversations was about Alcohol. I said that alcohol if it ever got re-introduced here they would have to be very careful because it would affect people a lot differently to what is seen in the movies. You probably see everyone having a great time, happy. But there is another side to alcohol you probably don’t see that much. They would have to put alcohol content to 0.01% and gradually increase. (There are underground parties but they are few and far between.)

Before the main drag he took me to a Pirated DVD guy where I could try and get myself some Iranian movies. Iranian movies have won Academy awards and have got a thriving scene. Pirated DVD guy said he wished he stayed in Dubai; there was such freedom there. And he would tell a similar story as most people that the government is not helping the country. It was just a real overload of information for one day. By the time this young bloke drove me to my hotel telling Bazza that this government is not good I was exhausted and went to retire for the evening at 9pm.

I was so exhausted from my first day that my second day I delayed my exit from my hotel and woke up too late to go to Persepolis. It was a Friday so it was the start of the weekend and the day locals went to mosques and parks. Walking with a general direction of away from the hotel. I somehow ended up following a crowd of black clothes to some old brick buildings. One was brightly decorated with blue tiles. I walked in passing people kissing wooden doors waiting for someone to say you can’t come here. It didn’t happen.

Past the doors and its an open square and two shrines. I looked at my guide-book and suspected it to be Aramgah-e Shah-e Cherag. Sayyed Mir Ahmad one of Imam Reza’s 17 brothers. In AD845 he was hunted down and killed on the site and his remains lay in the shrine. (Imam Reza I hope to be my last sight in Iran it is one of Islamic Holiest shrines. At this stage I am still not clear of his whole story so we’ll leave that till later.)

As I walked around the square I wasn’t sure if I could take a photo so I kept my hands in my pockets. I did wonder if I actually knew what I was looking at. A caretaker of the shrine said hello to me as I started to look even more out of place. I tried to reconfirm if I am at the right place. He asked if I was Muslim. I said no. I quickly thought of lying and say yes but it just wasn’t going to work and thought I’d get more respect if I were honest. Soon after a young guy called Gazza (name changed) asked me if I needed help. So he would be my guide for the rest of the day.

Can people be this friendly I never knew it existed? He would shout me taxi rides, food, drink. I started to feel guilty. I avoided eating main meals now for two days because I felt guilty them paying my way. I think minus accommodation I spent $10 on my first two days here.

He was from Arak. I first thought Iraq but before I got excited I brought my map out and said where is that on the map? Thinking it could be a place in Iran of similar name. Saved face with that move.

At the shrine he showed me the back to the oldest mosque Jameh-ye Atigh Mosque. Not used now. Back in Cherag he tried to get me into one of the shrines. I was able to walk into a part that was being reconstructed. Smelling of foot odour I felt slightly privileged but afraid I was going to offend. Moving towards where the main shrine was - a group of people about 6 rows back were waiting at a golden door, which was closed. Than some slight yells from people to Gazza and he said, “I think we should go.” We left and there were a few glares. He said once we moved away “people were saying not to show you inside because people are being given food and you don’t need to see that. They think that you will put a negative spin on it.”

He said that people kiss every part of the shrine the floor, the square because everything is sacred. He pointed out that the colour blue which Iranian mosques feature, especially the sky blue variety is popular with Iranian people so the choice of Sydney FC jersey underneath my black raincoat worked well.

I was free to take photos too. Iranians love to converse and whilst most can’t speak English once one speaks to me and has good enough English others will build up some confidence and come over and chat either translated or practice their limited English. In a way it is great but there is no rest. Usually it’s the first 15 minutes of the day and the rest of the day is full on.

So he would talk to me about a whole range of topics. Mehri - A form of reassurance payment to the girl before they marry. They will offer how much gold coins it will cost should they divorce one coin means around $10 (don’t quote me.) Generally the offer is more than the male can afford and if he can’t pay and divorce he goes to jail. So there are a lot of young men in jail just for divorcing their wives. For the woman if she is divorced than she has got bad stigma so this is to help her get through the rest of her life, as more than likely no man will support her… Or it’s to prevent divorce.

Despite some conversations, Shiraz has such a warm feeling even in the winter. When I went to Sadi Tomb Gazza said he will get changed and meet me at the tomb in one hour.

Sa’di Tomb another poet - 5 km from main city is near the poorer parts of town but quitter. Young kids speaking Farsi wanted a photo with me so I got in one. This would be the beginning of me being in Iranian photos. I had a local ice cream, which had iced butter in it. The texture was good but it curdled in the stomach.

Tired from so much talking. I had a siesta and said at 430 I will be going to Quran gate. 430 arrived and Gazza was there with a present - a poster of Hafez’s tomb. I first felt guilty because I had nothing for him in return, than the thought of how the hell am I suppose to carry this? It was the length of my backpack. Than gratitude for the thought that counts.

The gate (Darvazeh-ye Quran) use to be the entrance of Shiraz now blocked off and the main road next to it. It had a Quran at the top of the gate and its traditionally passed before any journey. Since it’s at a gorge people look from here and would praise Allah. It is also a spot for teahouses and a great spot for sunset (apart from the hotel construction that was in the way of the sun but shows the whole city) it is another one of those “non-pick up, wink wink pick up joints” for the youth. A group of guys having shisha (called qalyan locally) started talking Farsi to me in hope that it would be translated so I was talking to them with Gazza the interpreter.

In these situations I need to be selective on what I say because it’s more about being an ear for them. Someone new for them to voice their frustrations with the government. It is sad to hear people who love their country so much to complain so much in just 2 days of being here. I never once brought up the subject. Mainly because I didn’t read into it too much I have come here to eventually have my own opinion on Iran not a preconceived idea from previous studies.

Again the connection of that ‘fateful day in Melbourne Nov. 97’. Again I openly admit that I hate Azizi and they can name Bosnich, Kewell, Viduka and other Australian Players.

Walking through the parks Gazza said to me that if I want to he can start a conversation with the women but I chose not to. Mainly because I have not come here to instigate anything I have come here to observe and if I am approached than I will talk. I have been very careful with the way I talk. I’m sure my talking and questioning will be more affective later.

There was on occasion’s concerns from people. Questions such as: “What are your thoughts of Iran? What does the world think of us? There is a genuine concern on proving they are not bad people. I was honest “I don’t know too much most of the information we get is negative. But I have only ever heard positive things from people who have travelled here. About how friendly people are. Shiraz is the friendliest place I have ever been to in the world.”

It has been mentioned that I am one of the few chances Iran has to get positive feedback to the world since all the coverage of this place is negative and of terrorism and nuclear. There is something special about travelling here. There’s a kind of ambassador feel to it.

Back to the locals picking up - If parents are away they text each other “mum and dad aren’t home.” They love the women here and wanted to know “Do Australian men think of women like us?” I said, “Yes, I think all men think of women the same.” They liked that response. They asked me which is better Iranian or Australian women? I went with the politically correct option and said “Iranian” Gazza said “really?” I said, “I don’t know Australian women show more I can’t tell?”

Apart from military service males don’t get to go overseas until they finish their service than the government has final say after a bit of cash is laid out. So I am a chance for them to experience something different. Like me trying to put a seat belt on in the car. Holding onto my rubbish waiting for a bin. Gazza said that interests everyone here.

My 3rd night in my hyper extending bed I would have Iranian conversations going through my head… from one to the next. No rest. It is such a shame that Shiraz was my first stop in Iran even though it probably is the best to start off with. The warm generous spirit of majority of people here really could have kept me prolonged. The joy the people would get from me not telling them to piss off made me feel like I was doing them the favour, I was being the nice guy. My connection with the Shirazi people would have been far greater had I stayed longer or gone out at night. But I needed to lock myself in my room away from the people to intake what I had just got myself into for the next month.


(Keeping names anonymous just in case this site is tract by Iran government. Travelblog can’t get uploaded sometimes in Iran. So in case I put something that may put someone in strife I will not name names.)

Each blog I will provide the tally of what I have collected from the locals
TALLY - as of Shiraz
Phone #’s - 8
Emails - 3
Photo - 8
Home invites - 2
Presents - 1
My assumed nationality - English, American, Italian.

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Photos

Shiraz
Sadi tomb

Shiraz
The old mosque

Shiraz
Hafez's Tomb

Comments

[mharleyuk]

Just been looking at Central Asian blogs section and came across your Tajikistan entries, which led me to your Iranian ones too. I like your observations Drew, and your description of uncertainty about how to behave in a different culture. It must be tiring to continually write long entries like this, but I like your observations. Happy Travelling.