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Published: October 7th 2007
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The lodge next door
Lodge rented by my self-appointed driver and guide for the day. Detour to Chelav
As we get closer to the coast the vegetation changes and lush green forests fill the land scape, very similar to entering western Washington when crossing the cascades. On the way up we take a small excursion to a small mountain village called Chellav. As we climb the windy treacherous road he takes out a cigarette empties the tobacco, mixes it with some other ingredients, sucks the tobacco back through filter into the cigarette and starts smoking it. To my utter amazement all this is done while he continues talking non-stop, and driving with his knee and elbow, albeit very slowly.
Once we reach the village a local tells us of a pretty house on top of the hill which belonged to an Imam-zadeh, (descendant of a Shiite Imam), with great views of the valley. The place has been restored and turned into a place of gathering and worship. Next to the house lies the property of an elderly lady who asks what we want with a suspicious glance. We tell her that I am a foreigner and and have come to visit the village. Still there is no such thing as a tea welcome despite
The lodge next door
On the divan facing the valley. Idtentical twin children of guide/driver, Nargass is 18 month old girl they are baby-sitting. a few freindly gestures of good will from my part in trying to engage her in conversation. We manage to exhachange a few words with his sons who work in the near by fiields.
Detour to National forest (Caspian Basin)
On the way to Omol we take a short exursion into a gated national park. The way throught the forest is a dirt windey road that has a steay climb ideal for montain biking. The forest is thick and some of the tree barks have moss growing on them, indicating plenty of rainfall. On the way back we run into a herd of cows tended by two brothers. The younger asks my guide to use the his cell phone and invites us into to their little hut. The two come across as very firendly and down to earth folks. The older of the two, Hesam, prepares tea on the wood fire already burning in the hut. Their hut consists of a simple wooden shack, mud floors and very few other items. A wireless radio is the only electronic item visible. The shack in fact is a small barn. Within the same structure is where to store some of
The lodge next door
On the divan, facing the curtain separting the kitchen from the rest of the divan (deck). the calves. We sit on small small and simple wool mat next to the fire.
Once tea is prepared he also serves us cheese which themselve had prepared locally and bread. He obtains the cheese from a large blue plastic barrel. Hesam the older of the two is 36 years old, and lives in a nearby coastal town. He does not own the cows and with his brother work on a salary of 100,000 tomans each per month or 109$. They are in charge of 60 cows with a total value of 70,000$. He has two children and his wife does not work. 109$, not large sum even by currrent Iranina standards, seems to statisfy his family's needs. This was not that surprising given the simplicty in manner of life in the hut.
The tea and the cheese taseted great. Hesam did not take any himself, it being the fasting season, and his brother milked the cows as he entertained us. After finishing the whole tea pot we come out to witness spectacular and at the same time heart-wrenching process of cow-milking.
First they bring out the calves to prime the milk and get the whole process
Leaving Ab Garm
On the way down, the windy road cut into the mountain leads to a mining operation on the other side for sangepook or light stones. going. Once out of the barn the calves have no problem identifying thier mother in the large herd. After a minute or two of breast feeding, the calves are abrupty pulled away from breasts, and the their moths tied gently with a rope. They then use the same rope to tie the calf to the hind leg of the cow, in a manner that the face of the calf is turned towards the breast. Then the milking begings for a total of 5 minutes, untill all is gone. Throught all this the calf is left watching. The calf is then released only to find there is no milk left. The process repeats everyday. (Later I learn that this happens three times per day and they save enough of the milk for the calf to survive).
We left soon after. On the way out I thought about the genunie hospitality and honest interaction of these two brothers and compared them with the greedy hustlers the tourist part of Ab Garm, at least some of whome that based their interaction with me solely on utiliterian terms. On the way out felt a sense of nourishment both in the heart and body.
On the way to Chelav
Lush mountain village on the way to Amol. But then again, one of these days a natural hot spring may gush out of the under ground, and make a spectacle out of these folks' lives as well, and with it the flow of money, sonsumer goods, junk food, and plastic soda bottles litter their landscpae.
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mehdizadeh parimeh
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chelavimeh lalehchi mene nome nakerdme asheghi del mashte khone ageh khani doni meneh neshone belendeh koh koh tek mene neshone