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Published: April 3rd 2009
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Pigeons are sitting on the gold dome of Quds Courtyard, it was night and the gold dome was reflecting brightly. The one area that wasn’t was the top of the dome where the pigeons have shat all over it. Surely the greatest animal in the world is the pigeon! No matter where you are in the world they’ll shit all over it!
Normally I feel I can’t get the full scope of a country until I see the capital. With Iran even after seeing Tehran, Mashhad is that place. Iran’s second biggest and holiest place. It became larger during the Iraq-Iran war as it was the furthest city from the conflict.
Here is Iran Shiite’s ultimate shrine Harem-e Razavi dedicated to Imam Reza. He was assassinated by poisoned grapes and pomegranate juice back in AD818. Most other pilgrim sights in Iran are related to this man. So significant is a pilgrimage here that after coming here you can attach Mashti to your name.
I had less than a day here and went at night and was not really captured as I was in Golden Temple Amritsar India. It’s still a brilliant spectacle just doing a comparison. After seeing the
The shrine from my balcony
... cant see much of it but get an idea pigeon poo I decided to go to the toilet and when it came to washing my hands I thought I’ll do what the locals do. I went to the tap, rolled up my sleaves, soaped up and used the limitless flow of water. I did call stumps when some other pilgrims started washing their feet… Although my shoes haven’t recovered from the salt water drenching back in the Philippines.
Mashhad was my last stop before I headed to the Stans. And to tell you the truth I was over it. I wanted out. The Mullah incident in Shush did effect my enjoyment of the country. From then on I was scared to take photos with my big camera in fear I would be classed as media. Take away photography and that affects my travel. I still took photos but having the thought that someone is going to question you everyday does your head in.
I realised a week prior I would be leaving a week earlier than intended in Kashan - a city for restoration, architecture and step class buffs. It is traditional house heaven but once you’ve seen one and walked up and down continuous steps you’ve
Mashhad
What does this street sign say?? seen them all. It seemed I was just ticking the box.
I failed to learn much Farsi and in Mashhad the signs were in Arabic, limited English. To this day I don’t know which sign is for the Men’s toilet. You notice scribbles on the sign before entering and when you get in all you see are squatters - No urinal to help out.
Another confusing thing throughout is the different symbols for numbers. 1-4 looks like various cacti. Since Iran is so mountainous the air was fresh and dry causing my lips and nose to dry up basically instantly.
But the thing that got me in the end is the realisiation that I am not a people person. I never have been really and I think I have improved since traveling but here it is quite hard to avoid them. Especially when they love to talk. This place is a people, historical and political destination. I got so many numbers and emails and it’s hard to say no. So instead I’d lie and say I will contact them. (Actually I wanted to contact the Tehran contacts but after Shush I didn’t in case I get classed
as media and it falls back onto them.) But the problem is, they are dispensable because within 10 minutes someone else is going to help or start up a conversation. If only it were the case for the women in Iran.
It’s difficult to get close to women here. Especially in Mashhad where the chador the head to toe variety is prominent. But there are women who undress you with their eyes or stare out of curiosity? It is such a shame because when an Iranian girl is good looking they are stunning. I was discussing with one of my travel mates here on my second last day:
If things change within the next few years, I am single and women are allowed to express how they feel than I’m flying myself here. This will be the secret place the world won’t know about. This with a few other subtle changes will be backpacker paradise.
I think my trip to Iran will leave a special place in my memory. My trip here proves that no matter what the media suggests when it says a country is bad they are just talking about the government and its policies. It’s
people as a whole are overly friendly making it the safest I’ve felt traveling in a long time. It however, is not a two-week annual leave destination. It’s a more serious destination that can only be visited as an extended trip. Despite a bit of freedom issues life in Iran seems rather comfortable the conditions are far superior to what I’ve witnessed in parts of Eastern Europe, most of South America and South East Asia. So at the end of my Iranian trip - Would I come back again? I don’t think so. I would if things changed as it would be a completely different destination again. Because it has that ‘cut off to the world’ hovering over it there is a lack of tourism. This means the locals treat you as their overseas vacation, treating you like a celebrity and for now at least I don’t want to be a celebrity.
Assumed Nationality - Japanese this is no joke, mentioned not just once (I think it was the big camera again,) German, Dutch, Italian, French
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anonymous
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the sign says "toward parking"