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Published: October 1st 2007
Shiraz (Persepolis) - Yazd - Esfahan - Kashan - Tehran If George W. Bush wants to know where Iran is hiding its nuclear facilities, I can tell him. I have seen one of them on the A80 highway between Esfahan and Kashan. Iran is proud of its nuclear ambitions and makes no secret of where much of the work is taking place. After passing through, I read that the president ordered the sites be opened for passing tourists to explore. Should Bush & friends choose to drop bombs on the site as they have threatened to now & then, they may run into a little trouble; the whole area, for miles around, is protected by thousands of anti-aircraft guns. Tourists may be welcome but foreign intervention is not. If you have ever tired of hearing about Iran’s nuclear weapons on the news then spare a thought for those who live Iran, most days it's the only story to make the news.
It is the beginning of the end of our trip & before we speed past the modern nuclear facility, we head back into the ancient world of Persepolis. Initially inhabited 2500 years ago, the city was lost under
Handpainted Plate
Imam Square; Esfehan sand for centuries until it was rediscovered in the 1930’s. No one is sure what Persepolis's true role was, but what is known is that it was home to a number of great rulers of the day. Located an hour away from the modern town of Shiraz, the courtyards, tall columns, imposing entrance gates, grand stairways and intricate bas reliefs that remain today are a permanent reminder of how grand the city was.
Close to the ancient city is Naqsh-e Rostam, the funerary chambers of five of the great rulers, Darius included among them. Perched high on an exposed rock face, the tombs were cut deep into the rock. Around the tombs are carvings depicting battles from the late leaders’ lives.
Having spent much of our time so far in Iran in huge polluted cities, staying in overpriced and below average accommodation, our arrival in the old quarter of Yazd is welcomed with a large sigh of relief. Although beyond our usual budget, our hotel is clean and spacious, our room has an en suite bathroom, there’s a good selection of vegetarian food available and we are a few moments’ walk from the historic old part of town
and the Friday Mosque. With relatively few tourists making it to Iran, you are more likely to be sharing your hotel with Persians, Arabs & Afghans than backpackers. Budget accommodation standards can leave a little to be desired; sheets are often stained, dirty & rarely changed. Not only are bathrooms almost always shared, they are also unisex, an interesting anomaly when women aren't supposed to be seen in the flesh by men. Even for a quick dash to the toilet in the middle of the night women must wear full hejab of headscarf & body covering coat. Western style seated toilets are rare, the squats are rarely cleaned, there’s no urinals and locks are unheard of.
Yazd, a small city with a population of just half a million boasts an old town that is recognised by UNESCO as one of the oldest on earth; a labyrinth of high walled mud brick houses and narrow alleys that grew around the ancient trade routes of the Silk Road. Yazd also boasts a few unique local features - a type of pre-electricity natural air conditioning and an extensive underground water distribution system.
The air conditioning works through tall wind towers called
Market Trader
From above, Kashan ‘Badgirs’ that are seen on numerous roof tops right across town. Levelled air holes at the top catch the breeze and direct it down through a shaft below. The air currents enter the house above a pool of cool water, therefore cooling the air around. Yazd is very hot & very dry, so it's a welcome relief to test the system by sitting below the tallest badgir in town, all 33 metres of it.
Qanats, the underground water system, have been around for over 2000 years. The very long, very deep and extremely narrow system of water channels spreads far and wide under town and out into the surrounding countryside. The channels which are still all dug by human rather than machine connect deep wells to the town and farmland, the water being used for homes and agriculture. Although the channels are located deep below the surface of the ground, entrances are obvious by their four badgir like towers & the stairs that disappear into darkness underground.
Long before Iran became a Muslim country, the main religion was Zoroastrianism. Led by Zoroaster who was born around 550BC, followers believe in a core principal of dualism - the eternal
Ceiling
Market Entrance, Esfehan battle of good & evil. Only 150,000 Zoroastrians are left in Iran today, along with a handful more around the world. Worship takes place at Fire Temples (Ateshkadeh), of which there is one in Yazd which houses a flame that has been burning nonstop for 1537 years. Historically Zoroastrians don’t bury their dead, believing that this pollutes atmosphere. Instead bodies of the deceased were left exposed in large stone towers, built high on mounds at the edge of town. Open to the elements & nature, the bodies would be cleaned by vultures. The tradition was brought to an end in the 1960’s and these days they do bury the dead, albeit in tough concrete coffins to keep the bodies from polluting the ground. At Chak Chak, an hour or so away from Yazd, is one of the most important Zoroastrian pilgrimage sights. High on a cliff face, water that seeps from the otherwise dry rock is believed to be the tears of a princess; running to escape from Muslim Arabs, she asked for mercy; the mountain opened & took her inside, where she apparently still resides today.
It is perhaps ironic that it was Arabs who brought Islam to
Iran (then Persia) around 1500 years ago thus spelling the end of Zoroastrianism dominance. Persians were happy to leave Zoroaster and embrace Mohammed at the time. In 1979 Iran became the world's first Islamic republic, today the government still enforces strict Islamic law. Yet while the people & government live by an Arab initiated religion, they still see Arabs as the enemy. It is a common misconception that the people of Iran are, like some of their neighbours, Arabs. Call an Iranian an Arab and you aren't likely to get a pleasant response. The people of Iran are Persian and many Iranians will go to great length to tell you how much they dislike Arabs. Sometimes you can see why; while Iran was first invaded by Arabs in 637AD, the more recent invasion by Saddam Hussein (then fully supported by the USA) resulted in at least 500,000 Iranian deaths through the 1980's. Once or twice I pointed out to people that their religion was brought to them by the Arabs that they supposedly despise so much. The usual response - shrugged shoulders and a sigh. Most people are resigned to the absurd banalities of life in Iran.
if Zoroaster is sounding familiar, perhaps it is through the late Queen singer, Freddie Mercury. Freddie has loose links to Iran & Zoroastrianism, which is perhaps why Queen’s Greatest Hits was the first officially released western album in Iran for some time. for more info about Freddie, his links to Iran & Zoroaster here:
Queen's Greatest Hits &
Freddie the Parsi In Yazd town centre, near the eternally sprawling bazaar, is the tall archway complex of Amir Chakmaq. From the top of this grand royal structure is a 360 degree view of the town, it’s thousands of badgirs, alleys and mosques. You don’t have to look far onto the horizon to see mountains and desert. It’s a familiar scene, every town we visit seems to be an oasis in the middle of a desert. At the same time mountains are never far away - on almost every journey we pass at least one snow-capped mountain range.
Leaving the arches behind as the sun sets, we cross the road to an old water cooling tower. Earlier a young local had told us that we should call in to watch some Zurkhaneh, an ancient traditional Iranian sport. Zurkhaneh, meaning house of strength, is an energetic combination
Masjed Jameh
Friday Mosque; Yazd of aerobics, weight lifting, drumming and poetry. Men and boys stand in a circle while one person leads from the centre; as a pulsating rhythm is beaten and poetry is recited, the group perform their vigorous routine. Following what looks like a workout, they take it in turns to rotate on the spot, spinning furiously like a dervish until they stumble away, dazed & dizzy. Later they each take two large wooden accessories resembling huge skittles, and rotate them back and forth from in front and behind their heads. They make it look easy, but it is obvious that they are heavy. When they are finished I try to pick one up, I can barely get it off of the ground.
From Yazd we take a day to explore some outlying sights. Beyond the Zoroastrian sight of Chak Chak is Kharanak, a thousand year old deserted mud brick village. No one seems to know when the residents all left, but today it is a ghost town with just a few local farmers making the most of the still working irrigation systems. In the centre of town is a shaking minaret, which you are encouraged to climb. Tall, extremely narrow
Masjed Jameh
Friday Mosque; Yazd and made of mud brick, it’s not until you reach the top that you realise that a few shakes too many will probably send it crashing to the ground. Great views though.
Pacing back and forth between counters in Yazd's bus terminal we appear to find ourselves stranded. Although there are plenty of buses leaving town, no one wants to sell us a ticket. For a change there's nobody able or willing to speak English & we have no idea why the assistants at the numerous counters are ignoring us. Finally we are rescued by a young Iranian who knows why we are stuck. Tomorrow is the ‘Heart Rending Departure of the Great Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran’ - the anniversary of the death of Ayatollah Khomeini, the father of Islamic Iran. With the freedom of two days of public holidays, the population is on the move and all transport is full.
Our new friend goes to great lengths to help us, and manages to negotiate a very good rate with the taxi driver to take us all the way to our destination, Esfehan. He keeps telling us it is his duty to help us and
Tallest Badgir
Looking up from the cool airspace below it; Yazd before we go insists that we share a cup of tea with him. This is Iran, almost everywhere we go people give us their names and numbers, insisting we contact them if we need any help, of any kind, wherever we are. The country has an image based entirely on the of absurd actions of its government; on the news we hear about imprisoned British soldiers, nuclear bombs & interference in Iraq, but we never hear about the hospitable, kind and friendly population.
There are of course a few people who want to rip us off, normally taxi drivers when we are trying to negotiate a decent fare. Even then, random elderly local women invariably barge in, talk to the driver and insist that they charge us a sensible rate. When this fails, they normally flag down another taxi for us & start negotiations all over again. Until recently foreigners had to pay more than locals, by law, for entrance fees to sites & accommodation. Although we still pay more for our dirty & basic rooms, dual pricing is no longer supposed to exist but there's still the odd mosque, house & palace that tries to charge us more.
Tallest Badgir
All thirty three metres of it; Yazd Once again, if a local comes along & sees that we are being charged ten times what they are, they’ll argue with the ticket seller until they back down.
The taxi ride to Esfehan is like no other. Before we have even left Yazd, the driver is showing signs of tiredness. I spend the entire four hour journey watching his eyes in the rear view mirror from the back seat, checking he is still awake. Between us we take turns in prodding him & forcing drinks upon him. The only time he really wakes is when we stop for benzene and his prayers. Not for the first time, I wonder if the prayers include anything about a safe journey. The journey is an extremely draining experience, rewarding though as we manage to wake him a few times just as he starts to drift off to sleep & the drift off the road. We arrive and find a room, suggesting to him that he gets a room & some sleep, but he doesn't. He heads out for a cup of tea and then turns around & drives all the way back to Yazd.
Newspaper
Marking the anniversary of the Heart Rending Departure of the Great Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran on 4 June Hopefully he picked up a Farsi speaking local to help keep him awake.
For a change, the ride isn’t in a Paykan, the car that clogs almost every road in Iran. Copied directly from the 1960’s Hillman Hunter, the Iranian Paykan didn’t update in design for forty years, and was finally withdrawn from production just recently. They come in all colours, although many are white, all churning out toxic fumes that add to the already heavily polluted skies. The Paykan's replacement is the equally generic Kia Pride, designed in South Korea but built in Iran. I'm warned a few times to take care when closing my door, apparently it won't take much to take it off the hinges.
Our driver may like to sleep on the job, but at least that keeps him from driving unbelievably fast. Iranians aren’t known for their careful driving skills, although there's a lot to be said for anyone who can survive for long on an Iranian road. Much is made of how dangerous it is to cross the road as a pedestrian with utter mayhem coming from all directions, but much like elsewhere in the Middle East & Asia, the safest way
Detail
Imam Mosque; Esfehan is to look for a local who is crossing too & to place them between the oncoming traffic and you.
Our first two days in Esfehan coincide with the two days of public holidays, the first being the anniversary of the death of Ayatollah Khomeini. Today the nation should be in mourning; television and newspapers are full of poignant stories from around Iran & around the globe. Apparently the world is in mourning, there are news stories from far & wide. There's no doubt that Khomeini was a popular man, some 10 million people attended his funeral, the biggest on earth. But in Esfehan today there’s no sign of sadness; as perhaps Iran’s most beautiful city, it is bursting with Iranians on holiday. Imam Square, the heart of the city, the second largest public square in the world (after Beijing’s Tiananmen), is a beautiful oasis of grass, water and fountains, surrounded by mosques, palaces, a bazaar, local handicrafts and shops. Most businesses are closed, as are the mosques, palace and museums, although we are unsure whether it's through choice or regulations. The local tourists are dumbfounded, they travelled across the country to see the sights and shop, yet almost
Dizi
Meat Stew. It's all in the presentation; Esfehan everything is closed. It’s a rare step back into a world where the dollar doesn’t quite rule yet - these places could have made a fortune had they been open today.
While Iranians should be mourning, we don’t meet any who are. The late Khomeini and the current leaders may be intent on telling the world that Iran hates the US & all things western, but youngsters tell us quite the opposite. In reality the next generation loves anything remotely connected to America. We're told on an almost daily basis that their leaders are bad, people want freedom, they want to do all the things that are banned like drink alcohol, dance & talk to the opposite sex. Sitting in the square I am told that on Thursdays undercover police come and interrogate male & female couples spending time together on the grass. If they are not married then males and females are not meant to be together; one person told us that he’d even been arrested for being out in public with his sister.
Everywhere we go people talk to us. Even those who speak little English can normally manage a quick
Welcome to Iran, welcome to our city, or I hope you enjoy your time here. At times you can't get a minute to yourself, so keen are people to talk, wanting to ask us what we think of Iran, to tell us about their life and their struggle. Of course there are plenty who remember life before the revolution when bikinis and beer were normal. Tell a child it can't have something, there's a good chance it will want it even more. For almost thirty years Iranians have been told they can't mix with the opposite sex or drink alcohol - now they want freedom more than ever. Tell people they must be a strict Muslim, wear certain clothes & follow certain rules - will that make them a good person, a good Muslim, or will it turn them against it? One person asked me about night clubs in the west. I tried to explain that a club or pub may be open every day, but that we don’t all go to the pub or club every day. He was a well educated young man, but he just couldn’t grasp the concept that we could go out, freely any day that we wanted to. A
Alleys
The ghost town of Kharanaq few days later, I was with the same man when there was a power cut. He told me that power aren't that common, perhaps only once a month, and even then they don’t last very long. He asked about power cuts where I come from. I replied that I only remember one maybe two in the past five or six years. He was dumbfounded & couldn't understand why we don't have them all the time too.
A number of people we meet talk of escape - they want to escape this country & head to Europe, Dubai or the US. Those who can are studying hard - English, engineering, professions that may help them get to another place. One person points out that all the best educated young people are leaving the country as soon as they finish their studies - will this mass 'brain drain' help the powers that be change their ways? Young people all say they want change, & I often ask what it will take. No one has an answer. Some say the young are all talk & no action, one person points out that in 1979 they managed a revolution, but now no one
Prayer Mats
Lined up for afternoon prayers; Friday Mosque, Esfehan could do it. Although no one really mentions it, it's widely accepted that any opposition movement, any protests, any sign of dissent will result in a quick arrest, or perhaps a disappearance. Some people are willing to talk, some can't be bothered, most are hopelessly resigned to the life they have to live with..
Despite how people feel about their freedoms & life, Iranians are very passionate about the land they live in. Most will tell you it is a beautiful country, they are very proud of their history, the sights and the cities. This isn’t an entirely poor country, lots of people have money but can’t get a passport to leave, so many are very well travelled at home. Some tell us Iran is a third world country, in ways it is. Along with the oil, it is abundant with natural resources, they produce most of the world’s pistachio nuts, saffron and caviar. Even most of the world’s heroin passes through Iran. The country looks modern, yet many live in third world ways.
At times everything about Iran seems to be a contradiction. Esfehan is recognised perhaps the finest city in the Islamic world, but that is
Masjed Jameh
Friday Mosque; Yazd largely thanks to the supposedly despised royals that predate the current regime. The Travel Blog website, which is largely full of people praising Iran & the people is banned in many places in Iran, yet the BBC which openly condemns the leaders is available everywhere.
Facing each other on each of the four sides of Imam Square, once known as Nash-e Jahan (pattern of the world), are The Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque, Ali Qapu Palace, the entrance gate to Imam Mosque and Qeysarieh the entrance to the main bazaar. Running along the length of each side inbetween are archwayed arcades full of shops selling locally produced handicrafts & confectionary. In the parallell alleys behind the square are the craftspeople painting, weaving, carving & welding the unique wares that will soon be for sale.
While Imam Mosque is vast, a collection of domed rooms, a madrassa (theological school) and courtyards, Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque is one simple but huge domed room. At both the tile work and mosaics are stunning. The first storey of Ali Qapu Palace, complete with wooden pillars and intricate murals, provides a stunning panorama across the square. The palace was built to serve as the entrance to
Zoroastrian Prophet
Zoroastrian Temple, Chak Chak Chehel Sotun Palace, set back a few hundred metres from the square. Another grand building, with an outdoor pillared courtyard, full of yet more beautifully painted murals.
Around the back and sides of the palace survive two murals that somehow are yet to escape censorship; both depict topless women. Dating back to royal times, it's a rare sight in Islamic Iran. But it’s not the first time I see a naked breast here. Women have to cover up by law, but being such a contradictory place, it’s not uncommon to see woman breast feeding in public. The role of women in Iranian society is also a contradictory one. Apparently, figures show that there are more females at university than males, but few women make it into the workforce. That said, there are far more women working in public places in Iran than there are in neighbouring Middle East countries. In theory I shouldn’t talk to a woman, but if she talks to me first then it’s okay to respond. Although we speak to far more men than women, especially about life and politics, it is very rewarding to get a cheeky smile or hello from an Iranian woman, young
Bazaar-e Bozorg
Imam Square; Esfehan or old. While some women seem no different to their western counterparts, others, in particular the more devout Muslims, are extremely shy and timid.
In five weeks in Iran I see just one Iranian woman’s hair and arms. Women are supposed to be covered so that only their husbands see their beauty; seeing more than a face is like seeing a woman naked. If I was surprised and intrigued when I was hair and flesh, imagine what an Iranian man who’s never seen it would think. The same woman who bared herself told me how much she despised the regime, as do her friends. She drinks alcohol and she mixes with the opposite sex, all with the full knowledge of her parents. Like everyone else who I’ve had this conversation with neither her nor her friends see anything changing; Any opposition is likely to result in a prison sentence, torture or a quick death.
Work began on Imam Square in 1602, and for a time the vast space was used for polo matches. The huge marble goalposts can still be seen at each end. These days during the heat of the day children play football, then cool off
Bazaar-e Bozorg
Locally produced boxes for sale; Imam Square, Esfehan in the fountains. The most popular activity is in the square after shopping for handicrafts is picnicking - not just for tourists but for locals too. As the intense heat of the sun gradually fades, families slowly fill the shadow that creeps across the grass.
It's on our journey to Kashan via Abyaneh that we pass the nuclear facility. Abyanaeh is another mud brick village, inhabited by surprisingly colourfully dressed women. Kashan is home to a lively & very friendly market and a very large number of beautifully restored old mansions & palaces, once mansions of the rich & powerful. Sadly our bedroom is one of the dirtiest yet & the one good food option has closed down. There is some divine food in Iran, it can just be hard to find, especially if you don't eat meat.
Our final day in Iran; we are back in Tehran & I am looking at the tomb of Ayatollah Khomeini. Around me men are praying, one woman weeps and a steady but small flow of people passes by, kissing the simple silver frame that covers his tomb. Today the shrine is quiet, but just a week ago it was packed
Moustache
Door Knockers; Imam Mosque, Esfehan with followers and politicians marking the anniversary of his death. After five weeks in Iran, and just over a year of non-stop travels, we’ve chosen this sombre scene as the final sight on our journey. A strange choice, but somehow a fitting one. For years we’ve heard about Iran on the news. For the past few months we’ve heard all about nuclear weapons and kidnapped soldiers. For five weeks in Iran we’ve heard over and over again that Iranians don’t like their government. The people don’t hate America, they don’t care for nuclear weapons, they just want to be free and to be normal. Ayatollah Khomeini is largely responsible for creating the Iran we see today. After being told for weeks that the regime is so bad, I wanted to end it here, in his shrine, where perhaps a few people still love him. He’s been in the shrine almost twenty years but they still haven’t finished building it. It’s an ugly place, lots of concrete and exposed metal. There’s a little marble here and there, but most of it is carpeted over. It would be a peaceful place were it not for the building work. While parents pay respects,
Qanat
The water tunnel is deep underground; The entrance at the front leads down steep stairs to a water pool under the dome & pillars at the back; Yazd kids run around and play. There’s no great feeling of emotion, no outpouring of grief. It's nothing like the mausoleums of Mao or Ho Chi Minh. People may be praying, but I feel nothing from them. Whatever answers I hoped to find here, I leave without them.
Back outside we pass tacky souvenir shops, buy ice cream and chips and head back to the subway station. Before heading underground we notice a flame in the sky on the horizon, it must be an oilfield. Perhaps it’s fitting that the shrine is so close to the oil. In the 1950's it was oil that sparked the CIA coup (thanks to the UK government & what is now BP) that deposed Iran’s democratically elected leader. It was US & western meddling in the country that pushed people to favour the Islamic Revolution & leaders in 1979. It’s oil that still drives the problems in the region today.
At times you can't get a minute to yourself, so keen are people to talk, wanting to ask us what we think of Iran, to tell us about their life and their struggle. Of course there are plenty who remember life before the
revolution when bikinis and beer were normal. Tell a child it can't have something, there's a good chance it will want it even more. For almost thirty years Iranians have been told they can't mix with the opposite sex or drink alcohol - now they want freedom more than ever. Tell people they must be a strict Muslim, wear certain clothes & follow certain rules - will that make them a good person, a good Muslim, or will it turn them against it? One person asked me about night clubs in the west. I tried to explain that although a club or pub may be open every day, we don’t actually all go there every day. He was a well-educated young man, but he just couldn’t grasp the concept that we could go out, freely any day that we wanted to. A few days later, I was with the same man when there was a power cut. He told me that power cuts aren't that common, perhaps only once a month, and even then they don’t last very long. He asked about power cuts where I come from and I replied that I only remember one maybe two in the
Blue Tiles
Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque; Imam Square, Esfehan past five or six years if that. He was dumbfounded & couldn't understand why we don't have them all the time too.
A number of people we meet talk of escape - they want to escape this country & head to Europe, Dubai or the US. Those who can are studying hard - English, engineering - professions that may help them get to another place. One person points out that all the best educated young people are leaving the country as soon as they finish their studies - will this mass 'brain drain' help the powers that be change their ways? Young people all say they want change, & I often ask what it will take. No one has an answer. Some say the young are all talk & no action, one person points out that in 1979 they managed a revolution, but now no one could do it. Although no one really mentions it, it's widely accepted that any opposition movement, any protests, any sign of dissent will result in a quick arrest, or perhaps a disappearance. Some people are willing to talk, some can't be bothered, most are hopelessly resigned to the life they have to live
with.
Despite how people feel about their freedoms & life, Iranians are very passionate about the land they live in. Most will tell you it is a beautiful country, they are very proud of their history, the sights and the cities. This isn’t an entirely poor country, lots of people have money but can’t get a passport to leave, so many are very well travelled at home. Some tell us Iran is a third world country, in ways it is. Along with the oil, it is abundant with natural resources; they produce most of the world’s pistachio nuts, saffron and caviar. Even most of the world’s heroin passes through Iran. The country looks modern, yet many live in third world ways.
At times everything about Iran seems to be a contradiction. Esfehan is recognised perhaps the finest city in the Islamic world, but that is largely thanks to the supposedly despised royals that predate the current regime. The Travel Blog website, which is largely full of people praising Iran & the people is banned in many places in Iran, yet the BBC which openly condemns the leaders is available everywhere.
Facing each other on each of the
Wooden Door
Friday Mosque, Esfehan four sides of Imam Square, once known as Nash-e Jahan (pattern of the world), are The Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque, Ali Qapu Palace, the entrance gate to Imam Mosque and Qeysarieh the entrance to the main bazaar. Running along the length of each side inbetween are archway arcades full of shops selling locally produced handicrafts & confectionary. In the parallel alleys behind the square are the craftspeople painting, weaving, carving & welding the unique wares that will soon be for sale.
While Imam Mosque is vast, a collection of domed rooms, a madrassa (theological school) and courtyards, Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque is one simple but huge domed room. At both the tile work and mosaics are stunning. The first storey of Ali Qapu Palace, complete with wooden pillars and intricate murals, provides a stunning panorama across the square. The palace was built to serve as the entrance to Chehel Sotun Palace, set back a few hundred metres from the square. Another grand building, with an outdoor pillared courtyard, full of yet more beautifully painted murals.
Around the back and sides of the palace survive two murals that somehow are yet to escape censorship; both depict topless women. Dating back to
Ayatollah Khomeini
This big banner appeared just before the anniversary of his death; Yazd royal times, it's a rare sight in Islamic Iran. But it’s not the first time I see a naked breast here. Women have to cover up by law, but being such a contradictory place, it’s not uncommon to see woman breast feeding in public. The role of women in Iranian society is also a contradictory one. Apparently, figures show that there are more females at university than males, but few women make it into the workforce. That said, there are far more women working in public places in Iran than there are in neighbouring Middle East countries. In theory I shouldn’t talk to a woman, but if she talks to me first then it’s okay to respond. Although we speak to far more men than women, especially about life and politics, it is very rewarding to get a cheeky smile or hello from an Iranian woman, young or old. While some women seem no different to their western counterparts, others, in particular the more devout Muslims, appear extremely shy and timid.
In five weeks in Iran I see just one Iranian woman’s head of hair and her bare arms. Women are supposed to be covered so that only their
Shaking Minaret
Stand at the top, move around & it shakes. Shake it too much & it will probably fall over; Kharanaq husbands see their beauty; seeing more than a face is like seeing a woman naked. If I was surprised and intrigued when I was hair and flesh, imagine what an Iranian man who’s never seen it would think. The same woman who bared herself told me how much she despised the regime, as do her friends. She drinks alcohol and she mixes with the opposite sex, all with the full knowledge of her parents. Like everyone else who I’ve had this conversation with neither her nor her friends see anything changing; any opposition is likely to result in a prison sentence, torture or a quick death.
Work began on Imam Square in 1602, and for a time the vast space was used for polo matches. The huge marble goalposts can still be seen at each end. These days during the heat of the day children play football, and then cool off in the fountains. The most popular activity is in the square after shopping for handicrafts is picnicking - not just for tourists but for locals too. As the intense heat of the sun gradually fades, families slowly fill the shadow that creeps across the grass.
It's on
Minaret & Dome
Imam Mosque; Esfehan our journey to Kashan via Abyaneh that we pass the nuclear facility. Abyanaeh is another mud brick village, inhabited by surprisingly colourfully dressed women. Kashan is home to a lively & very friendly market and a very large number of beautifully restored old mansions & palaces, once mansions of the rich & powerful. Sadly our bedroom is one of the dirtiest yet & the one good food option has closed down. There is some divine food in Iran, it can just be hard to find, especially if you don't eat meat.
Our final day in Iran; we are back in Tehran & I am looking at the tomb of Ayatollah Khomeini. Around me men are praying, one woman weeps and a steady but small flow of people passes by, kissing the simple silver frame that covers his tomb. Today the shrine is quiet, but just a week ago it was packed with followers and politicians marking the anniversary of his death. After five weeks in Iran, and just over a year of non-stop travels, we’ve chosen this sombre scene as the final sight on our journey. A strange choice, but somehow a fitting one. For years we’ve heard about
Tiles
Friday Mosque, Esfehan Iran on the news. For the past few months we’ve heard all about nuclear weapons and kidnapped soldiers. For five weeks in Iran we’ve heard over and over again that Iranians don’t like their government. The people don’t hate America, they don’t care for nuclear weapons, they just want to be free and to be normal. Ayatollah Khomeini is largely responsible for creating the Iran we see today. After being told for weeks that the regime is so bad, I wanted to end it here, in his shrine, where perhaps a few people still love him. He’s been in the shrine almost twenty years but they still haven’t finished building it. It’s an ugly place, lots of concrete and exposed metal. There’s a little marble here and there, but most of it is carpeted over. It would be a peaceful place were it not for the building work. While parents pay respects, kids run around and play. There’s no great feeling of emotion, no outpouring of grief. It's nothing like the mausoleums of Mao or Ho Chi Minh. People may be praying, but I feel nothing from them. Whatever answers I hoped to find here, I leave without them.
Topless; a very rare sight
Ali Qapu Palace, Imam Square; Esfehan Back outside we pass tacky souvenir shops, buy ice cream and chips and head back to the subway station. Before heading underground we notice a flame in the sky on the horizon, it must be an oilfield. Perhaps it’s fitting that the shrine is so close to the oil. In the 1950's it was oil that sparked the CIA coup (thanks to the UK government & what is now BP) that deposed Iran’s democratically elected leader. It was US & western meddling in the country that pushed people to favour the Islamic Revolution & leaders in 1979. It is oil that still drives the problems in the region today. Were there no oil, Iran would be a very different place.
We eat a final eggplant dish; I try to drink some final doogh - a yoghurt water drink which is best described as 'off milk'. The last one I’d had was carbonated and still gives me nightmares, fizzy off milk is not good. We visit the bazaar and decide it’s too busy. The people in Tehran push and shove us on the street, not because they don’t like us, just because it is so insanely busy. While I’m still
Picnic
As the sun sets, the square fills; Imam Square, Esfehan recognised as foreign, Kylie is assumed to be a local; she wears an Iranian manteau (coat) and a full headscarf making her look like a proper Muslim.
The next day we head to ‘Englastan’ as Iranians call England. We leave behind Iran and all its problems and head to the west, the place we’ve heard so much about lately. There comes a time when you tire of people telling you how bad Blair is, how he’s so bad for England’s reputation, as if it’s all your fault (I’m not even travelling as British, I’m here as a New Zealander). Perhaps appropriately, as we are leaving, President Ahmadinejad makes another controversial statement about Israel, saying it will soon be wiped off the map. Beyond the president no one else in Iran gave an opinion on Israel, it's thousands of miles away and means little to them, they aren’t even direct neighbours.
As the west talks again of more sanctions they don’t seem to realise how much more determined it makes the government to stand up against them. Once again it will be ordinary people not politicians who suffer the most. All that the existing sanctions have achieved is to
push of the cost of essential goods for normal people.
All that’s left to do is to pack. Five bags and 75 kilo’s later we are ready to leave. From Wellington to London via Asia & the Middle East. What comes next? Is there a conclusion?
Before we even leave the tarmac women on the plane have started removing their headscarves. We are still on Iranian soil, but the Fashion Police can't arrest them now. Flying over Iran, all I see below is dull, flat & brown. There's no sign of the mountains, mosques & castles that we passed on almost car, bus or train journey. The only distraction, a huge salt lake, soon passes. Moments later and brown turns blue, we are over the sea, we have left Iran. The journey is as good as over
Wellington - Sydney - Bangkok - Khao Lak - Chaweng (Koh Samui) - Lamai (Koh Samui) - Bangkok - Macau - Guangzhou - Yangshuo - Guangzhou - Zhengzhou - Guangzhou - Shanghai - Huang Shan - Shao Lin - Beijing - Xi'an - Chengdu - Leshan - Kanding - Tagong - Litang - Xiang Cheng - Zhongdian - Lijiang - Kunming - Hanoi - Cat Ba Island - Ninh Binh - Hanoi - Hue - Hoi An - Hue - Hanoi - Sapa - Lai Chau - Son La - Mai Chau - Hanoi - China Beach (Non Nuoc) - Hoi An - China Beach - Quy Nhon - Kon Tum - Saigon - Phnom Penh - Pursat - Battambang - Siem Reap - Anlong Veng - Siem Reap - Kompong Cham - Kratie - Ban lung (Ratanakiri) - Kratie - Phnom Penh - Kampot - Sihanoukville - Bangkok - Kanchanaburi - Bangkok - Rangoon - Bagan - Monywa - Mandalay - Pyin Oo Lwin - Hsipaw - Kyaukme - Inle Lake (Nyuangshwe) - Taungoo - Bago - Kinpun (Kyaiktiyo) - Yangon - Bangkok - Ayutthaya - Bangkok - Koh Kong - Sihanoukville - Phnom Penh - Bangkok - Vientiane - Luang Prabang - Bangkok - Bahrain - Luxor - Cairo - Dahab - Nuweiba - Aqaba - Amman - Petra (Wadi Musa) - Wadi Rum - Amman - Damascus - Palmyra - Aleppo - Hama - Tripoli - Beirut - Damascus - Deir Es Zur - Silopi - Dohuk - Sulymania - Erbil - Silopi - Orumiyeh - Tabriz - Tehran - Mashhad - Bam - Kerman - Five Finger Mountain - Shiraz - Esfehan - Kashan - Tehran
New Zealand - Commonwealth of Australia - Kingdom of Thailand - Macao Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China - People's Republic of China - Socialist Republic of Vietnam - Kingdom of Cambodia - Union of Myanmar - Lao People's Democratic Republic - Kingdom of Bahrain - Arab Republic of Egypt - Hashemite Detail
Imam Square, Esfehan Kingdom of Jordan - Syrian Arab Republic - Lebanese Republic - Republic of Turkey -Republic of Iraq, Kurdistan Region - Islamic Republic of Iran
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miss pamela
non-member comment
Take out all the people and...
it would be a beautiful, lovely place to wander through, like a museum, it is the people that create religious wars, racial hatred and hysteria, sad but true. If I as a woman could walk through without being told what to wear, I would go, and see places where the origins of my English were born, but...no way with scarves and any other paraphernalia of religious oppression. As for nuclear facilities, Israel has them, so Iran needs them....