Moving through Iran

One of the stops we made in Iran was Tehran, the capital. Our hotel was close to the site of the old American embassy. After the Iranian revolution in the late 1970's, the embassy has been closed, no Americans have been allowed inside since, although now the site is a school. The outer perimeter however is covered with anti-american graffiti - all done to a very high standard. the people are no longer anti-american but the grafitti is still there, in fact it has become something of a tourist site. As well as Tehran, our group stopped briefly on the shore of the Caspian sea for a bit of paddling before making our way east. The police had to be informed every time we stopped, every hotel we were in, and we could only camp in pre-approved places. Saying that as we attempted to make a camp (in a pre-approved place) the police came and could not understand what we were doing. Why were these people putting up tents in a field in the middle of nowhere and not staying in a town. After alot of explaning from our Iranian guide, the local police were still not happy and feared for our safety. They thought the scorpians might bite us! They took us 10 km down the road and made us camp in the ruins of a demolished house in a dis-used quarry. Apparently there are no scorpions there!

Our final stop in Iran was the city of Masshad. This is a holy city, second only to Mecca in the Muslim world. The shrine is where one of the 12 holy inmmans is burried, the only one not to be buried in Saudi Arabia, so the city attracts thousands upon thousands of pilgrims. You are supposed to walk when on a pligrimage, and we saw hundreds of people on the road, carrying flags walking towards Mashhad. The first ones we had seen had been in Turkey! We were allowed to enter the shrine but the women had to be covered completely. I had to wear my black chadour, complete with my black hood, and if any hair was showing a man carrying a feather duster would tap you on the shoulder so you could adjust your head-dress. the ladies trying to dress me had real problems as my blonde hair is so fine, the head-dress kept slipping off. The shrine was spectacular and as I was there on a friday close to noon prayers, the place was packed. Quite a few ladies kissed me on the forehead as they could see I was trying my best with my head-dress.

I will not miss the food in Mashhad. I had found a little vegetarian food in Iran but Mashhad was a struggle. Most Iranians eat veggie food at home but all the food available to buy on the streets or in the hotels is meat. The only thing I could find to eat in the entire city was a portion of chips that one fast food shop sold. That particular shop was a 20 minute walk from my hotel. By the time we left Iran I was very hungry!