Iranian facts (things that I found interesting)

Things that you didn’t know about Iran… (all the things were told to me by Iranians or I saw them happening, I am so sorry if you disagree but these were written according to my experiences)

• Boyfriend and girlfriend are not allowed to be together in public (no exception)
• You can marry your girlfriend for a short time (many couples do that in order to be able to be together in public)

  

  The New Modern Mosque

  

  People playing at night

  
  
• Men are allowed to marry many women, women are allowed to marry only one man.
• Women must wear hijab all the time in front of men. (I guess they take it away when they go to sleep).
• Alcoholic drinks are forbidden

  

  The Capital at night

  
  
  
  
  

  

  Nothing to fear...kids playing at night

• This is the Islamic Republic of Iran, therefore if you were born in a Muslim family you should be a Muslim.
• As they have to be Muslim, they say they are Muslim…by name, but the reality is that society is very secular here and many people don’t believe in Islam.
• If a Muslim converts into Christianity, he/she must be killed.

  

  Typical Ramadan food (it is similar to something in Argentina)

  
  

  

  I converted somebody in a "Gaucho"

• There is “freedom” of belief but not of spreading your ideas (unless you are Muslim)
• There are Jewish Iranians
• There are Christians in Iran that gather in their churches (official churches such as the Armenian Orthodox church)

  

  Armenian Orthodox Church in Tehran

  
  
  
  
  
  
• If you ask many of the young girls in the street if they want to wear hijab… they will say no.
• Not all Iranians are Persian, there are Azeri, Turkmen, Kurdish and Arab people(and there might be more races that I haven’t heard of)
• Bahrain was part of Iran but it got its independence some years ago.

  

  The Veil helps men no to have desires...

  
  

  

  Freedom Square (Azadi) they told me this is the most Ironic Monument here

• The south of Iran wants to be independent (Arab majority)
• Vasectomy is forbidden
• Men have to wear long trousers all the time, the only exception is when they go to the beach.
• Satellites are forbidden, though most of the houses have one that they use to watch western channels.
• Many websites are forbidden (facebook, youtube, and thousands of others), but if you buy a cheap software in the streets you can filter your computer and use it for whatever you want.

  

  Iman Khomeini Airport

  
  

  

  Park at 1 am in the morning

  
  

  

  The Army of my enemies...

• ATM machines only receive Iranian cards.
• An average salary is between USD 225 and USD 300.
• Iranians don’t need visa for some countries, such as Venezuela and Ecuador.
• They are very hospitable.
• Boys have to be 2 years in the army, it is obligatory. They cannot leave the country until they complete their military service (they cannot be passport holders).

  

  My Iranian family

  
  
  
• Farsi use the same alphabet as Arabic but they are totally different (It is like Spanish and English, they use the same alphabet but they are different)
• There are no terrorists’ attacks in Iran, you don’t see destroyed houses or buildings.
• The average people don’t have any problem with the US or Israel, most of them say that is a stupid political thing, though you find people that are anti-Israel and anti-US.

  

  Anti Israel sign in the metro

• Women don’t wear burka here, women can study, work, drive, go shopping alone, go to the beach alone, etc.
• Women cannot smoke in public, but men can!
• There is a special police department; they patrol the streets looking at the way of dressing of the people. They can put you in prison if you are a girl and they think your dress is too short or your trousers to tight. These “fashion police officers” (gashte Ershad) help you to go to heaven teaching you the good way.



Crazy traffic in Tehran

• The weekend days are Thursday and Friday. They work from Sunday to Wednesday. 

  

  This reminds me of Jujuy
  

  
  

  
  



Non Alcoholic beer

Stories from Iran 7 stories for 8 days

It has been 7 days since I arrived at Iran, I am very well and enjoying the more than 45 degrees Centigrade everyday, and now I can update my blog (I will explain it later why I didn't do it before). I arrived at Iran early morning after a whole day traveling from Melksham to Chippenham, from Chippenham to Heathrow, from Heathrow to Luton, from Luton to Istanbul and finally from Istanbul to Tehran, the capital of the Islamic Republic of Iran. 

Jujuy - Argentina in Iran

Story 1: But I think this was a special flight, 2 days before my flight I was bitten by a dog, who left 34 wholes in my hands and arms, and I know some of them will be forever in my body. I was a bit worried that I wouldn't be able to go, actually I was told that if the infections worsen and the reach my shoulders, then they would have to cut my arms, so it was better to stay in England, but my tickets were already there... so as a good disobedient guy I decided to go anyway, even though I couldn't move on of the fingers in my left hand (the one where you use the wedding ring - is that a signal of something?)

Day 0

5 days later

Story 2: In the plane an Iranian man decided to smoke, so... this was the first time in my life where I heard the alarms and the cabin crew moving, I was waiting for a bigger show, but it wasn't really like that, the only thing to highlight was that the captain called the "criminal who smoked in the bathroom" to tell him off.

Patriotic Iran

One of the many mosques here

Story 3: It's Ramadan time in all the Islamic countries, that means that people fast since till the sun comes up until the sun goes down. They need to sin less than in other times of the year and they should be better. This time also calls them to reflect on how they are living their lives as Muslims. So the first 3 days I stayed in a house with 2 practising Muslims, and I really wanted to try Ramadan, so for 2 days I fought with my hunger and ate my first meal at 8.45 pm and my last meal at 4am, I didn't drink water either. Anyway... I think this is too much for me and on the third day after walking a heavy sun and a high temperature (+45 C) I decided to drink water... and I didn't feel guilty, but it made me think about my Muslims friends. Some of them don't practice it, and they have to eat and drink hiding, I did the same, why? because if the police finds me eating and drinking in public I can spend 1 or 2 nights in jail.

My first hosts and another guy from Isfahan

Chili Iranian Crisps

"Breakfast at 4 am"

Story 4: Taxi drivers! my worst nightmare in Iran! Even since the beginning when I arrived at the airport, they wanted to ask me more money until an honest guy appeared and took me for the right price, it seems that being a foreigner means that I am sleeping in 5 stars hotels, going everywhere by taxis and eating sushi and caviar. If there is an Iranian taxi driver... I am sorry, I am not rich! On another occasion they wanted me to pay 100.000 rials for a trip that costs 15.000. They call me "friend", I would love to know how to say...no, you are not my friend you just want my money, but I guess my Farsi is not that advanced yet. Another taxi story, I asked 2 girls in the street to help me to find an address, they said it was far and therefore I should take a taxi, so they stopped one and they asked for the price, we arranged one price, then the driver couldn't find the address and I arrived late at one of the embassies and I lost my chance to finish my papers because of him, but he wanted more money because it took him a lot of time to find the street... a police officer came and I explained the situation and he ordered the taxi driver to go away :) I have many more, I guess I should write a post only about taxi drivers.

taxis and more taxis

Perfect Roads in Tehran

Story 4: My Argentinian Iranian family. A guy invited me to his house to watch the World Cup Final match, I accepted but I asked him also if I could stay at his house as the match was going to finish very late (around 3 am in the morning here), and he accepted, I left my first house and went there, and because I twisted my ankle I took a taxi and guess what? the taxi driver changed the arranged fee because I was carrying a bag... so he asked me more money... I don't like Iranian taxis!!!! The good thing about that day is that as soon as I arrived at their house I met people I felt I've known for ages! As soon as I enter I knew my family wasn't a typical Muslim family but I will not enter in details here :) My hosts were twins and they were with their cousin and the father who went to their house because he wanted to meet me. We shouted the goal of Higuan that was offside, and we cheered Romero, Mascherano, Messi, and it really moved me to see the girl of the house crying because Argentina lost... and I wasn't alone... I was allowed to cry (THANKS ARGENTINA FOR YOUR FOOTBALL - YOU ARE THE REAL CHAMPIONS!)

Story 5: I look middle eastern I know that, I remember when I was in Armenia people there thought I was Iranian, when I was in Georgia people there thought I was Turkish, when I was in Turkey people there thought I was Kurdish, and when I went to Iraq, I was a westernised Iraqi walking with shorts and Argentinian shirt. In Iran is the same, sometimes people talk to me in the street in Farsi, and I have to say I don't understand in order that they will realise I am not from there. (sometimes they think I am Turkish or Kurdish). This might have an explanation but it's just a thought of a friend of mine in Turkey... I don't know if you know, but once upon a time...Southern Spain used to be Islamic Spain, and my Spanish family comes from Southern Spain, whoever who knew my father with beard might remember that he looked like a Taliban. I asked him and other relatives about our past, but they told me that the register books were burned in Spain, so we don't know where we come from, my Turkish friend opened my eyes to this theory.  

a map to help you understand Islamic Spain

Story 6: "Everything that has to do with fun is forbidden in Iran", that was the phrase another host told me most of the time, I met him in another city called Rasht. This city is known as sin city, where most of the people are non-religious, but they have to say they are, because it is the law. My new host took me to a restaurant where he arranged a guy to play Persian music for me, then we went to his house and talked about many things. It is because of him that I can write here, he gave me a filter to use in Iran so I can log in facebook and in blogger, and many other millions of millions of websites! He also took me to the Caspian Sea and just to let you know, the beaches are divided in male and female, and they don't mix unless they are married. Surprisingly, people let us enter in a part where families were enjoying the sea, I just need to remind you that women have to wear hijab all the times, it is law, so even if they want to swim they have to wear it. The police is patrolling the beach to see that everybody is behaving and not eating, so near us the made a sound because a lady was touching the face of a man, and then they came to tell us to move away because there was a woman near us.

The separated section

The Caspian sea

A lady swimming with her hijab

A whale in the Caspian Sea :)

Story 7: Iran is a safe country to visit, nothing to do with what we think in our minds. I have felt very safe these 7 days, I only struggle with taxi drivers... but I struggle with them all over the world. I went to the Argentinian embassy to ask for letters of recommendation and the Consul wanted to see me! That was the first time in my life that I met a Consul, we chatted and he told me that there is another Argentinian living in Iran... and he is the priest of the Armenian Church in Tehran, so I may pay him a visit soon, Iran has Persian, Turkmen, Azerbaijani and Kurdish people living here. The Consul also told me that Iran is the safest country in the region and they can face any terrorist attack as the army is well prepared to do so, that is why there haven't been attacks here for a long time. Everything is controlled, yes, even the terrorists. I will risk to say, Iran is even safer than some parts of Buenos Aires or Paris. Freedom is monitored and controlled. There is freedom of religion until a point, there are Jewish Iranians and they have a place in the Parliament by law, there are Armenian Orthodox Christians and they have a place in the Parliament by law, but at the same time, if a Muslim becomes a Christian there is a law that says that they must be put to death. But the Consul told me something else, the worst thing in Iran is to be an atheist, at least Christians believe in something, but an atheist denies also Allah, so that can be penalised. 

Story 8 (extra): Vasectomy is prohibited in Iran, the President asked people some time ago to have children, so now Vasectomy is penalised as well. Iranian people in the street always want to help, I have asked so many of them for help to fins streets, and some of them only know how to read Persian so they don't understand even my numbers, but they always ask other people for help to help me. A police officer gave me his phone credit card so I could make a call from a public phone and he said, "when you finish, look for me, don't worry if you use all", another man paid my shared taxi as the driver didn't have change, one girl even thought she didn't speak English or Spanish took me to a place I needed to go, even knowing that it is forbidden to be with foreigners. 2 girls walk with me for 20 minutes to take me to another place. Another invited me to show me the city. Hospitality is written HOSPITALITY here.

at least I know it's lemon!

bazaar

Tales from Iraq

I must confess that I had a bit of fear when I decided to go to Iraq. I must confess I am a chicken sometimes. I must confess that even though I don't believe all what the media says, I thought a lot about it.

I went to Iraq via Turkey. After being some days in Turkey and meeting lovely people, I decided to take a step forward and visit this mysterious land (at least for me). My Kurdish host in Erzurum (Turkey) told me not to go, and while we were chatting, the news talked about 5 bombing in the same day in Iraq, he looked at me and asked... do you still want to go? And I said...yes.
Having a local friend is a blessing, he went with me to the bus station and asked for discounts, hours later I was leaving this beautiful country for another beautiful country to discover...
The bus that waited for me was so brand new, packed with services, excellent on board customer service and obviously...air conditioner! The journey was long and men and women were sat in different places. Water was service every hour. Personal Tvs on board, ear plugs, a good service like I never imagine before!

The 5 am Sun...

The last houses...

After many hours and because I googled the route, I knew I was near Iraq - Kurdistan... and gosh...my heart started to beat so fast. I remember stories...so many stories... and I can see the last Turkish - Kurdish houses... and I know I am near a place I never thought of knowing...

The digital clock tells me it is near 6 am in the morning,,, and the outside temperature is 44 degrees Centigrades... and I get more and more excited... I cannot sit quiet in the bus... I can see the last faces in Turkey... until I get to the last Turkish border crossing, then I can see a lot of faces again... They finally check my passport and they cannot understand why an ARGENTINIAN is going to Iraq, so they send me to another office, and they ask me some questions... we talked about Maradona, Messi and they let me go... (Maradona... if you are reading this... GRACIAS!) I sent the last message to my mom (my cel is not going to work in Iraq). The text is..."Mom I am leaving Turkey, in a few minutes I will be in Iraq"

The bus takes me through a bridge... and I can see the flag of Iraq!! oh gosh!! As I write I get excited again! They take all the passengers to Ibrahim Khalil Border Crossing and we get it there... this place doesn't look like what I thought!! Air conditioning in the big hall, shining floor, coffee served in the waiting room, really polite and kind people.
I see that everybody leaves the room and suddenly I am the only one there... they call me, they ask me where I come from (I am using the Spanish Passport here and I don't have a Turkish stamp as I was using my Argentinian passport in Turkey). I explain this in detail and they say... "you have to go back to Turkey and get a Turkish stamp," so I start to walk back and it is already 51 degrees centigrades... and a soldier stops me, he asks me what I am doing, I explain, he takes me back inside, he talks to another officer, they send me back to Turkey, another soldier stops me, the same sequence is repeated twice.
Finally they ask me for my 2 passports, they take copies, and they stamp one. They apologize and wish me a nice stay in Kurdistan... I really like this and I am ready for Iraq...

First people/houses in Iraq

Waiting room...Welcome to Iraq - Kurdistan Region