Different countries.. A trip across the fascinating and partly unknown Iran

A premise must be made before spending any word on this country.<br />If you want to travel to Iran, from my point of view, at least 3 points must be considered and evaluated.<br />1 - leave at home any injury you may have about this country and its people.<br />2 - forget all that you think you need to know about hospitality and human relations between different peoples<br />3 - travel alone will give you a greater opportunity to experience the best of this country ...<br />... and I alone with these little "rules" are able to enjoy what I consider the true Iran ...

 

TEHRAN

... against all the prejudices that surround this country, 'with great joy that I can finally write about the &quot;dangerous&quot; Iran!
... and then get to say that here there is no danger of 'anything. Much more dangerous and 'the media propaganda to which we are subject in the West, and we, accustomed to judge from our cultural pedestal, led by guru named Bush or Sarkozy in the name of a breed better, more evolved, we pull back to one chance 'of, look and judge with our eyes the reality' ...

Arriving in <strong>Tehranstrong> in the dead of night ... the tail control passoporti and 'unnerving and occupies more than an hour of my precious time in Iran. The change in local currency and not 'less and with pockets full of the usual bills that are not worth anything (and already, because thanks to the embargo that for 10 years is attributable to this country by American friends, credit cards are inotilizzabili ...) I dive in lively Middle Eastern life, named after the first bargaining over the price of taxi: during the trip, which lasts over an hour, the taxi driver gets lost, makes fuel stops in the street to call and gives me fifty cigarettes ... but eventually arrive at its destination.
The hotel Firouzeh and 'cheap, clean and run by Sig.Mousawi bien, a real gem of the city', with advice, always ready to help and willing to talk you how ... 'but then stay in a hotel located in one of the worst parts of the city ... but bebe is the same ...
I move for three days nell'inquinatissima <strong>Tehranstrong> that from the point of view turistco has little to offer (a huge bazaar, a couple of buildings and the shrine of Imam Komehini accompanied by the cemetery of martyrs of the Iran-Iraq War ...) but cheerful soul from human point of view ...
Is constantly invaded by hordes of curious and kind Iranians (especially young ...), with the excuse of sincere love me immense help to unravel the city ... take advantage and always asking you what we think of them and the idea that the West is being done in their country, point them frighteningly proccupapa ... for more social situation, especially with respect to women is changing a lot.
Without defending the indefensible, you really have to say that women are much respected: they have cars for them in the metro and reserved seats everywhere, if we wish otherwise, are perfectly free to meddle in every way with men: those who have limitations and 'man!
... and also the fact that even today are still with the hejab truccatissime in jeans and much more emancipated says a lot about how things are changing here too ....

ESFAHAN

the definition of &quot;pearl of the Islamic world&quot; for the city 'of Isfahan could not be more apt!
It 'so sad to see this wonderful place practically deserted. The foreign presence is almost non-existent: I talk a lot of local people and everyone tells me now that the shops close, the hotels are always empty (including mine ...) and the economic situation and 'almost unbearable. Reklame 'that Iran has abroad is also the last spernaza reducing their frequency of two soldiers and of interacting with the outside world ... anyway ...
Esfahah: a wonderful and immense bazaar (vacuum but ...), mosques thousand and one night, Imam Square which leaves you breathless. And 'the second largest square in the world Tienamenn second only to Beijing, and the difference' that Imam Sq 'imbued with that wonderful Arab architecture that turns words and where for only 80 cents you can visit that has a reasonable and 'considered the most beautiful mosque in the world, the Imam Mosque ..
Then visit tirelessly throughout quelloche see. While I am in the Armenian quarter (crisitiano. .. viva tolerance ...), sipping coffee and began talking with a guy my age and after half an hour and a bit of bike rides, here I am at home with his girlfriend brothers and father! Fill me eating homemade (delicious!), Fruit and then lead me around to see the city 'with its bridges at night! ... Seems to be a fable that !.... City'!. .. and wonderful people ... and so famous Iranian hospitality could not be more concrete reality!

YADZ

Start from Isfahan with the idea that without me this wonderful city 'will' the lowest number of visitors ever recorded: None. In addition to hit me for his people and artistic wonders, even the total absence of foreigners can not 'not surprising ...
... and I'm one of the few to visit Iran at this time confirms the fact that in any bus or train will meet 'other tourists ever ... or at least &quot;non-Iranian&quot; ...
Arriving in <strong>Yadzstrong> where accommodation in a beautiful hotel converted from an old mansion built in Arabic style and where I know, or rather I see, some backpackers ... the food's good and the atmosphere piacevollissima.
The city 'and' more than a thousand years old and the old town and 'completely built with mud bricks dried in the sun, which gives the town, empty and silent as throughout Iran, a fairytale atmosphere ... everything there is to see is in an airy rather limited and the main tourist attractions you can enjoy wandering around without a plan ...
Surely remember 'EXPERIENCE <strong>Yadzstrong> as the most fascinating destinations of my Iranian ...

SHIRAZ

Other 6 / 7 hours bus leave me stunned, and having to turn to 9 pm to find a hotel is not 'definitely fun, but since I saved a lot of money according to my plans, I allow myself the luxury of a room where over 15 euros, after almost 10 days find the magic box that emits images and voices, including with the BBC ...
I see everything and more: here I get lost in <strong>Shirazstrong> for the beautiful bazaars, see mosques, castles and then just walk aimlessly (and stop!) Lost a few times in the alleys and narrow streets ... I try to eat a species pizza that more than anything else knows ... nothing!
Well, <strong>Shirazstrong> is not 'a marvel, but I was obliged to pass by to visit one of my childhood dreams: <strong>Persepolisstrong>!

PERSEPOLIS

Can not be closed better than with a visit to one of those cities of the ancient world whose beauty and historical importance is unparalleled: <strong>Persepolisstrong>. A city that today may be compared to the UN. A center where the different kingdoms of the time, under the strict rule of the Achaemenid and their immortal king (Cyrus the Great, Darius, Xerxes ...), had a representative or ambassador.
Lost in the void of the arid lands of Persia, near <strong>Shirazstrong> of today, little can be written to try to transform feelings and emotions into concrete words.
<strong>Persepolisstrong>, even today, where you can see not more than 5% of what was, is breathtaking: the grandeur, the architectural perfection and artistic background with thousands of years of history of our world is simply astonishing. For me the realization of a dream is to see materialize pictures and words read and reread for years in dozens of different books.
The door of nations, the palace of a hundred columns, or that of Darius, accompanied by famous reliefs leave space on all the admiration and imagination ...
Note once again negative and the absolute lack of tourists. Selfishly, it's a pleasure to wander among these old stones of centuries without the usual hordes of Japanese people or groups of any other nationality with their hats all the same color, but I realize that for the already crippled economy of this country, with common people as ever to suffer the consequences, increased influx of tourists would do just that well around here ...
<strong>Persepolisstrong> I leave with tears, but with the knowledge that you have been lucky enough to visit one of those places that, unbeknownst to many, you are the core part of what is now the world. And the courage to visit aside all the stupid prejudices that exist about this country ...
... but now it is time to come back 13 hours by bus to reach <strong>Tehranstrong>, closing for the umpteenth time my backpack and putting them on the road ...

Different Worlds...

Iran is undoubtedly a country unexpectedly fascinating. Over two thousand years of history, art and culture are locked in an unpredictable scenario geographically, and where the social and political situation of today attracts and generates rage, but makes you at least spend some time trying to work with. ..
... but once again the people of this country that gives me the opportunity to receive as gifts and visions attegiamenti totally foreign to my way of understanding human relationships.
Human experience that will mark the mind of anyone who has the courage to leave aside the many prejudices that surround Iran. Something unforgettable.
The opportunity to make confrondo two totally different worlds. We, who know so well, and theirs, we should strive to know better.