TEHRAN 12.07.2010

TEHRAN  12 JULY 2010

When the train arrived at Tehran Station at 7am, the ordinary life of the Teharanians had already started.  I encountered crowds who were going either left or right. With Ferhat’s help I boarded a bus to Imam Khomeini Square. I didn’t need to feel lonely as I overheard so many speak Turkish in so many places in Iran.

The work of the municipality employees had begun earlier.  A few cleaners were working in the square.  I remember feeling good again that an attendant was hosing the grass in the square when the hot July sun had not yet risen over Tehran with its hot light.  Yet I saw so many plates on the walls that have similar shapes and writing.   

They did not look like a normal street name or road sign.  I approached to examine them and saw that the texts were  related to Quran verses in Persian, Arabic and English.  I could not read the Persian or Arabic; I could read the English: “Be humble to them out of compassion".   Ameeen…! 

  I was wondering how the religious regime is. One of notable marks is this plate ..  of course,  they are  not just that.. There were separated seats for women and men in the public buses.    It was not possible to took a  seat in  other side of the bus if they don't want to trouble..

The Imam Khomeini Square was surrounded by so many shops they even sold items for construction or car spare parts. You can see many Afghan youths waiting to carry customers’ possessions in front of shops in Amir Kabir Street.

It was nine thirty when I decided to find accommodation at the Hotel Hezar.  The hotel’s employee, Muhammed Muhammadi told me that the prices were increased three times in the last year.  The fee is ten dollars per night.  It had a shared bathroom and toilet separate from the room.  I had a bath, shaved, left my bag in the room and went out to eat something.

I found a pita bakery. Iranians continue to make traditional pita bread.  I could not see the loaf of bakery.  This pita bread is called “Lavash” in Turkish.  If you eat pita bread while it is warm, you can say it is delicious.  I drank tea while I ate it with cream cheese spread on the thin parts. I got breakfast sorted.

 I used the subway to go to the Golestan Palace in the Imam Khomeini stop.  The subway lines had been constructed more recently and had now comfortable subway cars – crowded but with sufficient air conditioners.

The Golestan Palace is the oldest monument of the city of Tehran.  The palace was the former royal Qajar complex in Iran's capital.  I couldn't enter there  because the Iranian government had announced  two days of holiday for public employees due to the excessive heat.  I hopelessly appealed to the security person and asked, "Why did you close this tourist attraction?  I came from Istanbal to visit the historical places in Iran" ... of course my efforts to open the door were futile.  However, I could take a photo through the gap of the iron grid of the palace door.

Yes, Iran has a religious regime but I could not  see many mosque there whereas you can see so many mosque in Turkey without having to search for them in every place.     I could see  one of the masjids  on the main street.  The words  Masjid and mosque  are used interchangeably in Islamic countries. Turks prefer to use "mosque".  Its meaning  is like "the meeting place" . But the meaning of Masjid  is  "prostrate  place" Of course  there are deep discussions between Sunni and shia faiths in Islam the world over  about the use of masjid and mosque.

Shia masjids were filled with so many coloured flag and writings. I stood in the corner to observe their rituals. İt was interesting thing to see  the small stone of  prostrate which is an item used specifically  for Shia ritual   I first saw it in my childhood  while we were living in the furthest  east of Anatolia in Iğdır city.

Azadi Tower is a tourist attraction in the city of Tehran.  It is in the center of Azadi Square  a main green square in Tehran.    I could not go to the top of the tower for two days due to the official holiday.  After which I didn’t try again. I met a security person there of around 35 years old and a remarkable black, bushy beard. I wish I had taken his photo.  I had not encountered bearded men who were not  religious  men like  "Mullahs" before . I asked him why he had the beard. He said that he was still mourning his grandmother’s death.  I played the poem of Shahriar on my phone for him.  He listened to the Khan Nana poem and cried for a while.

Before I came to Tehran , ı had read that there is nothing to see there. They had  mentioned that Tehran was a crowded, dirty and had little of historical value.  I had expected  to find  natural beauty at least.   Darband is a popular destination over weekends for Tehranians, and the same place is the beginning of a hiking trail to Mount Tochal, which towers over Tehran. There is also a river with a lot of cafe and restaurant settled along it.

After so much walking, I needed to rest in the cafe. I drank a few cups tea under the shadow of trees to ease the tiredness of my legs.  A few cups tea were not sufficient to treat my tiredness. When I think of it now,  ı am aware that I had planned to visit all the destinations  but neglected  to plan for sufficient rest.  It was the result of the solo trip that ı was doing..."