First I want to tell you that nothing here is like you would imagine and again it is, sometimes worse. But I don´t want to put my hosts into trouble, so I don´t write anything critical concerning politics.
After receiving the Visa on time and packing my luggage I started my adventure on August 24th 2016 or on Shahriwar 3rd 1395. My loved one and some of my best friends meet me at the airport in Munich one last time. We have Weißbier and nice bavarian food and then we have to say goodbye.
The box with my bike and the 2 big Ikea-bags are already checked in. For my hosts in Teheran I bought Nutella, but I cannot take it with me, because it´s concerned a liquid, well... Since when is Nutella a liquid? It´s thick and creamy.
After receiving the Visa on time and packing my luggage I started my adventure on August 24th 2016 or on Shahriwar 3rd 1395. My loved one and some of my best friends meet me at the airport in Munich one last time. We have Weißbier and nice bavarian food and then we have to say goodbye.
The box with my bike and the 2 big Ikea-bags are already checked in. For my hosts in Teheran I bought Nutella, but I cannot take it with me, because it´s concerned a liquid, well... Since when is Nutella a liquid? It´s thick and creamy.
The flight leaves with delay and since there is a thunderstorm over Istanbul, we have to circle forever over the city. Boarding time for my flight to Tehran is long over. I hope they will wait for me and hopefully there are other people in this airplane going to Tehran.
When we´re finally landing, I am very happy that the other gate is right around the corner and with "last call" I jump into the bus driving to the plane. At 1.20 a.m. the flight should leave, but at 1.10 a.m. I am still sitting in the bus, together with other people who are late. The plane waits for us - I am not sure if they got the luggage from the other flight into the airplane. This flight to Tehran takes another 3 hours and at 5.15 a.m. we arrive in Tehran. Too bad it is still dark, so I don´t see anything from the Elburz-Mountains.
The passport-control is very quick, they stamp my passport and I am in Iran.
When I come down the escalator to the baggage claim, I already see Sasan and Hamid, his son standing there. Like they told me in a very cool St. Pauli T-Shirt and we wave at each other like old friends.
My first bag appears - I am happy that loading the luggage in Istanbul apparently had worked. Also my bike arrives on the same belt as the other luggage. Also my bundle of the bike-bags arrive.
I put everything on a trolley and want to walk out there. But another security officer who works as a human random-number-generator stands here. Well, of course he has his eyes on me and my strange luggage. All my bags have to go through the X-ray again. The bicycle? No, I need to go over to the customs. I hope I don´t have to unpack the whole thing, because I will never get it back into the box again. But everything is cool, they just ask me, whether the bike is used.
And after one friendly "Welcome to Iran" I have finally arrived.
Meeting Sasan and Hamid for the first time, I feel like we are already friends. Sasan speaks a perfect German, since he lived in Germany a long time. Hamid speaks english almost without accent. How he´d learn that? Playing videogames... Unbelievable!
And after one friendly "Welcome to Iran" I have finally arrived.
Meeting Sasan and Hamid for the first time, I feel like we are already friends. Sasan speaks a perfect German, since he lived in Germany a long time. Hamid speaks english almost without accent. How he´d learn that? Playing videogames... Unbelievable!
The transport of the bikebox is no problem at all, Sasan opens the trunk and in the whole thing goes. He closes the trunk with an expander and there we go.
Meanwhile the sun has risen, but it is not yet that hot. A wonderful blue sky greets me and far away I can see the top of the Damavand in the sunshine. What more can you expect?
Traffic is still very slow, well it is quite early. Nobody cares about the lanes, but there is not that much honking like, for example, in India. Going into the roundabouts though is totally crazy. Everybody just drives into the roundabout when arriving and every little gap in the traffic is used to squeeze in. Other than that, everything is fine. But Hamid says I should wait until we get into the city of Tehran.
But we have not planned on that today. The apartment where Sasan, Hamid and Mahnaz, Sasan´s wife live is half an hour drive west of Tehran and is located in the town of Karaj. Since we cannot go onto the highway with the half open trunk, we need 1 hour to get there.
In a park I notice fitness-machines, where even women are doing their workout. Of course, they have to wear a scarf, but that just covers the back of the head and is more an accessoire than covering something. In Tehran it is not handled that strict and why do I wear this thick scarf around my head, they ask me.
Of course in smaller towns in the countryside you should cover up more than in a big city.
Sasan is living in a nice new built area, which is very quiet. His wife Mahnaz, a very nice and warmhearted woman, always has a smile on her face. She welcomes me to Iran and says to remove this scarf and why do I even wear that thing so tight around my face? I am really happy to get rid of this cloth. For the future I need something lighter. I brought a choice of scarves here, because I didn´t know how it would turn out. In Sasans apartment you can run around as you want, shorts, T-shirt, whatever you like.
But first of all, Mahnaz serves me with a very nice breakfast. We have soft bread, warm from the oven, sheepcheese, homemade Marmelade and tea. After that they even offer me a cappuccino with milkfoam. Well, of course if someone opens a Café here, they should now how good coffee tastes. Unfortunately the espressomachine went broke 2 days ago, so the opening of the Café has to wait.
We talk about everything and I notice quite fast, that this country is a country of unbelievable opposites. I really feel at home here, almost like with friends I already know for many years.
I will sleep in Hamid´s room, who instead sleeps on the floor in his parents´ bedroom. I already experience a wonderful hospitality.
After the breakfast I need a nap, the flight was quite long and I couldn´t sleep very well in the airplane.
When I come into the family room at noon, they have prepared lunch. Mahnaz has cooked a wonderful meal. We have salad, peas, potatoes, very tender chicken in a saffron-onion-garlic-sauce and as a special highlight they serve garlic, which is kept in a glass for 8 years until it is black. Looks not nice, but is very delicious!
Then there is a nap after lunch, but since I already slept I write my diary and enjoy my first hours in Iran.
Later we drive to the city and watch what´s going on in the streets. I never expected that so many women are around. You don´t see black that often and nobody´s is totally covered up. The women are dressed very stylish with high heels, tight jeans and blouses. Most of them have long hair and most of the time the hair shows below the scarf or is bound together on the back of their head. This is where the scarf lies. That way you can wear the scarf as far behind on your head as possible. Only seldom you will get reminded by Savak (the secret police) to cover the hair. The women here they just don´t care anymore. People looking at me very curious because they notice my eyecolour and the bandanna I am wearing. Hamid tells me, that everyone loves to see foreigners, because it shows them that people from abroad are interested in their country, which is really important to them.
First of all I need to change some money in one of the exchange shops. Most of the time you can find them in the gold souk in Iran. For 100€ I get 3.9 million Rial, but it´s not as big a bundle I thought. The only problem I will have in the beginning is that most of the pricetags you see in Iran don´t indicate rial, but the second, unofficial currency, the tuman. If salespeople tell you the price it almost always is in tuman. So you had to add a zero and pay that amount of money. If you hear the amount in tuman, divide by 4 and delete three zeros, if the amount is in rial, of course also divide by 4 and delete four zeros. Oh, well - I will get used to it.
We continue walking through the streets and I cannot stop watching everything. You see the most beautiful dresses and lingerie in the shops. In one of the shops they have about 2000 different kind of nailpolish. They sell chicks painted in bright colors to take home as a pet. I ask Hamid, why they paint them with colors and he responds, because the people like it colored. Alright, then?
At one of the small stands we eat Sambuse, a triangular puff-pastry stuffed with different kinds of meat or vegetables. I take one with chicken, very tasty! Then we continue through the streets, which are crowded with a lot of people. Hamid tells me, that in about one hour only young people will be out. Since two years now, people are allowed to sit outside in Cafés. Also it is allowed for men and women to sit together, even if they are not relatives.
Later we drive to the Café, Sasan has rented. It is a small and cozy place with 4-5 tables and a nice chillout-lounge. Their menu looks also good and once they will get the espresso-machine repaired, they will start their business.
Today is Thursday and it is similar to our Saturday, Friday of course is like our Sunday. All the parks are full of families and couples who come here to have picnic. They have barbecue and corn from the fire and have a lot of nice food with them. Also the Kalyan (waterpipe) is quite famous here and once in a while you can even smell marihuana. Yes, you heard that right. Also women cross our path with rollerblades and bicycle und nobody cares if they lose their scarf playing volleyball. Couples walk through the park holding hands, which would have been impossible a few years back. You can even see women smoking cigarettes. They are rewarded with strange looks from other people, but nothing else happens to them.
For me all that is very interesting and Hamid is laughing when I show him how much I have written for just this one day.
The next days I spent at their place and it really seems to me as if I already know them forever. I experience their all-day life and how the average Iranian person lives. I accompany Hamid when he does his college enrollment and go with them to get the espresso-machine from the repair shop in Tehran. On the way back we visit the Azadi-Monument (Monument of freedom) and pass the unofficial BMW-dealer. We only want to take a quick picture of me in front of the gate, but one of the security people shows up and is very happy, that I work for BMW, that we get an exclusive guided tour through the premises.
After my time with them, Sasan drives me to Ramesh. Ramesh is the cousin of Azadeh, who I know in Munich and she already knows, I am coming. She lives in the northeastern part of Tehran, which is perfect for starting from there with the bicycle. On our way to the city we see two cyclists on the highway, packed with a lot of luggage like I will be in the future. Maybe I will meet them again on the road somewhere.
Also at Ramesh´s place I get spoiled with food, a nice room for myself, shower and everything. You really could gain some pounds spending time here. She can not believe that I don´t eat that much for lunch (4 p.m.). No wonder, as I already had lunch at Sasan´s place. But I don´t want to say something to offend her.
On one day I plan to visit the Milad-Tower, but Ramesh tells me, that it´s not worth it, because the windows are very dirty, so you can not enjoy the view from up there. So I decide to go to the citycentre with the metro and visit the souk. If you already have seen the souks of Cairo, Fes or Marrakesh, there is not much new to see. Only how big it is is really amazing. It´s supposed to be one of the biggest souks in the world.
What really is bad in Tehran is the smell of the exhaust pipes - it is unbelievable how thick the smog is. To me it seems even worse then in Delhi, but here you need to add the heat to it. Right now it´s around 34 degrees, but it is a dry heat so it is bearable. I could not imagine living here more than one week. For sure you will get some lung-desease if you stay here longer.
During the next three days Ramesh stuffs me with food. On one day I stroll through Tehran, visit the Golestan Palace and the Nationalmuseum. That really is a very special highlight of the city. On the second day I don´t want to walk around in this heat and stench anymore. So I decide to get up early to hike Mount Tochal. Mount Tochal is the 3964 meter high mountain which rises right behind the city. With the metro you can reach the final destination, take a short drive with the cab and then you can start your hike.
You start at 1900 meters, the path up to 2900 meters is in the shade if you start early. After that the sun is not that bad anymore and I experience nice 22 degrees sunshine. The view over the city is really stunning, what a huge city. In the morning the view is really spectacular, but with the sun rising and getting hotter until noon there again is a lot of smog over the city and you cannot see much anymore. Until the last Biwak at 3300 meters everything is alright. When I reach 3600 meters I really ask myself, if it is a good idea to hike Damavand. I mean, another 2000 meters higher? I cannot imagine that I will be able to make that. But I will try anyway.
Today is Thursday and it is similar to our Saturday, Friday of course is like our Sunday. All the parks are full of families and couples who come here to have picnic. They have barbecue and corn from the fire and have a lot of nice food with them. Also the Kalyan (waterpipe) is quite famous here and once in a while you can even smell marihuana. Yes, you heard that right. Also women cross our path with rollerblades and bicycle und nobody cares if they lose their scarf playing volleyball. Couples walk through the park holding hands, which would have been impossible a few years back. You can even see women smoking cigarettes. They are rewarded with strange looks from other people, but nothing else happens to them.
For me all that is very interesting and Hamid is laughing when I show him how much I have written for just this one day.
The next days I spent at their place and it really seems to me as if I already know them forever. I experience their all-day life and how the average Iranian person lives. I accompany Hamid when he does his college enrollment and go with them to get the espresso-machine from the repair shop in Tehran. On the way back we visit the Azadi-Monument (Monument of freedom) and pass the unofficial BMW-dealer. We only want to take a quick picture of me in front of the gate, but one of the security people shows up and is very happy, that I work for BMW, that we get an exclusive guided tour through the premises.
After my time with them, Sasan drives me to Ramesh. Ramesh is the cousin of Azadeh, who I know in Munich and she already knows, I am coming. She lives in the northeastern part of Tehran, which is perfect for starting from there with the bicycle. On our way to the city we see two cyclists on the highway, packed with a lot of luggage like I will be in the future. Maybe I will meet them again on the road somewhere.
Also at Ramesh´s place I get spoiled with food, a nice room for myself, shower and everything. You really could gain some pounds spending time here. She can not believe that I don´t eat that much for lunch (4 p.m.). No wonder, as I already had lunch at Sasan´s place. But I don´t want to say something to offend her.
On one day I plan to visit the Milad-Tower, but Ramesh tells me, that it´s not worth it, because the windows are very dirty, so you can not enjoy the view from up there. So I decide to go to the citycentre with the metro and visit the souk. If you already have seen the souks of Cairo, Fes or Marrakesh, there is not much new to see. Only how big it is is really amazing. It´s supposed to be one of the biggest souks in the world.
What really is bad in Tehran is the smell of the exhaust pipes - it is unbelievable how thick the smog is. To me it seems even worse then in Delhi, but here you need to add the heat to it. Right now it´s around 34 degrees, but it is a dry heat so it is bearable. I could not imagine living here more than one week. For sure you will get some lung-desease if you stay here longer.
During the next three days Ramesh stuffs me with food. On one day I stroll through Tehran, visit the Golestan Palace and the Nationalmuseum. That really is a very special highlight of the city. On the second day I don´t want to walk around in this heat and stench anymore. So I decide to get up early to hike Mount Tochal. Mount Tochal is the 3964 meter high mountain which rises right behind the city. With the metro you can reach the final destination, take a short drive with the cab and then you can start your hike.
You start at 1900 meters, the path up to 2900 meters is in the shade if you start early. After that the sun is not that bad anymore and I experience nice 22 degrees sunshine. The view over the city is really stunning, what a huge city. In the morning the view is really spectacular, but with the sun rising and getting hotter until noon there again is a lot of smog over the city and you cannot see much anymore. Until the last Biwak at 3300 meters everything is alright. When I reach 3600 meters I really ask myself, if it is a good idea to hike Damavand. I mean, another 2000 meters higher? I cannot imagine that I will be able to make that. But I will try anyway.
The last 200 hight meters are very slow and very strenous. You sit down because you´re exhausted and after a few minutes you think you can go on easily. But after another like 50 meters again you are out of breath, so you need to stop walking again. But somehow I continue and seeing two men behind me - and they really look like the sporty types - and they don´t pass me or even try to pass me, I cannot be that slow.
Finally I see the top, which is really not spectacular. There are two bivouacs there, one made of stone, the other one of metal. Just when I am about to get out of my blouse, because I don´t want to put the fleece-jacket on top of the sweaty thing I am wearing, a guy walks out of the bivouac and invites me inside because it would be much warmer there. Up here a real icy wind is blowing, even though it still is 18 degrees. Nobody is interested if you wear a scarf or your long blouse. Two women were passing me earlier and seeing them I thought, that something is wrong. When I turned I saw what irritated me was that they did not wear a scarf at all.
There are seven other men in the bivouac, one of them with his son. Of course, I am the only woman again. Everybody starts to unpack the food they have with them and we share everything with each other. I still have those yummy pieces of pastry from Mahnaz with me, which everyone likes. I get bread, nuts and dried fruits from the other people. I arrived at 2.30 p.m., the last telecabin will leave here at 3.30 p.m. So I don´t stay long and hike over to the telecabin. A nice man from the bivouac walks with me. I think he wants to guide and help me. We drive down with the telecabin, he is paying for the shuttlebus to the parking lot and takes care, that I find a cab to go back to the metrostation.
The people here are very nice, friendly and helpful. Yesterday a man wanted to pay for my metro-ticket. But he didn´t look like he had a lot of money, so I refused three times - I bet it was Taroof :-)
Later, when I am sitting in the metro - and I am sure, I don´t smell that good - I am sure I would have put some space in between me and this smelly woman. Not here, another woman enters the train and needs a seat, so everyone moves together, so she can also sit down. Arriving at my station and being at the escalator, a woman stands next to me, touches my shoulder and says: "Welcome to my Country!, before disappearing into the crowd.
Finally I see the top, which is really not spectacular. There are two bivouacs there, one made of stone, the other one of metal. Just when I am about to get out of my blouse, because I don´t want to put the fleece-jacket on top of the sweaty thing I am wearing, a guy walks out of the bivouac and invites me inside because it would be much warmer there. Up here a real icy wind is blowing, even though it still is 18 degrees. Nobody is interested if you wear a scarf or your long blouse. Two women were passing me earlier and seeing them I thought, that something is wrong. When I turned I saw what irritated me was that they did not wear a scarf at all.
There are seven other men in the bivouac, one of them with his son. Of course, I am the only woman again. Everybody starts to unpack the food they have with them and we share everything with each other. I still have those yummy pieces of pastry from Mahnaz with me, which everyone likes. I get bread, nuts and dried fruits from the other people. I arrived at 2.30 p.m., the last telecabin will leave here at 3.30 p.m. So I don´t stay long and hike over to the telecabin. A nice man from the bivouac walks with me. I think he wants to guide and help me. We drive down with the telecabin, he is paying for the shuttlebus to the parking lot and takes care, that I find a cab to go back to the metrostation.
The people here are very nice, friendly and helpful. Yesterday a man wanted to pay for my metro-ticket. But he didn´t look like he had a lot of money, so I refused three times - I bet it was Taroof :-)
Later, when I am sitting in the metro - and I am sure, I don´t smell that good - I am sure I would have put some space in between me and this smelly woman. Not here, another woman enters the train and needs a seat, so everyone moves together, so she can also sit down. Arriving at my station and being at the escalator, a woman stands next to me, touches my shoulder and says: "Welcome to my Country!, before disappearing into the crowd.
One time I had to stand in the metro, because it was very crowded, as a woman wearing very traditional clothes looks at me from head to toe. Then she addresses the people standing around her and I think she might talk about me not being dressed properly (bandanna and a blouse which shows some parts of my neck). But I am more than wrong: she tells a woman who is seated to stand up and offer me her seat because I am a foreigner and a guest in her country. For me this is totally embarrassing and I politely decline at least three times.
Those are just a few examples how very nice people are. And also the men are very polite and courteous. Sure, this is the capital of Iran and maybe it will be different in the country. We will see.
I hope that that was not too much informations for you. Tomorrow I will start my biketrip to Damavand and then I want to go along the Caspian Sea to Mashad (doing a small sidestep across the mountains to visit Damghan and then go back again) - maybe some of you want to look that up on a map. Sorry, that I cannot send you any pictures, but Internet is so slow here, that I might never be able to send you the e-mail. And if I send everything up front, nobody of you guys will go to my slideshow :-)
I forgot to tell you something about riding the metro. At the end and the beginning of each train there are wagons just for women. That is really nice, because it is much cooler and not as crowded. The first time I didn´t know about the extra wagons and ended up in the men's section thinking I get a heatstroke.
I hope that that was not too much informations for you. Tomorrow I will start my biketrip to Damavand and then I want to go along the Caspian Sea to Mashad (doing a small sidestep across the mountains to visit Damghan and then go back again) - maybe some of you want to look that up on a map. Sorry, that I cannot send you any pictures, but Internet is so slow here, that I might never be able to send you the e-mail. And if I send everything up front, nobody of you guys will go to my slideshow :-)
I forgot to tell you something about riding the metro. At the end and the beginning of each train there are wagons just for women. That is really nice, because it is much cooler and not as crowded. The first time I didn´t know about the extra wagons and ended up in the men's section thinking I get a heatstroke.
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