On Islamic art and head scarves in Iran

Of course one of the most interesting aspects of visiting Iran is to get to know better Shiism and Islamic culture. It is interestingly a modern yet religious country, where you discover the history of Shahs and the Islamic revolution, and people who are willing to share their thoughts about both. The question of religion in Iran is hard to disentangle from the questions of gender equality, women's rights, democracy, and politics in general. But before getting into this heated topic, let's look at the beauty of Islamic art and design in Iran.

The Imam Square in Isfahan is among the UNESCO World Heritage sites and said to be the second largest square in the world after the Tiananmen Square in Beijing. It is a lively square dominated by the Masjed-e-Shah mosque and Masjed-e Sheikh Lotfollah mosque (above in the picture). The latter was a mosque for the women in the harem of Shah Abbas I, the king that made Isfahan the beautiful and important city it still today is. Masjed-e Sheikh Lotfollah is wonderfully decorated with blue and yellow tiles, and the cupola was among the most beautiful ones that I saw during our visit in Iran (picture below).

The Masjed-e Shah at the Southern end of the square is equally impressive. 

A local young man in Masjed-e Shah wanted to have many photos with me, maybe he presents me as his foreign girlfriend to his friends... Perhaps, I should do the same, the Iranians are not that bad looking after all... :)

For me, the most beautiful mosque in Iran was Masjed-e Jameh in Isfahan. It is a showcase of Islamic art from 800 years during which it was constructed. It is also the biggest mosque in Iran. Taj al-Molk dome of the mosque was gorgeous and as I was wandering alone in its sublime majesty, I got this very humble feeling that you often get in these places that are at once spiritual and great examples of human engineering and craftsman work.

Taj al-Molk dome, Masjed-e Jameh, Isfahan.

The beautiful ceiling of the South Iwan of Masjed-e Jameh, Isfahan.

It was possible to visit all the mosques as a foreigner and as a woman (well, as foreigners we always paid more for the entry, usually something between 100 000 and 150 000 rials, equalling to around 3 euros). In the holiest places they offered me (and also local visitors) a chador that covered me from head to toes. I think that wearing this chador I was ridiculing the holy place more than I would have without it ("Is that a tent for 4 or 6 people?", my sister asked of the chador I was wearing in a photo), but I was glad that there were no other restrictions to visit the mosques.

Wearing a chador inside the Masjed-e Jameh mosque of Yazd.

And from chador to the issue of head scarf... The questions I got most from my friends and colleagues in Europe were about the head scarf. Did I need to use it? Yes, I did. When landing to Tehran, we were announced that the female passengers are reminded that the Islamic Republic of Iran obliges women to cover their hair. Women looked for their handbags and adjusted their scarves, me included. Some of the Iranian women wore it very loosely at the back of their head as an accessory, but others also told us that the moral police did warn them every now and then for showing too much of hair...

Wearing the head scarf didn't bother me - as it was only temporary. Awful to say, but two weeks of wearing a scarf just increased the "exoticism factor" of Iran (luckily it wasn't too hot). But obviously during the trip there were plenty of moments when the absurdity of  the legal obligation of covering women's hair and body shapes frustrated - even outraged - me. Honestly, the men cannot control themselves so they make women hide their body, isn't this just fucked up? Woman is not pure if she shows her hair or body shapes? What about the men with the dirty thoughts, why aren't they blamed for? This also reminded me of the great film Timbuktu that we saw just before traveling to Iran: a woman is told to wear gloves by the jihadists and the women replies that her parents already brought her up respectfully and they did so without wearing gloves.

This is of course a debate that is very heated in Europe and elsewhere, but seeing a place where it is compulsory to wear a head scarf, you understand better the profound inequality in the system. 

And what craziness is this? A baby wearing a head scarf because otherwise she's not pure? Come on!

Iran for vegetarians - varying success

It wasn't always easy to find vegetarian food in Iran. It is a shame, because Iran has some excellent dishes for vegetarians, but unfortunately they are seldom served in simple restaurants that focus on local fast food (meaty kababs). 

The first few days in Tehran, where everyone was on holidays, it was difficult to find any restaurant in the first place and I ended up eating "vegetarian" stew with some meat in it. This actually happened a few times, so be careful if you can afford to be more picky than I was. 

Pistachios are great in Iran, and necessary when looking for a restaurant in an empty Tehran...

Great food in Ananda Vegetarian Restaurant in Tehran.

However, on our second day in Tehran, we were more prepared and asked the hotel to call a few places recommend by the Lonely Planet to make sure that we would find good food for lunch. And indeed, Ananda restaurant, founded by the Iranian Society of Vegetarians (yes, there is one!), was a top choice and even my carnivore friend loved the place.

However, I recommend that you don't walk from the Gholhak metro station if you are already a bit hungry, because the way is longer than what it looks like on the map... In any case, even if you arrive in a grumpy mood, you will soon be filled with joy in this little oasis of vegetarian food. In addition, Ananda is in a quite chic neighborhood that is great for a little walk for digesting the food afterwards.

Ananda Vegetarian Restaurant is a peaceful oasis.

The breakfast was always included in the hotel deals, which was good since it was not always straightforward to find a café or any other place suitable for breakfast. In each hotel, the breakfast was about the same. Flat bread, more or less dry, with feta-type cheese, carrot marmalade, amazingly fresh dates (I hope they start to export these to Europe), sweet tomatoes and cucumber, tea (and in some cases horrible instant coffee), and eggs in some form. Good stuff for vegetarians!

 

The best veggie dishes in Iran were based on eggplant and they were truly delicious. Kashk e bademjan was absolutely my favorite dish and something I should really try at home as well (and here's a recipe to try it out). I tried kashk e bademjan in various restaurants, but the best one was in Khan-e Dohad restaurant in Yazd where, in general, the supply of nice traditional restaurants was the best of all the places we visited.

Another eggplant dish was khoresht-e bademjan, eggplants in tomato-based sauce. In some places, there was meat in this dish (maybe that's even the standard version), so as a vegetarian, try to communicate with your waiter (good luck...). I guess the secret is that they cook the eggplant for hours so that it just melts in your mouth.

Kashk e bademjan, delicious!

Khorest e bademjan, be aware of the hidden meat chunks.

Sometimes, when my friend was having a meaty lunch, I had to be content with biryani. I'm not sure if biryani just means any kind of rice, but normally I got this dill-flavoured buttery yellow-green rice with some beans in it. With some extra butter, it was quite good even though super simple and its nutritional value is probably zero... However, together with some lovely shirini (sweets), I survived and definitely didn't lose any weight during the trip.

Biryani, simple vegetarian...

Everyone, including Lonely Planet, recommend us the Restaurant Shahrzad, "the best restaurant in Isfahan". Although meat-eaters can enjoy the interesting fesenjun (meat with sauce of pomegranate, walnuts, eggplant and cardamum) there, it is also quite popular among big (German) tourist groups and for vegetarians there is absolutely nothing interesting except for the very friendly waiters. Personally, I prefer the traditional restaurants where you eat on a daybed. Shahrzad was a bit too fancy and vegetarians will leave disappointed.

Of course, in Iran, to get the authentic experience, the best thing is to get invited to eat with the locals at home. We were granted this wonderful opportunity in Isfahan when we had dinner with Reza and his family. Ok, to be polite, I tried a bit of chicken, but luckily, there was great vegetable stew with rise as well. But as often with the most memorable dinner experiences, the company was fantastic.

Jolfa - the Armenian quarter of Isfahan

As a travel reading for our trip in Iran, I had chosen some Persian literature. I was very much enchanted by Zoya Pirzad's novel "C'est moi qui éteins les lumières" (in English translated as "Things we left unsaid") that tells a story of a housewife living in the Armenian community of Abadan in South-Western Iran some time before the 1979 revolution. The book is wonderfully written and it made me curious about the Iranian-Armenians living in Iran. They are the biggest Christian community in Iran and can be found especially in Tabriz, Tehran, and the quarter of Jolfa in Isfahan.

The Vank Cathedral in Jolfa, built in the mid-17th century,

Shah Abbas I, an important king in developing the city of Isfahan in the early 17th century, brought Armenians from the city of Jolfa in Northern Iran to Isfahan for their skills as merchants and entrepreneurs. They were guaranteed religious freedom in what was called the "New Jolfa". 

The interior of the Vank Cathedral is beautifully decorated.

There are still around 5 000 ethnic Armenians living in the quarter and the beautiful Vank Cathedral serves the community. Otherwise, the neighborhood wasn't distinctly Armenian or Christian.

Young and talented Iranians playing and singing in Jolfa.

It probably strikes as a weird tourist destination in an Islamic state, but the Jolfa quarter is a great place to hang around in the calm streets, visit the cathedral and have some good coffee. The neighborhood had a good vibe and even the locals said it was one of the nicest quarters of the city.

The best coffee we had in Iran was at Sharbatkhane Firooz in Jolfa quarter.

Iran is, for sure, more known as a tea culture than coffee culture, and indeed, coffee usually meant awful Nescafé, so I was glad to find the small and cute Sharbatkhane Firooz café (see photos above) across the street from the Hotel Jolfa. It is definitely a destination for any coffee drinker visiting Isfahan, and their ice cream, bastani, is delicious too. 

Surprisingly, the café wasn't in the Lonely Planet guidebook, but I hope it makes to the next edition. 

Iranian ice cream, bastani. Yam!

An eye-opening escape to Iran - to be recommended!

When I told people that I was travelling to Iran, I got basically three types of replies:

1) "Why?" (negative)

2) "Why?" (curious)

3) "I'm jealous."

It was hard to reply to the comments, and especially to convince the people in the first group, as I knew so little about the country before going there. However, now back from our two week trip, I feel like responsible of spreading the message of this country and namely of its people who left me with a great impression of Persian hospitality, history and culture.

While the concert of Azam Ali (see video below) in Helsinki Festival last August was perhaps the concrete push for me to travel to Iran, it was also an exciting destination because most of us know basically nothing about Iran - except something negative related to nuclear power and strict Islamic state - and we have such huge prejudices against Iranians. Traveling to Iran was truly an eye-opening experience and also an interesting dive into Iranian/Persian history and Islamic culture.

Many people make common mistakes when thinking of Iran, so I'd like to stress three points:

First, traveling in Iran is safe. It is a surprisingly (for us who don't have much prior knowledge) developed country (no. 71 in the list of countries by GDP per capita before e.g. Thailand and Serbia) with a well-functioning infrastructure, highly educated people (everybody has studied engineering) that can all cite their national poet Hafez, and an important middle class that will make you feel ashamed if you are not prepared with a fashionable city garderobe. 

Don't mix Iran with its neighboring countries, it is nothing like Iraq or Afghanistan, while the bordering regions in Iran might better be avoided. If Islamic state is authoritarian, it has at least managed to keep the country calm and somewhat prospering even despite the sanctions. Of course, there is always a possibility of violent demonstrations that you want to steer clear of. Crimes against tourists are  however very rare and traffic is probably the most dangerous thing you'll be faced with.

Second, it is definitely worth visiting Iran. In addition to  beautiful Persian carpets, the country has plenty of historical sites, amazing Islamic architecture and design, good food and wonderful mountains. Two weeks is hardly enough to visit the country, we only had a glimpse of the central part of Iran. 

Our itinerary including the cities of Tehran, Shiraz, Yazd, and Isfahan is very typical for such a short trip and it serves as a great introduction to Iran, but I still have a craving to visit many other places (especially the city of Tabriz, and experiencing over-night stay in the desert and hiking in the mountains).

Walking in the streets of Tehran or Isfahan, you sometimes wonder if you're still in the Middle East: teahouses are full of hipsters (the Iranian guys are the true "lumbersexuals"), families gather in parks for a picnic, people take selfies with their iPhones, and public transport is clean and efficient. However, at the same time, you feel the strong presence of Eastern culture, Islam, and ancient history that will mesmerize you.

Third, please, make a distinction between the official regime of the country and its people. I've never felt more welcomed in any country I've visited. The Iranian people, young and old, are genuinely interested in discussing with foreigners, asking constantly our opinion of the country and its inhabitants. This offers a great opportunity to talk with various kinds of Iranians. Sometimes language barriers hindered any real conversation, but the message was clear: we were most welcome in Iran. 

The Iranians were also eager to show us a different image of Iran as they are well aware of the one-dimensional idea we often have of this country. People initiated discussions on politics and religion, sometimes shaking their heads to the mullahs and demonstrating their wish to come to Europe, but also being proud of their ancient culture and long tradition in science and arts. Some youngsters were open about their secret parties while some older people recalled their time in Europe decades ago, drinking wine and working hard. 

The ancient city of Persepolis, a UNESCO world heritage site.

We happened to be in Iran during Now Ruz, the Iranian New Year, which meant that the majority of Iranians were on holidays  exactly the two weeks we were there. In Tehran, this meant that most of the restaurants were closed and the streets were empty of cars. It was good for the quality of air as Tehran is said to be one of the most polluted cities in the world, but at the same time, the city was a bit boring, not the metropole we had expected it to be. Elsewhere in the country, hotels and tourist sites were busy, but this didn't bother us as it created an even greater opportunity to meet a lot of local people. 

And yes, we did meet people. In fact, our holidays was a good introduction to what it probably feels like to be a Hollywood star. I called our vacation as "the Angelina Jolie experience" for all the photos that were taken of us, all the nice smiles, all the people interested in us in general, and all the people wanting to have a chat with us. I don't know how to live without this limelight again...

Because of the Iranian New Year holiday, all the places were full of Iranian tourists. We didn't mind!

However, to be honest, in the end, when we were already able to go through the basic questions in Farsi, we started to struggle with all the attention we had. Suddenly, the locals seemed almost maniac in their approach to us. However, this doesn't diminish the appreciation we have for the hospitality and friendliness we experienced. I was basically smiling all the time because of these wonderful encounters. 

It is also important to note that Iran is not an Arab country and it differs from the experiences people may have in many other countries of the region. Moreover, what is relieving for a tourist, is the fact that people don't expect anything in return for their friendliness or for helping you. Not once were we asked to pay for random people showing us a way to restaurants or giving us a tour in a mosque or some other site. This is a complete contrast to the experience I had in Egypt where everyone asks for a "baksheesh" even for the smallest thing like opening a door. This is probably connected to the higher living standards (and pride) in Iran, in general, we could only see a very few beggars in the streets (less than in Brussels, for sure).

The Azadi tower in Tehran.

The Iranian politeness can also be troubling sometimes. The system of "ta'arof" means that every situation is heavy with small talk and polite praises. It also means that when the Iranians invite you over for a dinner or to stay with them instead of a hotel, you need to say "no" at least two or three times before accepting if the offer is made again and again. Once we finally accepted a dinner offer and it was truly fantastic to enjoy a home-cooked meal with an Isfahan family. It is an experience that should definitely be tried on a trip to Iran. Sometimes it is good to just let go off the European way of calculating the "effort, pay-backs, and debts", and just say "yes".

Without a doubt, there is something we can learn from the Iranians; first of all, we could follow their example of warm hospitality and curiosity towards strangers. What can be better in fighting prejudices and intolerance, and striving for greater intercultural understanding and even peace. Only a cold-hearted person would like to have sanctions against the Iranians after meeting them in person. 

Woman in Masjed-e-Jameh mosque in Yazd.