Segregation between Men and Women:
In Iran, the segregation between men and women is almost complete – from the buses, the metro, schools and school buses, airport entrances and metal detectors, wedding reception halls and park entrances to bread lines! But there are some peculiarities to the system: for example, you must enter the park or airport through separate entrances, but once inside, you may walk or sit together. And then, strangely enough, the train couchettes, where people sleep, ar.. Read More »

Teheran:

We arrived in Teheran amid a yellow cloud of pollution and appalling traffic. The traffic and pollution were my first impressions of this city, and they will be my last. There are 12 million people who live in Teheran, and they all seem to be on the streets at the same time. The traffic is chaotic, disorganized, and unruly. Drivers look right and turn left, make U-turns in the middle of the road, and back into reverse at high speeds into oncoming traffic. Traffic lights seem somewhat.. Read More »

With Morteeza:
The first thing I noticed in Tabriz was the preponderance of black chadors – or “black bags,” as Stephane says. We met up with Morteeza, Shamsey’s brother, who was a 22-year old British Literature student at the University. He showed us around the bazaar, the new commercial street, the famed Blue Mosque, Elgoli Park at the top of the city, and then we went back to his house for dinner.

The labyrinthine bazaar, the largest and oldest in Iran, with 7350 shops and 24 cara.. Read More »

Towards Tabriz:

The first 30 km. after the border were the easiest we’ve ever done – all downhill from the mountains in Turkey to the Iranian steppe. The arid steppe was made up of steep mountains and dry, cracked earth, brown except for where rivers ran and added green trees. Large sunflower fields, mostly cut down at this time of year, characterized the first 150 km. Groups of men, women, and children sat alongside the road, beating the large heads of the sunflowers with sticks to shake the.. Read More »

Crossing the Iranian Border:

We left Doguybayazit late – after the palace visit – and had only 40 km. to bike before reaching the border, but it was dark by the time we got there. I was scared half to death more than once when huge, unfriendly dogs chased me coming down the mountainside, then again when a big, black dog came suddenly out of the big, black night at the border crossing.

A big event: I wore a headscarf for the first time. It was very stressful. I was worried about tying it th.. Read More »