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Newsletter for March 2017
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Here is why a trip to Tehran will leave you in wonder
by Nauman Afzal
The closest I had ever come to
Tehran previously was when I was
nine. I was on a PIA flight to
the UK and the plane had stopped
in the Iranian capital for a few
hours for a layover. And the
only sight I got of the city
then was from the aircraft’s
window.
Several months
after that, the Shah was
overthrown and Khomeini had come
to power in Iran.
Fast forward from
that, a few weeks ago I was
invited to attend a seminar in
Iran. I wondered if it was even
worth travelling to our
neighboring country given how I
had begun to perceive it in
light of how mainstream media
portrays it.
But I wanted to
go. And so with a few
possessions in hand, I boarded
the Oman Air flight to Tehran.
What I saw totally
changed my perception of Iran
and its society. Contrary to
what we are told, Iran is not a
country shrouded in chadors.
As someone who has extensively
travelled around the world, I
can safely say that Iran is one
of the best countries I have
been to so far.
Let me explain
why.
Much to my
surprise, I wasn’t asked about
my religion or sect by the
immigration officer at Tehran’s
Imam Khomeini International
Airport.
Outside the
airport, we had a very energetic
and good-looking driver waiting
for us with our name tags. We
were taken to our hotel, where
we were warmly welcomed by the
staff.
Tehran is a modern
and a well-designed city, with
mainly vertical living. It is
very clean; unlike in Pakistani
cities, I never saw garbage on
the streets. I noticed that
every night around midnight
workers clean the streets and by
morning everything is ready to
go again. Our government can
learn a thing or two from Iran
about garbage disposal and
cleanliness.
Traffic is
organized and everyone follows
the rules. One lane on the road
is reserved for buses, which are
a cheap transport option and
take you pretty much anywhere in
the city. You can also take the
underground train, which is much
quicker but just as cheap. The
trains are air-conditioned and
are at par with any modern
underground rail system in the
world.
There are guides
and train maps available on
smart phones and similarities
between Farsi and Urdu make
navigation even easier for a
Pakistani who is able to read in
Urdu.
How can anyone
write about Iran and not talk
about the food? Being a foodie,
I fell in love with Iranian
cuisine. I also learnt that
cooking without spices and
chilli is entirely possible.
The typical
Iranian breakfast usually
contains cottage cheese, honey,
dates, olives, milk, eggs, and
bread, with tea or coffee.
Iranians love lamb
meat and you would be amazed at
how good they are at making
kababs. The kobideh kabab,
which still makes my mouth
water, is to die for, along with
the joojeh kabab, kabab-i-barg and jigar kabab.
My non-meat favourites were baghali
pulao and gormeh sabzi.
To finish it off,
you have doogh, which is
the Iranian version of lassi.
The hygiene
standards are really high and
even roadside cafes had cutlery
in sterilized packs.
Tehran has so many
places to see that the eight
days I was there for were not
nearly enough. There are
historical palaces, such as
Golestan Palace from the Qajar
period and the Saadabad Palace
from the Shah’s time. Shrines
and mosques are also steeped in
history.
The city has
numerous parks and gardens where
one can walk, sit, and relax.
One of the central
places is the Grand Bazaar of
Tehran. It is spread over 10
kilometers, selling every
product imaginable.
I thought the
Milad Tower was a must-see; 435
meters in height, it was the
world’s sixth tallest
freestanding tower until 2012.
Along with the Palladium Mall,
it constitutes the modern side
of Tehran, with stores with
latest brands, food courts, and
a revolving restaurant with two
decks that have breathtaking
views of the city. Watching the
sunset from there was a
wonderful experience.
Tehran probably has a museum for everything. To name a
few, it has a carpet museum, a
contemporary arts museum, a
cinema museum, a glassware and
ceramic museum, and a jewels
museum. Iranians clearly value
their history, which is
something Pakistan can learn
from.
My appreciation
for Iran deepened after mingling
with its people, who are full of
warmth. Before travelling to
Iran, I was warned that Iranians
dislike Sunnis and Pakistanis.
Not only did I find this to be
untrue, but in fact, what I
witnessed was a vibrant society
with progressive citizens.
I have a few
examples. Once, a taxi driver
refused to take payment from me
when he found out that I was
visiting from Pakistan.
On one occasion, I
got on the wrong train and a
young man named Hamed helped me
find my way by taking me to the
right station and drawing a map
to explain to me how to get back
to my hotel. He even called
later on to check if I had
reached my destination.
At other times, a
confectioner offered me free
cream puffs and a shisha bar
owner free shisha just because I
was a visitor.
Once, a gentleman
at a museum translated
descriptions for me from Farsi
to English and yes, how can I
forget my hotel manager, who
spent an entire hour helping me
activate my phone.
The media will
tell you different stories about
Iran but once you interact with
its people, you will come to
know the country and its people
for who they really are.
So the next time
you are planning a vacation, put
Iran on your list. I'm certain
you will not be disappointed.
Author: |
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