Welcome ladies and gentlemen to Mashhad, Iran.
This eastern most city has been my first taste of this amazing country and at none other than one of Iran's holiest times, the Eid festival at the end of Ramazan.
Mashhad holds one of Iran's holiest shrines, the shrine to Iman Reza, one of Shia' Islams holiest scholars and leaders. It is here that muslims from around the world come to gather to pay homage and I was right there in the heart of the action. Getting into the action relates to the title, "Persianify yourself". When going around the shrine, anyone who looks foreign is immediately picked out by security and escorted throughout the site. I, being blessed with dark hair, dark eyes and one heck of a tan after being in Afghanistan decided to dress up like a Persian.
Now I have to throw this out there, because this may be one of the biggest shocks about Iran. They dress, VERY WESTERN, in fact they are more stylish than most european states, and they are a very handsome people. So needless to say, no sweat pants, uggs boots, or hoodies rocking round this country. It was time to dress up and fit the mold, as the old saying goes, "When in Rome", or in this case, "When in Persia".
I succeeded in my venture and managed to walk around the shrine, at sunset freely and without hindrance, it was a special experience. And after being in Afghanistan, where security can change in the blink of an eye, seeing the calm, collected and relaxed feeling of the Persians gathered here gave me a very sober feeling. I am finally safe, and in a place where no one in the west would expect to be safe, in a country where the west wants to make war..... I kept pondering to myself.... Why???? How??? Not with these people? Not here?
OK, let me give you a comparison of life in Mashad to life in Vancouver.... Both cities have about 2.5 million people. Both cities host a varied migrant population. Mashhad has many Afghans, Turkmen and some of the smaller tribes found within Iran. Vancouver may be next to Toronto the most culturally diverse city in Canada.
In Mashad, I walked around, alone at night throughout the city and I saw women sitting the park smoking hookah pipes and drinking chai together. I doubt for a second I would see such an activity in Vancouver. Despite Mashhad holding one of their biggest festivals of the year, there were hardly any police to be found, no riots(as is the case in Vancouver from time to time), and people were cheerful and joyful in their celebrating, not breaking police cars or stealing from shops.
Now mind you, Iran is still a dictatorship. If one lit a cop car on fire I cannot imagine what would happen to you, in Canada you'd be un-lucky to get any penalty at all. But in Iran, despite the governments apparent restrictions I did not feel a sense of tension out in Mashhad, there is tension without a doubt, just not in the form of social disorder.
Iran as I have discovered focuses a lot on their security, they are surrounded by hostile states, including Iraq, Pakistan, Afghanistan and until recently the likes of Armenia and Azerbaijan. So almost as a reaction to all this instability around them, they themselves are very stable and safe, a pleasant surprise indeed.
I stayed here in Mashhad at Vali's homestay. It is a great little guest house, and Vali takes the whole experience to a new level while you stay in Mashhad. His son Reza was a gem and a computer whizz, and even though he is in the Iranian army, he did not want to lay waste to me, as so many of the news papers in the west will say.
I went running with Reza and Vali's niece Behnaz, we went to explore outside the city to Vali's home village and catch some stunning views along the way. Any Persian I met who spoke english was glad to talk and very anxious to see how my experience was in Iran. Each night we would dine with Vali on his balcony to home made Persian food, some of the finest I have eaten and drink gallons upon gallons of chai.
It was a beautiful beginning to the Persian odyssey and I cannot wait to see what lies in store for the rest of the trip.
Behnaz helped me arrange my onward transport to Yazd. And as I sit here in the bus waiting to leave, reflecting on my first city in Iran. I ponder how this place can be lumped into a category with North Korea and Iraq. It is so safe here? So much more developed? Fantastic roads, near full literacy? Modern amenities at every corner? Everywhere has electricity... Even the small villages I visited.... You can drink the tap water.... You can go anywhere at anytime?
Iran is by no means a third world country. At least not so far. We shall see what is up next.
I am now off to Yazd. The home of the Zoroastrian fire temple and the ancient home of the three wise men.
Cheers to all in Mashhad and thank you so much for an incredible introduction to Iran!
Sincerely,
William Delaney.
This eastern most city has been my first taste of this amazing country and at none other than one of Iran's holiest times, the Eid festival at the end of Ramazan.
 |
| Shrine of Imam Reza. |
Mashhad holds one of Iran's holiest shrines, the shrine to Iman Reza, one of Shia' Islams holiest scholars and leaders. It is here that muslims from around the world come to gather to pay homage and I was right there in the heart of the action. Getting into the action relates to the title, "Persianify yourself". When going around the shrine, anyone who looks foreign is immediately picked out by security and escorted throughout the site. I, being blessed with dark hair, dark eyes and one heck of a tan after being in Afghanistan decided to dress up like a Persian.
 |
| Outside the shrine. |
Now I have to throw this out there, because this may be one of the biggest shocks about Iran. They dress, VERY WESTERN, in fact they are more stylish than most european states, and they are a very handsome people. So needless to say, no sweat pants, uggs boots, or hoodies rocking round this country. It was time to dress up and fit the mold, as the old saying goes, "When in Rome", or in this case, "When in Persia".
 |
| An amazing day to be here at Eid. |
I succeeded in my venture and managed to walk around the shrine, at sunset freely and without hindrance, it was a special experience. And after being in Afghanistan, where security can change in the blink of an eye, seeing the calm, collected and relaxed feeling of the Persians gathered here gave me a very sober feeling. I am finally safe, and in a place where no one in the west would expect to be safe, in a country where the west wants to make war..... I kept pondering to myself.... Why???? How??? Not with these people? Not here?
 |
| Village outside Mashhad. |
OK, let me give you a comparison of life in Mashad to life in Vancouver.... Both cities have about 2.5 million people. Both cities host a varied migrant population. Mashhad has many Afghans, Turkmen and some of the smaller tribes found within Iran. Vancouver may be next to Toronto the most culturally diverse city in Canada.
 |
| Stopping for Tea, Persian Style. |
In Mashad, I walked around, alone at night throughout the city and I saw women sitting the park smoking hookah pipes and drinking chai together. I doubt for a second I would see such an activity in Vancouver. Despite Mashhad holding one of their biggest festivals of the year, there were hardly any police to be found, no riots(as is the case in Vancouver from time to time), and people were cheerful and joyful in their celebrating, not breaking police cars or stealing from shops.
 |
| Dinner, Persian Style. |
Now mind you, Iran is still a dictatorship. If one lit a cop car on fire I cannot imagine what would happen to you, in Canada you'd be un-lucky to get any penalty at all. But in Iran, despite the governments apparent restrictions I did not feel a sense of tension out in Mashhad, there is tension without a doubt, just not in the form of social disorder.
Iran as I have discovered focuses a lot on their security, they are surrounded by hostile states, including Iraq, Pakistan, Afghanistan and until recently the likes of Armenia and Azerbaijan. So almost as a reaction to all this instability around them, they themselves are very stable and safe, a pleasant surprise indeed.
I stayed here in Mashhad at Vali's homestay. It is a great little guest house, and Vali takes the whole experience to a new level while you stay in Mashhad. His son Reza was a gem and a computer whizz, and even though he is in the Iranian army, he did not want to lay waste to me, as so many of the news papers in the west will say.
 |
| Living the dream outside of Mashhad. |
I went running with Reza and Vali's niece Behnaz, we went to explore outside the city to Vali's home village and catch some stunning views along the way. Any Persian I met who spoke english was glad to talk and very anxious to see how my experience was in Iran. Each night we would dine with Vali on his balcony to home made Persian food, some of the finest I have eaten and drink gallons upon gallons of chai.
It was a beautiful beginning to the Persian odyssey and I cannot wait to see what lies in store for the rest of the trip.
Behnaz helped me arrange my onward transport to Yazd. And as I sit here in the bus waiting to leave, reflecting on my first city in Iran. I ponder how this place can be lumped into a category with North Korea and Iraq. It is so safe here? So much more developed? Fantastic roads, near full literacy? Modern amenities at every corner? Everywhere has electricity... Even the small villages I visited.... You can drink the tap water.... You can go anywhere at anytime?
Iran is by no means a third world country. At least not so far. We shall see what is up next.
I am now off to Yazd. The home of the Zoroastrian fire temple and the ancient home of the three wise men.
Cheers to all in Mashhad and thank you so much for an incredible introduction to Iran!
Sincerely,
William Delaney.
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