Iran, a country of artists
When a major crisis like the current pandemic happens and avid travellers like myself can no longer travel, we feel grateful for the trips already taken. My last one was to Iran. I had wanted to visit for a while, but due to family and work reasons, I could never find the time that suited us all. In the spur of the moment last October, worried that tension between Iran and the US may escalate further leading to a closing of borders, I book a last minute flight to Tehran for myself and my two sons aged 14 and 12. In retrospect it was a lucky move, or maybe an instinctive one. Soon after, in December, a top Iranian general was assassinated in Iraq, and two months after that, Iran was the first country outside China to be severely hit by the coronavirus epidemic.
Contrary to the negative belligerent image portrayed outside, I found Iran to be a country of artists. In many ways, it reminded me of Italy. Art is expressed through many forms like architecture, miniature painting, ceramic, calligraphy, carpet, poetry and contemporary painting and installation. In passing, the national pavilion at Venice’s 2019 Biennale was one of the few I remember. Like Italy, its civilisation goes back to the Ancient World with Persepolis; it had a rebirth in the 17th century with Shah Abbas the great who rebuilt an empire that became the envy of European monarchs, and it continues to re-invent itself in the modern world. I could not help myself but make parallels between the two countries’ imposing religious edifices, urban aesthetics, culinary identity and unabated creativity.
Travelling for over two weeks, we were limited in what we could see. Iran is a vast country that deserves time and attention. Many of its historic cities and cultural sites are classified a UNESCO world heritage. We started by the classic cultural trail that took us from Tehran to Isfahan via Kashan, a town known for its roses and old mansion houses, then on to the desert city of Yazd near the old silk road, and finally to Shiraz, home of wine and poetry, and close to the ancient site of Persepolis.
We travelled solo using public transport (mainly buses) and stayed in small guest houses ran by Iranian families (recommended by the Lonely Planet guide). It was safe and easy, the buses (we used VIP) were more comfortable than in Europe -they had a TV screen and wide reclining seats like in an airline business class -, they were punctual, the bus station was well organised, and the driving safe. The guest houses we stayed in, most of them restored traditional houses, were charming. In a typical oriental architecture, they had rooms opening onto an internal patio with a rectangular pool lined with pomegranate trees. Above all people were welcoming and friendly, particularly with children. They often stopped us to take a picture together. They helped us with translation since everything was in Farsi including websites and keyboards on POS machine. I felt illiterate inserting my PIN code with Farsi numbers (it was the quickest thing we had to learn). For digital payment, I used a local top-up payment card devised specifically for tourists to circumvent the (strangulating) economic sanctions imposed by the US. Because of that, international credit cards cannot operate in Iran. The top-up card was a good solution to avoid carrying too much cash during the trip. It could be credited ahead or on arrival. Not knowing, I was reluctant at first to put all my cash on it (about 2,000 euros for two weeks), but that was being over cautious, the company was trustworthy and the card worked well. In case of necessity, like running out of money, it could be credited from abroad using a vpn connection or with the help of a friend or relative. Payments are digitalised in Iran, people use cards everywhere including for small amounts like buying a piece of fruit at the market.
Of the cities we visited, Isfahan, known for its grand architecture, was by far the most spectacular. It was the ambitious creation of Shah Abbas the great, the 17th century ruler who made it the new capital of Persia, building mosques, bridges and grand palaces to fit into a mathematical urban planning. Its scale and grandness were admired by the autocratic King of France, Louis XIV, who was later inspired to build Versailles. Today, it is Iran’s third largest city and a well-known university centre. Isfahan attracts numerous Iranian visitors, eager to discover their history and cultural heritage, as well as the few tourists who dare to make the trip to Iran. It is most famous for the Naqsh-e Jahan square, one of the largest in the world, contemporary to Bernini’s famous colonnade at St Peter’s basilica in Rome. Sunset was a favourite time of day to walk around the bazaar, have coffee and enjoy the reflection of the receding sun on the golden dome of the Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque.
From Isfahan, we carried on to Yazd, the zoroastrian desert city, famous in Iran for its underground water system, mud houses and cooling towers. I was particularly taken by the atmosphere of Yazd and loved wandering through the narrow alleyways in the old centre. It didn’t have the glamour of Isfahan, but had an unequalled charm that made me want to stay longer just enjoying the place, lounging on one of the many roof terraces. It was a city of artists: many ceramists, calligraphists, painters had their workshop open to passing visitors.
In contrast, Shiraz, the Persian home of poetry and language, was more accustomed to tourists. We couldn’t walk around the bazaar and old centre without being constantly offered a tourist guide service to the Ancient site of Persepolis, a half-day trip east of Shiraz. Because of the sharp drop in tourism since the beginning of the sanctions, many people offering freelance services were at a lose end and seemed quite desperate for work. We could sense that Shiraz was more reliant on tourism and therefore less economically active than Isfahan. It was also a more laid-back city, where people spent a great amount of time sitting in the main Bazaar square, drinking a rose water syrup while watching the world go by. We stayed for three days, it was short but long enough to see the main sites and have a first glimpse of the city.
From Shiraz, we took a night bus to go back to Tehran from where we were flying back home. We returned to “See you in Iran”, the hostel guest house that has become a home for independent travellers in Iran. It was set up by a group of young architects and professionals keen to change the image of Iran internationally and go against common misconceptions. At first, they started online but seeing the need for a physical place to gather, they renovated a 1930s family house in central Tehran with a beautiful garden (not far from the “Den of Spies”-the US embassy seized in 1979) that is now a hostel for travellers of all ages. My sons who were the youngest guests enjoyed the place too, they ate delicious cake, watched kids movies played for them, and hung out in the garden. It was a pleasant respite from the frenetic city outside. Tehran is a big metropolis that can be tiring for young visitors. We covered large distances by metro and walked a great deal, visiting the more liberal and wealthier northern part, where headscarves have become a fashion accessory and people live hidden behind the high walls of upmarket condominiums with gardens and swimming-pools. I was taken around by one of my friend’s daughter who is starting a career as a young diplomat. This vibrant neighbourhood is full of fashionable cafés, boutiques, restaurants and contemporary art galleries, in contrast to the more traditional south where people shop in the bazaar and eat meat kebabs from street stalls. We didn’t stay long enough in Tehran to fully experience the city, large metropolis are not the best place for pre-teens. I just hope to be able to return to Iran soon, when travelling will once again become an option, even if we have to travel differently. I am even prepared to take a road trip from Rome to Tehran.
