An amazing experience in Iran
Banish all thought of Iran being a drab, depressed country that is part of some ‘axis of evil’. LEONG SHEN-LI finds out that it has history, heart-warming people and helpful guides.
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The Emam Mosque is full of these beautiful decorative tiles. |
Indeed, people’s perception of the country is so negative that some Malaysian tourists guides are known to “deliberately forget” to tell their spouses that they’re headed that way – just to avoid unnecessary questions and worry.
Unfortunate enough to be located in the turmoil-prone Middle East, Iran is also a victim of Western, particularly American, propaganda that depicts it as an unsafe, terrorist-ridden, fundamentalist Islamic state that is part of what the Americans have designated an “axis of evil” (the other countries being Iraq, North Korea, and Syria; or “states that sponsor terror”, as US President George W. Bush said in his State of the Union address in 2002).
Not that the country’s turbulent history helps matters: people tend to remember the xenophobia that came in the wake of the Islamic revolution in 1979, the strict dress code (especially for females), the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq war, and several destructive earthquakes, the most memorable in recent history being, of course, the one that levelled the ancient city of Bam on Dec 26, 2003.
Now that the war is over and a more moderate government is at the helm, the country – which once formed part of the legendary Great Asian Overland route – is keen to tap into the lucrative tourist trade.
That’s why I, along with other journalists and a bunch of Malaysian Chinese travel agents, had been invited on a six-day, three-city whirlwind tour of magnificent Persia.
Knowing only the images portrayed on television and stories of the supposedly less-than-welcoming people of this country, you can imagine the surprise – outright shock, in fact – when a clean and beautiful country populated by amazingly friendly people greeted us.
Save for an initial encounter with an angry guard at the airport who yelled at me for taking photos (my fault, as I stupidly held my camera openly and took my time focusing on a massive queue of men going through a males-only boarding gate), we experienced nothing less than genuine hospitality.
Everywhere I went, I got asked – in English of various levels of proficiency – where I was from and whether I liked Iran. At the end of every conversation, I would be thanked for coming to Iran and wished a good stay.
Even the stares of little children would quickly turn to huge grins when I returned their gaze with a smile or made a funny face.
And did you think Iranian women were all hidden behind the purdah (complete veil), living separate lives totally hidden from sight? Well, nothing could be further from the truth.
Their clothes – especially in Tehran – were surprisingly modern, with many wearing jeans. They freely talked to men and would even brave an occasional tease and flirt. And they were all absolutely gorgeous.
Another trait I immediately noticed was the extreme pride Iranians have in their country. Not surprising since this country has had the guts to snub the great powers of the world.
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The owner of the Persian carpet shop (seated, centre) announces the prices of each carpet as his assistant opens them out on the floor of his carpet shop in Esfahan. Some of his antique carpets cost as much as US$44,000 (RM167,200)! |
“Do you know why they are threatening to bomb us? It is because we can do it all by ourselves,” he would often say.
School principal-like in behaviour yet funny, the urbane man known only as Mohamed took his job seriously, reciting with ease and pride the history of his country – which, unfortunately, often fell on deaf Malaysian ears.
As a native of Esfahan city, he was the perfect guide for what is probably Iran’s most magnificent attraction.
You may have seen pictures of the many mosques, palaces and bridges in this ancient city but nothing will prepare you for the real thing.
The majestic Emam Square with its beautiful blue Emam Mosque and elaborately decorated Lotfollah Mosque showed off Islamic architecture at its most magnificent.
Every city in Iran has its bazaar, but Esfahan’s was massive and filled to the brim with stalls that catered to both daily needs as well as to tourists with handicrafts said to be the best in the country.
Being the usual shopping-mad Malaysians, we found it very difficult to leave the place.
As they say, Esfahan nesf-e-jahan – Esfahan is half the world.
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Graceful arches support the 17th century Khajoo Bridge that straddles the Zayandeh Rood (Life Giving River) that runs through Esfahan. |
As historic as Esfahan, Shiraz is famous for its poets, and Mohamed ensured that we saw the tombs of Hafez and Saadi, reciting verses of their works as we looked on – some of us blankly. (Shams-od-Din Muhammad Hafez, to give him his full name, was a great Persian poet who lived in the 14th century, while Saadi, also known as Mosleh al-Din Saadi Shirazi, was an author/poet from the 13th century.)
It was also in Shiraz that Mohamed demonstrated his ability to take us to places off the well-trodden tourist trail, leading us into the mausoleum of Shah-e-Cheragh, the son of the seventh imam of the Islam’s Shiite sect.
I was a little uncomfortable going in as the place is usually off limits to non-Muslims, and it would have been difficult to mistake a bunch of colourfully dressed Chinese Malaysians as a group of pious pilgrims.
Inside, the walls were decorated with thousands of little mirror tiles and glass chandeliers while the hall was filled with people praying and reciting verses of the Quran next to the tomb, which was kept within a steel enclosure.
It was quite an amazing experience.
The main reason people head to Shiraz is to go to Persepolis, the grand palace complex built by Emperor Darius I 2,500 years ago.
The ruins are quite a sight, located on a huge rock platform hewn out of the slopes of the Koh-e-Rahmat (Mountains of Mercy).
Unfortunately, after Shiraz and Esfahan, Tehran was a bit of an anti-climax. It was big, rather polluted and constantly choked with traffic, although with the snowy Elborz Mountains rising suddenly from its northern suburbs, it could hardly be said to be ugly, as some guidebooks describe it.
Without famous mosques and monuments like the two previous cities, Tehran is not exactly a sightseer’s paradise.
Yet I managed to enjoy myself thoroughly, walking countless kilometres along its shopping streets, observing normal urban Iranian life. It is always comfortable to be able to walk around without immediately becoming the focus of people’s attention.
The shops were full of everything you needed, the prices were reasonable, and the people seemed happy enough going about doing what they had to do.
On my last night in Iran, I found myself sitting in a kebab shop on Jamhuri-e-Islami (Islamic Republic) Avenue with the shop owner, sipping tea.
We were mostly silent as neither of us knew each other’s language, but we still managed to hold a “conversation” with a few words like “I Malaysia” or “Iran very good” together with a flurry of hand gestures.
For some reason, I felt extremely comfortable and happy being there.
And I could not help asking myself: “Axis of evil? What?”
Fact file
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Targeting tourists to visit Iran
Respecting the Iranian culture
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