Norooz coming up

Sun, snow and rain have been taking turns during the last weeks in Tehran. I liked this change of weather. The Iranians, as i was told by our maid, are not happy right now with these changes every other day. Thoroug washing of carpets and curtains and hanging them out to dry. The period of Norooz is coming up, everything has to be spic and span.

Tehran is a very crowded city. People everywhere, traffic is horrific and pollution often blocks the amazing view you could have had from the mountains overlooking the city (no.3 in the world, right Melissa?). In the weeks before Norooz it is even worse, probably the most busy time in Tehran. Serious shopping for food, presents and fancy clothes are done in this period. Big business, bigger traffic, biggest pollution. Hang your carpets out to dry, if it's not rain messing things up, it will be smog.

Norooz is the feast of Iranian New Year, starting this year on March 17. It is celebrated for two weeks, where all Iranians have a long holiday. This is Iran's top touristic season, Iranian tourist only. Esfahan, Mashad, Shiraz, Yazd, the ski resorts, Kish and the towns on the Caspian coast are all packed. The only place that is deserted, is Tehran.

Unfortunately, Norooz doesn't come with any specific festivities, other than families gathering. Tehran will be boring, the office almost empty and it's not a fun period to travel through Iran. So, we are fleeing the country. Back to the Netherlands, Norway, maybe a city trip, Europe it is. But before we leave, we want to see more of Iran. In a few hours we're going on a road trip to Yazd, way ahead of the Norooz rush. Will report after the weekend...

Friday Flee Market

The Friday Flee Market takes place in a parking garage in Downtown Tehran. It started as a local market where you could find just about anything, from missing parts of your chinaware to unique silverware.

In time Uptown Tehran discovered the flee market and it has become a bit more fashionable. It is still a flee market, it's just that the prices have gone up a bit and the items you find have expanded to more valuable things.

I've been to a flee market before, although it has been more than 20 years, if you don't count Waterloo Plein in Amsterdam, still it was an intersting experience. It all looks like rubbish, with some rare items here and there if you look well.

What caught my attention were the many pictures of the Shah and his family, court pictures from before the revolution and the Hebrew ceramic tiles from pre-islamic era in Iran. And there were the collector items like pre-historic film camera's, picture camera's, radio's and one single Geiger Counter.

Are had his eye on a glistening silver knive, with detailed ornaments. When he asked, the salesman told him it was 200 Eur. But it seems that there had been a misunderstanding, not at all in our favour. When we had our Iranian driver ask for the price, thinking 'big white man being ripped off', we found out that this knive was a historical and valuable treasure, costing 3.000 Eur. We passed. Impressed.

So, just like any Flee Market, find anything you want. You know, same, but different...

More pictures

Art @ Home

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Mohsen Ahmadvand

My World 66

Select the countries you have visited and create your World 66 map.
Fun for all you travelers!!

Thanks to Miekie.

Post your worlds here, i'd like to see where you have been.

create your own visited country mat at World 66

AnWiMeDi

Annemiek, Melissa, Wietske... I've studied with these girls (Bachelor in Creative writing) in Amsterdam. We did most assignments together, stayed a tight group when each of us did our internships in different places, we are all still writing in some way and can always rely on each other for feedback.

But more important, we've grown together since our first year at the Hogeschool Holland. It's funny to see how incredibly different we are from each other. Our appearances, where we live, where we come from, our life styles and most of all our interests. Still, it's always good, whether fun or serious. I guess it's these differences that makes our get-togethers always so interesting.

During our internships we launched an internet community in order to keep in touch. Yes, it was very girly in some ways, nothing wrong with that. After the Hogeschool Holland we all went our different ways. We only see each other occasionally, but we keep in touch. The old internet community is no longer active, but it's fun to read our postings; from the four of us, who do you think will be the first to become a mother? Answers or guesses have changed a few times since then. What would our answers be at this moment?

It seems as if we are entering a new period in our writing, publishing and keeping in touch. Three of us recently started a blog, sharing with all friends and family. I'm not sure how it is for the other girls, but publishing more personal thoughts on a blog, for me, is to dare to open up, show yourself. Vulnerable, or strong?

So, our former internet community has some what died and we are now publishing our own thoughts out in the open. The connection between us, however, seems to've grown more intense. What an interesting paradox. Going your own way, taking your own space, share in the open and feel more connected. I love this way of personal growth (no, not trying to reach the 1.60m), it gives me so much pleasure to watch others grow and it delights me to be part of my friends' lives.

Do you thing, sweeties, continue to shine...

Women taxi Iran

Women in Tehran can now use a taxi service for women only with a female driver. Nice idea, especially in the evenings. For now there are at least 3 of these green women only taxi's driving around in the capital with 15 million inhabitants.

Dashti

With Mostafa Dashti in Niavaran Exhibition Centre
The painting on the right is now the pride in our apartment
We fell for this painting because of the light