The true face of Iran

The true face of Iran

“Get off!” the man shouts, pulling on our car door handle. “Get off! Get off!” he yells continuously, the only English words in the stream of incomprehensible Farsi. “Get off!” he screams, grabbing a shotgun from the hands of a soldier standing next to him. “Get off!” his saliva spatters the side window of our […]

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Guardian angels with Kalashnikov

Guardian angels with Kalashnikov

A long corridor flooded with cold fluorescent lights. We are sitting on metal chairs attached to the walls. Time after time, armed men in uniforms pass us by. Huddled over laptops open on our laps, we try not to attract anyone’s attention. At the police station in Quetta – the capital of the Pakistani province […]

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CHAPTER 21 – YAZD, IRAN

CHAPTER 21 – YAZD, IRAN

From Kashan, we head west to the third-largest city in Iran – Isfahan. During the Safavid dynasty (1501-1736), Isfahan was the capital of Persia and one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Its rapid development made it an attractive place for migrants from the Caucasus region, incl. Armenia. To this day, there is […]

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CHAPTER 21 – KASHAN, IRAN

CHAPTER 21 – KASHAN, IRAN

When we finally obtain a visa to India, we leave Tehran. Before we cross the city border, however, we stop at the Doulab Christian Cemetery. A tall, thick wall separates the cemetery from the streets of the Iranian capital. We press the bell button attached to a grey metal door. After a few moments, a […]

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CHAPTER 20 – SNOWBOARDING IN IRAN

CHAPTER 20 – SNOWBOARDING IN IRAN

With the New Year, we get to know new places. From Tehran, we head north to the village of Masuleh in the Gilan province. We reach the place almost at night. The morning unfolds an amazing sight. Rays of the just awakened January sun fall on the mountain slope. A warm golden glow reveals its […]

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CHAPTER 19 – NEW YEAR, IRAN

CHAPTER 19 – NEW YEAR, IRAN

The next encounter at the Visa Application Centre at the Indian Embassy in Tehran is tough, but we come out of it victorious. In a week, we are to collect the visa. Meanwhile, we are changing the hostel into a cosy flat of our CouchSurfing hosts – Mohammad and Raziye. The lady of the house […]

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