Mashhad - University

Visit to Mashhad University: Saw my wife's old friends and professors.

Visit to Tomato and Fruit Processing Plant: Saw my wife's old friends and workmates. I was able to ask several questions of the company president and VP. They said the most common problem is lack of access to newer technology, therefore higher production cost which means higher prices and less ability to compete. This company exports a variety of juices and pastes to Europe.
Later, in contrast, I was with the former CEO of the above company who disagreed with the current president assessment. He said technology is not the biggest factor. In fact, increasing the technology at on facility would be cost prohibitive. He said the current owners have plenty of money to purchase newer technology if they wished. The fact is that they do not because they would not know how to manage such tools if they did. The easy way in Iran is to use cheap and abundant labor rather than to automate. I would have loved to continue this discussion in to areas of worker safety, but our time was brief.

Professional wedding photos: 14,000 miles for three more photos.

Visit to Zoohr Khoneh ("House of Power"): Participants wear special clothing and use ancient methods for physical and spiritual development. This means motivating music (drums and voice), floor exercise and mock spears, shields, weights. The most interesting object are weights the shape of bowling pins that are rhythmically rolled around the shoulder for arm, back and shoulder development. It is intended to depict life of the military or sports person of ancient times. "Ali" is a fabled sportsman and fighter and is honored in this facility. During the performance (there are seats for spectators around the octagonal ring), the participants honored us by bringing tea and singing a short prayer for our health, etc. I paid my respects at the end by greeting the leaders and drum players.

Dinner at ????: We met the parents of two of my wife's good friends (in Vancouver). The owner of the place was a very gregarious person resembling Jim Crochee. It appeared to be an Arab night out as there was a sea of black chador's in their completely-hidden style. I played pool with the owner and we shared strategy and rules between US and Iran - all without speaking each others language. Down to three balls, he scratched on the 8-ball, but in their rules, the game goes on. I missed the next shot and he sunk the 8 on the next and won. I am going back Friday to win back my money.
Our dinner hosts (my wife's friends parents) were well educated and poignant on issues of Iran. It was sad to hear them describe the current state of Iran. It was explained to me that "this is no longer their country". Not saying that the Shah's government was without fault (in fact it was very ruthless, murderous and corrupt), but the current government had ruined everything and brought corruption to every level. They could not count on police, local government, federal government, etc to be responsible for anything. Complete and forced mismanagement that trickles down to every level. The middle class, educated and professional, is forced to live as if overrun by the uneducated, pushed to the point of daily expression of agitation.

At this same dinner location I met the only other American I had seen so far. And he was a "real American". Straight from Minnesota, big as a house and wearing a Minnesota Vikings football hat, properly rounded like the pros. He and his Iranian wife float back and forth for work.

Mashhad - Imam Reza

Haram Shrine and Museum (Imam Reza): Where do I begin? Mashhad is the most holy place in Iran. The Haram is the resting place of Reza, the 8th Islamic Imam. I can't go in to it all here, but after the prophet Mohammad, they believe God sent 12 infallible Imams to guide religion, etc. Reza was murdered around 800AD and "Mashhad" means The Place of Martyrdom. Thousands of pilgrims come here each year, leaving contributions that make the Imam Reza estate among the richest in the world. The sprawling complex includes ? highly ornate shrines, and other places of prayer. It is a cemetery also, and my wife's grandparents are buried here.

My wife is a good spiritual as well as historical guide. Along with visiting the museum, carpet museum, and tourist places, we also prayed and spoke with clerics. She read the prayer in Arabic and then translated it to English. Those around us acknowledged the only American Moslem in the building with silent nods. However, absolute focus remained on the sanctity of the place and the prayer. Closest to the tomb, women were separated from men. But farther away, families attended with all members and this is where my wife and I did our prayer. I took the walk close to the tomb by myself (on the men's side). Shoulder to shoulder and hip to hip, a thousand in the small building, everyone want to touch the tomb itself. I did not get even near it, guessing an hours delay.

Not just the shrine, but the whole complex is highly ornate, mirrored or turquoise tiles cover the walls with real gold inlay. The dome of the many shrines and minarets have a skin of gold. The craftsmanship is flawless and rivals Versailles in Paris in its beauty. I loved the experience and, were I a resident, would attend at least once a month.

Interesting experience, my visit to this shrine was several days after Bush said that Iran's government needed to change. I asked my wife if I should fear being so close to thousands of the most faithful at this time. She said not to worry because all 5,000 would be praying for Bush to push the Iranian government even harder.

Wedding party for us: My wife's parents, family and friends have all gone to great lengths to make sure we are taken care of, and especially that I see all of Iran, am not bored, etc. On this night we made a special celebration for our marriage. My wife already has, and I have come to love those around me here. Paraphrased, here is what I said at the end of the evening:

• The Arasteh's have taken good care that we see the "best of Iran", the ancient monuments, museums, culture, etc.
• But the very best of Iran is the generosity and excellence I have seen expressed in each household and shop, and even among strangers.
• My wife is well loved in America by my family and friends, so they should not worry about her in that sense. She has opened my heart, and I promise that our life will be full of the love I have seen expressed here.
• Things are the impressions I will take back to our house in America.

Mashhad - Akhlomad

Akhlomad (local favorite waterfall): We went here on the Iranian only day off, Friday. So, this place was crowded. What an interesting trip. We, and about 5,000 others hiked in to see two of the supposedly seven waterfalls along this stream. Joining us were, buses, donkeys, motorcycles, autos, etc. Whole families trudged tons of picnic gear for miles. Much of the path was narrow and often mostly filled with water. At the apex of the journey, the scenery was gorgeous, but the most interesting aspect was the ad-hoc infrastructure of shops, restaurants, and vendors wedged in to this narrow canyon. We have much video of this walk. Even in this most remote and strenuous environment, all women maintained their adherence to the rule to cover themselves fully. At this point, I became very frustrated that my wife had to restrict herself so. To her, it is simply the law. This is the same for many other, but a large portion also would continue this covering were the legal restriction to lift.

I had an interesting experience trying to help an older woman that was about to fall as she crossed a fence. My wife warned me not to touch her, even though she was in slight danger.

Mashhad

Dinner at "Roof of the Town": (highest point in Mashhad) Traditional kabob house:

Shopping for Sitar and Oud (musical instruments):

Shopping for new suit and wedding rings: Although I could have had a new suit custom made for around 200US, the styles are latest European style, which men in the US do not commonly wear. There were no pleats on any suit pants.

Esfahan - continued.

Mosque damaged by Iraq: more later

Shaking minarets: more later.

Zoroastrian Fire temples: (more later)

Armenian church and museum: more later

Esfahan - Hotel Abbasi

- Guided tour -

Esfahan is known for its arts and crafts, as well as ornate mosque and shrines. It is also where "Gaz" comes from, a taffy like white candy filled with pistachios.

40 column palace: (more later) This shrine contained marvelous wall paintings and the government is in the process of preserving the ones destroyed after the revolution.

Mosques in the big square:

7 echoes: In one part of the shrine, our guide bent down and using a paper bill, thwaped his finger against it. The echo that responded was a thousand times louder than the original thwap. If he held the bill close to the ground, there were seven echoes. If a few feet higher, only six echoes. Even just rustling the paper caused a murmur of interlaced echoes. At this point of the tour there were many dozens of high-school age girls watching in awe (along with us). They were all from near the Pakistan boarder. I tried to get candid video, but they spotted the camera at a hundred yards and shied away.
If you look at the front cover of the book "Searching for Hassan", the marble stairway is in the same room, just a few feet from where we stood now.

Print block carpets in Bazaar: Our guide took us to a small shop where plain white cloth was turned into colorful prints. One man runs this production and working in "batch", he uses a carved wooden block to press color on to the white cloth. The base color is made from walnut husks and is a deep purple-black. So then, are this man's hands and brow deeply stained with this base. He stops as we arrive and chats, eventually describing his craft. His face is dominated by a grin-like smile; unshaven and missing a few teeth, he seems like a little boy engrossed in his favorite hobby.
I had though these were painted, but each step is simply another application of color using another carved wooden block. He is assisted by his two young nephews who display completed products for us to consider. it is a good show and I do not begrudge our guide who obviously receives a portion of any sale.

- On our own -

Hotel Abbasi: This is one of the most spectacular hotels in Iran. Its walls are modeled after one of the Shiraz mosques. We have many photographs to share and made many friends among the guests and staff.

Bazaar: This is craft bazaar with many craftsmen working their trade in the shaded and relatively cool protection. I recorded a full hour of the coppersmiths banging on their works. The syncopated rhythm - some deep and slow, some high-pitched and fast - was hypnotic. We purchased several items for gifts.

Shiraz - continued

- Guided tour -

Naghsh-e Rostam: These are four burial tombs carved in to a cliff. The face of each tomb is about 100 feet high and 40 across. Richly carved, even though in soft sandstone. Additional works have been added over the centuries.

Fire temples: There are many of these small to large "fire temples" throughout the region. They are from the Zoroastrian religious period that predate Islam. The Zoroastrians believed that fire was a purifying agent. I recall going with Nikoo to a celebration around New Year (March 22) where we jumped over a series of fire pits, mouthing wishes for a good life, and transferring our unpleasant attributes in exchange for the purity of the fire.
Persepolis: (more later, where do I begin?)

- On our own -

Persian Bathhouse (now a restaurant): Very bad food, but our hearts to the owner for restoring this 400 year old Bath house (now a restaurant). Persians are very clean-conscious people; men entered the bath clean and upon returning to a resting place (usually to smoke from a communal water pipe and to eat) there was a smaller bath near the tables just for washing the feet. Even on this afternoon, many people were relaxing about to escape the heat outside.

Carnival: Just after dark, Nikoo and I strolled through this large park behind the hotel. It had fountains that shot water 50 feet in the air and many places to be quiet. There were however, hundreds of people in the park. At this point I was still self-conscious of standing out (towards the end of our trip I lost this feeling) and groups of people watched as we walked by. There was a kiddy carnival in the middle of the park with all the normal rides. The 'video arcade' contained about 30 TV's attached to individual computers. You paid for your time in the room, regardless of what you played. The most aggressive ride swung a group of 20 just beyond perpendicular on a pendulum. For me, it was odd to see the smiling faces and yells coming from a carpet of black chadors. Nikoo and I made friends with lots of little ones and a few of their parents.