We found ourselves in a a small cozy hotel with welcoming warm red Persian carpets in the "small" 500,000 person town of Orumiyeh. We tossed our bags down, bundled up against the cold drizzle (me with my head scarf and manteau), and headed out full of excitement. The town turned out to be our first exposure to many experiences we would have over and over again in Iran. Our first meal was dizi- a delicious stew of chick peas, tomatoes, and lamb eaten with lavash. It became one of our favorites. We met several young men, both at the two table restaurant and at a lovely shop selling sugar-coated nuts, all friendly and all expressing the sad desire to leave Iran because of the political environment. We also experienced the famous Persian tradition of "tarof". This most often heartfelt process involves refusing payment for any services rendered over and over again until the patron can finally convince the seller that she must pay. In a tiny dessert place after eating paludeh (a frozen rice noodle sweet) we were never able to convince the owners to take our money even after several attempts. Our first day in Iran and Nima's 33rd birthday turned out to be a wonderful way to begin our two month trip to a place we had been hoping to visit for so long.We woke up the next morning to a cold rain and a national holiday. Sizdah Bedar is the 13th and final day of NoRuz (the Persian new year celebration) and is a day that all people in Iran spend outside with the family playing games, walking, and picnicking. We headed to the popular destination of Band, a beautiful open area in the mountains where, despite the cold weather and the rain, many families had gathered. There they sat on rugs, making tea on portable camping stoves, eating fruits and kebab, playing instruments and ball games. We wandered around the main road, ate kebab, and met a few families who were curious about our lives and travel plans. After kilometers of walking through the treacherous roadside mud that doubled our shoe height, we finally headed back to Ourimiyeh to catch the easy but boiling bus (Iranians love the heat!!) to Tabriz.
Our first day in Tabriz started off with a small adventure. Out of Iranian Rials, with no access to credit cards/ATM cards/travelers checks (since none can be used in Iran thanks to American credit card companies), we wandered around a bit hungry and slightly confused in search of the one bank in town where we could exchange dollars. We never ended up finding it but we did have the luck to run into Ali Keshvarazi, a teacher and guide from the local tourism office. He exchanged our money, bought us flight tickets to Tehran, showed us some of the less well known sights in Tabriz, and found us a tasty Tabrizi breakfast place. In the end he ended up inviting us to dinner at his place, another thing that we experienced over and over again during our next few weeks in Iran. We took him up on the offer and later that evening, after wandering through the covered bazaar, we caught a bus to his home where we met his sweet wife and two sons, one 25 and one 28. We spent the evening chatting, listening to classical Persian music and poetry, and eating a traditional meal cross-legged on the floor. Their warmth and generosity made us feel so at home.
Our last day in Tabriz brought us to another home, this time the family of a friend of Nima's parents. Another group of strangers who welcomed us with tea, sweets, delicious Persian food, and interesting political conversation. I can't express how much kindness we experienced over and over again in Iran but the story of a woman working at the front desk of our hotel might be a good example. We asked her where we might find a place to get a haircut. Instead of telling us where to go, she told us she was getting off work and that she would take us there. She drove us to a small women's salon and stayed with me the whole time chatting and acting as my interpreter. So many times I was amazed by the extra time and energy people took to make our trip easy and comfortable.
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