Carnets de voyage - Iran

Just met with my sister in Iran after a sleepless night trip

March 24, Tehran airport

As the plane is landing the remaining women who had not covered their hair yet are now attaching them, displaying a layer or two of thin, thick, smooth or transparent, silk or cotton fabric, monochrome or flowery – for as diverse are the scarves as are the types of hijab, I had known that already from my admiring looks in Egypt.

It is funny to watch them trying, struggling, looking with amusement to their new faces, glancing at each other to check whether they did it correctly. And I am like that too, although I already chose the kind of shape I prefer [the Arabian style they will call it]. But I envy the light and bright scarves some women are wearing, I hope to buy one like this [I will, and during my trip I will everyday try a new scarf style, from the very religious Shia model largely falling in triangle over the chest and back, to the modern one, barely covering the head and graciously, precariously thrown over one shoulder].

Now I am wondering, what will my sister look like, will we recognize each other? She must be waiting outside, I hope she is alright.

Iranian desertic landscape

March 25, in a bus from Tehran to Kashan

The little fluffy bushes surmounting each rocky sand hill look like cute mold, some forgotten caramel dessert carefully rotting under the sun and experimenting the diversity of shades of green and brown, and shapes of bumps – round or edgy, thin or sharp.

This view is similar to, but so different also from Egypt Sinai desert. The road is much better quality, you see less trash in the fields too.

Walk toward the salt desert, early morning