Tehran

I arrive to Tehran at around 6am. I am completely lost -- no guide book, no map and all signs are in Farsi. I only know I'm supposed to meet my friend Ali at 10am at some street downtown. I meet a guy named Mohse at the bus station, he takes me to the bus that goes to the metro, follows me on the metro, pays for all transportation, buys me breakfast and finally walks me 1 km to my meeting point. The only thing he accepts in return is my friendship. Amazing.

Eventually I meet Ali and we go to his place. They are 5-6 guys living together in downtown Tehran. Just like at Abobakrmahmode's place, there's a sitting room with a carpet where all the action takes place. After lunch, Ali and I do some sightseeing. When I take up my camera to take some pictures of downtown, Ali shakes his head: "You're not gonna take a picture, are you?" Iranians are very afraid of the police, and for a reason. At least three of the guys at Ali's place have been arrested. Ali was arrested and jailed for simply going to a coffeehouse with a girl.

Ali has to work in the evening so he arranges for me to meet with his friend Reysan. She suggests we go to a coffeehouse where we have some coffee and pizza. Outside, the snow is bucketing down, the first snow of the year incidentally! I walk Reysan home and she suggests I come up to her apartment. Thinking about the Iranian police, I tell her I probably shouldn't. I get back to Ali's place around midnight and he says it was very wise since she could have gotten into serious trouble. The day ends in "Iranian style", I brush my teeth with salt and hot tap water and sleep on the carpet on the floor.

I've bought an Iranian SIM card by the way and my number is +989373693430.

Tire shopping mall.

My wallet after I change 100 euro to Iranian rials.

Reysan.

Snow.

Tehran, Iran