Orumiyeh
The border post between the Kurdish autonomous region in Iraq and Iran, is beautifully located on a mountain pass. My fears of a strict border control on the Iranian side has not been confirmed. After my visa was stamped, I was waved through. In less than ten minutes I had reached the Iranian side of the border.The only problem was that my bus needed about one hour for the border crossing.In Orumiyeh my lack of planning was revealed. After a long bus ride I was convinced to arrive at 20.00 at my destination. The local time, however, was 1.5 hours later.
After I checked into my hotel I wanted to find an Internet cafe and buy an Iranian simcard for my phone. At half past ten local time, I would still have been able to buy fruits at the bazaar, but I could not realize any of the things I wanted to do. In the next morning I tried to correct the deficiency of the previous evening. The problem with this project, however, was that on Friday all shops are closed. I had no other choice than to go to Zanjan with a these things undone.
Zanjan
I reached Zanjan on Friday evening. As had my communication situation (no working phone, no internet) had not improved, I decided to spend the night in a cheap hotel and trying to contact a potential couchsurfing host at the following day.On Saturday morning I was finally able to work off my list. I got me a SIM card and was looking for an Internet cafe. During my search for the Internetcafe, I was approached by a young man, where I come from and whether I could use some help he asked. Even before he led me to the next Internet café, he offered to show me his city.After having my sent my phone number to my potential couchsurfing host and doing some other things online (facebook, google services, including blogs are blocked in Iran), I spent the afternoon exploring Zanjan with the young man and his friend.
In the early evening I went to university where my couchsurfing host Mohammad completes his master. I was received very warmly, introduced to his friends and integrated into the group. In the course of the evening I was invited to traditional Iranian food in an old caravanserai. The food was excellent and the place very atmospheric.During my stay I was able to look behind the facade of the strict Islamic society forced on the people by law. The people of Iran shift a large part of the forbidden things in the non-public area of their lives. With this workaround, however, few people are happy.
The border post between the Kurdish autonomous region in Iraq and Iran, is beautifully located on a mountain pass. My fears of a strict border control on the Iranian side has not been confirmed. After my visa was stamped, I was waved through. In less than ten minutes I had reached the Iranian side of the border.The only problem was that my bus needed about one hour for the border crossing.In Orumiyeh my lack of planning was revealed. After a long bus ride I was convinced to arrive at 20.00 at my destination. The local time, however, was 1.5 hours later.
After I checked into my hotel I wanted to find an Internet cafe and buy an Iranian simcard for my phone. At half past ten local time, I would still have been able to buy fruits at the bazaar, but I could not realize any of the things I wanted to do. In the next morning I tried to correct the deficiency of the previous evening. The problem with this project, however, was that on Friday all shops are closed. I had no other choice than to go to Zanjan with a these things undone.
Zanjan
I reached Zanjan on Friday evening. As had my communication situation (no working phone, no internet) had not improved, I decided to spend the night in a cheap hotel and trying to contact a potential couchsurfing host at the following day.On Saturday morning I was finally able to work off my list. I got me a SIM card and was looking for an Internet cafe. During my search for the Internetcafe, I was approached by a young man, where I come from and whether I could use some help he asked. Even before he led me to the next Internet café, he offered to show me his city.After having my sent my phone number to my potential couchsurfing host and doing some other things online (facebook, google services, including blogs are blocked in Iran), I spent the afternoon exploring Zanjan with the young man and his friend.
In the early evening I went to university where my couchsurfing host Mohammad completes his master. I was received very warmly, introduced to his friends and integrated into the group. In the course of the evening I was invited to traditional Iranian food in an old caravanserai. The food was excellent and the place very atmospheric.During my stay I was able to look behind the facade of the strict Islamic society forced on the people by law. The people of Iran shift a large part of the forbidden things in the non-public area of their lives. With this workaround, however, few people are happy.
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