Feeling like Rapunsel in Persia

Hi!

Time for new stories, I can write longgggg ones, since we experienced such different things since the last time I wrote.

After 2 days in Bam, we took a bus to Mahan, a small vilage with a king-like garden and a bizar nice mosque. We were able to climb the minarets, which made me feel like Rapunsel, stuck in the tower and trowing my hairs down.
Our hairs...The only worry we have. Already more than a month, they keep falling. Definitely something is wrong, but what can we do? Hopefully it will stop, otherwise we will be forced to wear the scarve in Holland as well.

Iranians are very much into arts and are very precise in this. It makes me feel dissy, looking to the handmade persian carpets, or watching the blue stones in the mosque. People seem not afraid to express themselves; man sing poetry in the bus, or even straight to your face with many expressions which make me laugh soo much.
In Iran, we are alowed to enter mosques. In Mahan, we went in the little ancient prayer room, a man was singing, very loud and soo sad. Although I didn't understand him, I could cry,it was too sad...

Every city in Iran has huge bazars, really nice! All the herbs, the old hamans
(bathhouses)in the bazar, the old teahouses where you (obviously) drink tea and smoke waterpipe, the alleys and the beuatifull decorated roofs. In the bazar of Kerman, we were searching for Hussein, since we wanted to go to the desert. Earlier that day, we tried to find a taxi, to drive us to the desert, but nobody wanted to take us for our price. In the end, by walking through the bazar, we found Hussein and with him we went that night to the desert. Sleeping in the desert, cooking Iranian meal in the middle of the night under soo many stars, it felt incredible. We slept in the sand, and when we woke up, we saw all the enormous sculptures, made by the wind, like a moonlandscape, totally nobody, just us...we felt so small.

After this philosofical night and little sleep, we went to a ranch, where we convinced the people the other day we were able to ride their Arabian horses. I was very excited, since I love horse riding, especially here, in this environment full of dry rough mountains and riding a Arabian furry horse...wow...
I was together with Sarah and Eric, both can ride a little. After 10 minutes, our ride finished... Sarahs couldn't stop her horse anymore, I think she never will ride a horse who runs that fast anymore. Too bad, they didn't let us ride outside after this, but very glad Sarah didn't fall and now, I really feel,I want to ride such a horse one day in Mongolia or something...Exploring a country by horse, that must be awesome!

By having the experience to sleep outside, Sarah and I got in the mood... We wanted to visit a very tiny village, which wasn't easy to reach. By bus and hitching, we were in this place very soon! TRaveling here, is so much easier than I thought. Hitching takes shorter than 2 minutes waiting, it is amazing (and mam, we take care with who we ride, don't worry).
The village was very busy... Iranian holiday and many many people. Unfortunaltely, there was only 1 very expensive hotel. MMM...
We knew this before we left, and had expected to meet some nice people, where we maybe could sleep in their house or shed. But well, since it was such a touristy thing that day, and the locals were very closed (in contrast to other Iranians), it didn't work out.
We decided to sleep outside that night, but didn't prepare this to well. We walked through a bit of forest, to reach the open mountains, so we were sure not a weird guy could find us. We found a nice place under a tree and it was dark already. MMM, I asked Sarah what kind of wildlife Iran actually has? We both did not have a clue. In the beginning of this night we were a bit scared, I wished a man was with us as well. Even if this guy would have been a fruitcake, haha, it would have felt more protective. After an hour, we felt ok, not afraid of ghost, strange man or animals. I fell asleep, proud we stayed, we could do this together, no problem!
Later it started to get cold, and we did some excersise to get warm. I was comfortable, just started to sleep again, when I heard a big "grom"...This sound was to close.
" AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH". SHIT, what was this. I klapped in my hands and walked up to the tree...I was so happy it runned away. Me standing at that tree, ready to climb it, shaking legs....Here we were, nature girls...
We didn't want to stay anymore, since we did not have any idea what it was. We walked back to the village and climbed to the highest house through all the small alleys, hoping not to wake up the locals. Not many good places to sleep here. People would wake up so early to go to the mosque, and we did not found it appropriate to be found somewhere on a house roof. We slept on the roof of a little hut, on top of the village. Not very comfortable, but beautifull in the morning, when the imam started singing and this ancient village woke up. Big laughs about ourselves the next day, especially when we found out we slept on the roof of a toilet.

We met many nice people so far... Yesterday we hitched with a man who has been a refugee in Holland. When we told him about the fall of the cabinet and about Verdonk, he was sooo happy...It was strange to talk with him, he had a rough time. It was very nice to sit in the back of his pick up, driving fast, wind through our long dresses. Too bad, we can't take them of, as long as man are in the neighbourhood.

I like Iran, especially the people and the rich culture and history. The only thing is that we are not able to do active things. If we want to swim, we have to wear all these clothes, and it is hot and not comfortable to bike or walk very long long distances. We will try, to go hiking around Teheran, where we will go this afternoon. I want something active now.

We are curious how it is in the Netherlands, when will the new voting be? And what about the NL not being in the World cup anymore? Are you hoping that Germany will win?

Oh, unfortunately, Sarahs hyves is not working here...A ban on hyves...

I can tell much more, about the nights I talked with Iranians, where I got insights on their view on politices, society, the world and religion. It is interesting and as I had expected...It is not as it seems it is, think for your self, it is so important.

Iran is very modern, woman are not as surpressed as I thought, and here I got a very different view on for example their nucliair program. Also Islam, it is very interesting to be here, experience it to a certain extend.
All this, it helps me to understand the world a little bit more.

Love and take care,
Enjoy your holiday
See you very soon

xxx Mona (my name here, it means 'hope' in Farsy)