Questions About Iran #3.5

[mahdial_x5]

LOL ookk bro, no problemo

[capslock]

Originally Posted by shugs

Hello capslock, welcome to the Iran forum

Thats great! Are you only staying in Shiraz or are you going to visit anymore cities? Perhaps do some travelling? There are loads of places to see... How long is your stay?

So.. where to start? lol... Iranians in general are very welcoming people as you probably know becuase you have Iranian friends... It's even more so in Iran, our culture says that guests are 'a gift from God' so you will be treated well lol. In general public you want to stay within Islamic dress laws.... so no shorts or vests (unless you go to a 'free zone' such as Kish Island) and your wife has to cover her hair and where an over coat that covers her to around half way down the thigh area and obviously trousers lol... I'm sure she'll get the idea of what to wear when she sees how women dress, pushing the dress codes to the very limit, from what I remember especially in Shiraz. Also, no kissing or anything more in public lol.. But it's not that crazy, u can hold hands and such... atleast its something, after having 2 reformist presidents :P

Last time I was in Iran during March the weather was quite cool but it could be hotter this year, I'm not sure about Shiraz either. On the 21st March it's the Persian New Year/Norouz which is a great time (also Iran's new calender year)... It's an ancient Iranic holiday... one thing you'll probably be a bit mythed to see is that four days before Norouz there is 'Chahar Shambe Souri' which is an ancient fire festival when Iranians pour into the streets make big fires and leap over them, the purpose is to ward away bad spirits for the new year, which could be a slight culture shock... On Norouz itself Iranians go and see eachother, friends, family etc The celebrations go on for 13 days... For more info on the holiday go to... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norouz

English is not very widespread as a second language... the younger generations will have a fairly good understanding of English and of course family wealth, history comes into it depending on what they did before the Islamic revoloution...

What else.. hmm.. Shiraz is a great city, I would 100% reccomend you take in the sites... Put aside a whole day to see the ancient Persian ruins outside Shiraz such as Persepolis and Naqshe Rostam... they are simply breath taking even if you have no idea about the history, they will completely blow the Accroplis in Athens out of the water lol... Here are some picture threads:

Persepolis + Naqshe Rostam:
http://skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=418819 (Check out the first 8 posts)
http://skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=305896

Personally I regretted not going to the tomb of Cyrus the Great.. but thats the kinda thing that would be more interesting if you know the history

Some more places to see in Shiraz:
Margon Waterfalls outside Shiraz: http://skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=280281
General Shiraz pics: http://skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=221087
These are good places to see (pics taken but Gole Hayahou)
http://skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=391470
http://skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=391664
http://skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=391711
http://skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=391702
http://skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=391687
http://skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=391697
http://skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=391706
http://skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=391861

Also the city of Esfahan is about 400Km away, maybe less I think... Its a beautiful city which has been previously compared to Paris by some... The place is like a giant architectural museum http://skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=294768

Feel free to ask any more questions

Wow... that's a really thorough response - thanks.

We're going to be out there for about a week all told. Not very long I know and a lot is going to be taken up with the wedding itself, but we nudged the dates to be out for New Years so that'll be a blast I hope. I was definately hoping to get out to Persepolis - don't think we'll make it as far as Esfahan though.

I dunno, in a way I kind of prefer not to try and cram too many tourist site type things in. I would prefer more to get a feel for the place and its people. I mean are there any local traditions or places where you can really start to get an understanding of the place do you think?

[mahdial_x5]

oh, yo, why is it 3.5?????




and, CAPSLOCK i wish you a good time there! even though, its a quite short stay to see the bauty that Iran has to offer,

[Sukkiri]

Who here listens to Bahador Kharazmi?

[shugs]

Originally Posted by capslock

Wow... that's a really thorough response - thanks.

We're going to be out there for about a week all told. Not very long I know and a lot is going to be taken up with the wedding itself, but we nudged the dates to be out for New Years so that'll be a blast I hope. I was definately hoping to get out to Persepolis - don't think we'll make it as far as Esfahan though.

I dunno, in a way I kind of prefer not to try and cram too many tourist site type things in. I would prefer more to get a feel for the place and its people. I mean are there any local traditions or places where you can really start to get an understanding of the place do you think?

Anytime

Oh ok, so you're right, you really do not want to cram all that into one week! Definatly take the time to go to Persepolis you won't regret it, it is very unique and not very well known in general compared to such places as the Acropolis so in such it is rather alternative place to visit for a global tourist

Iranian weddings.. lots of food, lots of dancing probably booz depends on how Muslim the family are all in all a good time as long as everyone remains happy and all that jazz...

If you want to take in the culture I'd recomend you go to Hafezie, where the tomb of the poet Hafez is, you can experiance the romantic and spiritual side of Iranian culture, relax in the beautiful gardens for a while and then spend some time in the tea house drinking Cha'i and smoking shisha while contemplating life

...Is that the sort of thing your looking for?

[mahdial_x5]

OK, does ANYONE have ANY information on AMLASH? its in SHOMAL?

they are a series of villas, my father has gone to buy a villa there, probably LOT 2, 30, or 31, most likely 30 though, anywyas, does ANYONE have ANY information on this development?

[gole_hayahou]

probably another project destroying the north of Iran and will be full of Tehrani's...

[mahdial_x5]

yea....

[gole_hayahou]

i really dont get this mentality they have....buying cheaply made boxes in the middle of the countryside...destroying villages and village life along with it...
theres going to be nothing left!

reminds of a song actually....The Eagles - The Last Resort...

"Some rich men came and raped the land,
Nobody caught 'em
Put up a bunch of ugly boxes, and Jesus,
people bought 'em
And they called it paradise
The place to be
They watched the hazy sun, sinking in the sea..."

[shugs]

Well altho some people do not agree with me on this here

But.. These projects are rapidly destroying the rural life... pushing up land prices so much the locals who have lived there for generations have been pushed into living in towns and cities such as Babol or Sari by greedy Tehrani developers eager to snap up the land... Villages which had a life soul are left empty for months on end while the rich Tehrani owners are away and even the ba'ghali owner goes bust because of noone to sell to...

It's sad really.. In nations like the UK the government is quickly trying to stop this before rural life and atmosphere is completely destroy.. The Iranian government does nothing...

[mahdial_x5]

well, i must agree to taht fact, that is true,

but i mean, so is it not considered as development?

[shugs]

That rich Tehrani's build houses on agriculteral land and only live in them for 50 days out of a year? Depends on how you look at it really.. no? maybe?

[shayan]

I’m against agriculture in Iran, take an example from Japan, import those goods and give the land back to the nature a farmer should become a nature conservationist instead of a person who makes himself rich and drives up inflation by producing very cost inefficient while getting subsidized by government,,,

[Gilgamesh]

Originally Posted by shayan

I’m against agriculture in Iran, take an example from Japan, import those goods and give the land back to the nature a farmer should become a nature conservationist instead of a person who makes himself rich and drives up inflation by producing very cost inefficient while getting subsidized by government,,,

Most agriculture is on semi arid (and arid) land, Iranian farmers are known to use qanats to fertilize lands infact it makes several cities thrive in the desert.

[gulfexpress]

I have a silly question to ask but what does "dorood!" mean?

[shugs]

It's Persian for Hello or welcome.. It is a greeting

[Omid_Sultani]

But usually we say salam.

[avicenna]

with all due respect for dorood, i have never heard any one in real life use it as a greeting.

[mahdial_x5]

Some do, they might say DOROOD BAR SHOMA

but yea i agree, it is not used commonly in speech or casual, everyday talk.

i use Salam Daadash or Soom-Aleykk

[shugs]

I have almost never heard an Iranian say salam aleyk

But yeh I have heard quite a lot of older well educated people say Dorood bar shoma and not even be Zoroastrian...

But then again it all depends on the social circles you are in.. I bet none of you have ever heard an Iranian say Allah'Abha as a greeting either