Salam, I am your dors

Because of the heads of people at the airport, Mehrabad already waves my girlfriend Zuhra. I put a bag and correct the scarf – mandatory for persian older than 9 years. Foreigners do not make any election. Even in the summer, in the forty-portus heat is expected to steam in pants and "manot", Reminded cotton galant to knees. Nothing tight! If, of course, do not want to stop the patrol "Sepah-Esclab-uh Eslam" – "Guards of the Islamic Revolution", Playing in Iran The role of the police of morals. Then fine.

Kissing me, Zuhra Pretchently inspecting my "Prikid":
– What did you have looked? Keep it simple!
She coquetty shifts the shawl on the back of the head and smiles:
– Do not be afraid of anything! I am your Doost!

"Dost" – friend on Farsi. I’m laughing, and Zuhra seriously advises make makeup. Local girls do not leave the house without freeing a kilogram of powder and without casting lips. Even Zuhra, who studies the sociology in Tehran University, except the native Farsi Boyko screaming in English, in Arabic and dreams of going to Europe. While she was abroad only once, in Saudi Arabia, when Hajj was made with his mother – Pilgrimage to Mecca. This is a great honor, because they are not allowed.

– But I would not want to live in Europe. My house here, Islam – my religion. I do not understand why our country with the Great Culture and history of the West considers the medieval refuge of terrorists?

Almost USSR

Tehran Mountains in the Bright Mountains Mountains Sun. Snow Peak Demavend sparkles on the horizon – the main vertex of Iran. Gray five-story buildings scored by masters Magist Rail, driving motorcycles, bearded taxi drivers and girls in flying blacks … people more than in Moscow. Noise, I could and complete neglect of the rules of the road. At first very uncomfortable.

The current Iran is a fraction of the mixture of Islamic traditions and "disbeling" West influences. After the Islamic Revolution of 1979, the country moved to a bright future on the road specified by the Quran.

Covenants Ayatollah Homeney at first respected holy: sexual segregation, strict prescriptions, mandatory religious disciplines in schools and universities. And it goes without saying, ban on abortions. All this led to the fact that in 20 years the country’s population has grown more than twice.

Three quarters of Iranians – people under 30. Follow commandments and restrictions at that age oh how difficult. And under the president of the Hatami government went to the concessions of young people. But the Mullah-bureaucrats occupying important posts did not surrender. Now young people are disappointed: the huts did not fulfill and half the election promises "Corporate" Country. Can’t. In Iran, the main is not president at all – not with huts or chosen in 2005, the terry conservative Ahmadinejad – A "infallible" Ayatollah Khamenei, who replaced Homeney on the lifetime.

We are taking a taxi in the usual test tube on the main street Valiasr, and the portraits of Ayyatolla are watching with posters and walls. They are on every corner as Soviet "The Holy Trinity" – Marx, Engels, Lenin. Is that with the Türbans on the heads. Won also ..

From the mosque similar to the blue pearl, there is a call for prayer. I turn your head on the sides.

– Muzzin You will hear from the speakers and on TV three times a day, – pulls me for the sleeve of Zuhra. – the main thing so that God is in the heart. Truth?

In all public places, closed rooms eliminated by carpets are designated. By the way, late for the prayer Iranians will be forgiven, but ignorance, unfriendly or insult to another – never.

About the hotel and speech no. Zuhra decisively declares
– I will not leave you alone!

Crime in Tehran is an order of magnitude lower than in Moscow: in the parks and streets you can wander at night. Just Persians – very hospitable people. Call for a visit – this is in the blood. So Zuhra takes me as a small one, even through the road translates. That, by the way, is very unlikely with mad movement – on traffic lights and signs, neither drivers nor pedestrians pay attention.

Spoons on Sofre

On the marble staircase of the five-story building in a residential complex in the north of the capital either sorts, on the windowsill – Flowers. The door of Zuhra commands:
– Shoes take off in the corridor!

Clear why: floors of spacious apartments are covered with carpets. Mom and sisters Zuhron smile and kiss me three times – just like us. Men mindfully shook hands.

A more couple of minutes, and covers the traditional Iranian table – Sofra. Actually the table is just not. On the carpet, the glued oil washes, on top of the tablecloth, and all sit down around. Persians are not very complaining of furniture, usually limited to cabinets, bedside tables and low tables. Bed – Mattress Carpet, Chair – Embroidered Pillows. In our homes, you can see the living rooms – usually with tables, chairs and sofas in the style of Louis XIV. Ornaments and curls here love.

All with appetite flies rice with saffron and roasted meat, and I will not fit out: instead of the usual knife knives – a spoon and fork. Hot meat washed with ice with ice or like Ayran Arc. Tea in samovar and sweets filed food. Once samovars imported from Russia, now Persians consider them their invention.

– Meet, alcohol is prohibited in the country – just in case, Zuhra warns. Her brother Kave Belozubo smiles:
– That’s for sure. You will be – whiskey?

Kave, the youngest in the family, the relatives consider rebel. Probably because he speaks frankly – the rarity in the country where the proverb is followed: "Preventing trouble lies better sowing enmity truth".

– We are not terrorists and not fanatics. For several years ago suffered from terrorist attacks. Radical groupings put bombs in the house, even in the Mausoleum Imam cuts in Mashhad! – Covery hot.He devotes me to the intriculture of Iranian legislation. It is prescribed by the death penalty for "Crime" like married treason, same-sex love and extramarital communication. Yes that there – the singers can not speak in public. Young men and girls are better forgotten about romantic walks and keep away from each other away. Ten years ago, the older brother Zuhry Cambiz sat with a girl on a bench in the park – and on a month, he climbed into prison, where he was firmly beat. The girl could pay freedom for the scarf from his head. Now the Guards of the Islamic Revolution are more sitting in the barracks and the tooth tooth into America. But the habit of caution in Iranians remained.

In this, I am convinced the next day when we look at the main attractions of Tehran – the luxurious Shah Palaces of Niivaran and Saadabad with wonderful gardens, a jewelry museum with the world’s best collection of precious stones, Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art, Jamshidiya Mountain Park … At the same time, I I listen to continued lecture on sex segregation, covering all parties to life. Separate schools, universities, students and students are sitting in different ends of the audience.

Practical classes I pass in urban transport. The cabin buses overgrown: men ahead, women behind, entrance through different doors. (And in every Metro train – two special cars "For women who do not want to ride with men".) I want to make a bus with men and pull the bus:
– What happens something?
She is offended:
– I answer you, – and goes to the female half.

Having dried, waiting for the driver to cause "Police of morals". Two male passengers with curiosity look at the brave foreigner. After a few stops, the driver is still suitable and affectionately asks to take a seat in the female salon. Well, with your charter in someone else’s monastery ..

I need to learn the rules of behavior quickly – in a couple of days we will go on a trip to the country. Without brothers – me and zuhra. She says:
– I love Tehran. But compared to Isfahan, Shiraz, Mesham, he is ugly. Each of these cities was once the capital. There is a real old man.

In teajana

In Isfahan foreigners in the wonder. But they are clearly loved. While we go to the old Si-o-Se-Paul Bridge ("Bridge 33rd Arch"), we scream "Hallow" and try to speak English. Sometimes local is too intrusive, but it is on the kindness of spiritual. On the main square named after Imam Khomeini shine the magnificent dome of two mosques – Sheikh Lotfolla and Imam, and the sellers are tamar than the bazaar. We are surrounded by schoolgirls with Zuhroh, who came to an excursion to the ancient Palace Ali Kapa.

Girls want to take pictures with me. One babe jumps from impatience and burst: "You are from Japan?" Iran from the country of the rising sun has close ties.

Finally, I ask for an autograph, and I feel like a movie star. Troublely pushing forward. Zuhra giggles and we hide in the next teahouse. Seeing two girls without escorting men, the owner, thin and cute, like all the Iranians, clearly strained. But, seeing foreigners, white smiles:
– tea? Saint?

Saine is an exotic treat: solid cakes from oil, saffron, sugar and wheat sprouts generously sprinkle with pushed pistachios and stacked in round tin boxes. It is impossible to tear off!

The owner is called Mohammad. Teahouse he inherited from his father and holds for many years. The conversation goes to family topics, and I do an unforgivable mistake:
– Tell me, how many wives do you have?

Zuhra "on automatic" Translates the question to Farsi, immediately, Ahaets and closes his mouth with his hand:
– What you! – Ships Zuhra. – this is an insult! Two – I don’t care that drunkard or drug addict. A decent person has more than one wife can not be. We are not arabs ..

In Russia, many consider Iran Arab country. Yes, with the Arabs of Iranians brings geography, religion, writing. But language, culture, self-consciousness – their own. Oppositionists living in emigration and express their opinions from a safe distance, still can not forgive the Arabs of the country’s appeal in Islam. Well, the Iranian Iraq war -1980-1988 here, of course, remember: in Iran she took more than 500 thousand. lives.

To the concept "time" generally refer to peculiar. For Persian a thousand or two years – no time. Many are seriously sigh "Golden Zoroastrian time", when Persia owned half the world. The seizure of the countries of Muslims from Arabia (in the middle of the VII century) is called the beginning of the decline. But everything is not so simple: the flowering of culture, philosophy and the science of Iran fell on the Islamic era. Persians creatively reworked Islam, created magnificent architectural and artistic monuments.

– Uh-uh! – shouting shoutingly called at the entrance to tea. Clear case – near the famous Eastern Bazaar. Gold rows, silver, chasing, ceramics, hand-drawn caskets made of camel bones. Masters work right in the shops. Want, when you do a copper frying pan or a womb. In the morning there are many people in the bazaar – after a few hours the heat will come, and many shops will close the traditional "Siesta". We are in the south.

I want Chadru

And it’s time to go to the north – in Mashhad, Saint for Muslim-Shiites city, where there is a mausoleum imam cuts. This is the only one of the 12 saints for the shiites of imam – direct descendants of Mohammed, buried in Iran.

Imam Reza died in 817 with very strange circumstances. The confrontation between the Sunni Khalifov – Vladyk of the country – and Imams remained informal shiite leaders. Caliph al-Mamoun decided to overcome the split, promising to marry imam cutting on his daughter and thus make it his direct successor. Momun promise restrained. But whether it was frightened by the growing popularity of his son-in-law from the people, whether the political conjuncture changed – after the wedding, the cut was actually under house arrest. And after a few months passed away. Shiites are confident that he was poisoned. Anyway, but Mother made a son-in-law royal funeral and ordered to build a decent tomb.

Alas, non-Muslims entrance to the mausoleum is closed. But if you really want.

Aunt Zuhra, Maryam, wetly shining with black eyes, smiles:
– Let’s go tomorrow! You will have to you, daughter, to wear. Otherwise it is impossible!

Maryam raised three children, all his life was a housewife. At the same time, it is difficult to call the mother of the family, "whose place in the kitchen". In the hands of Maryam – all finance of the family, it is she makes decisions. Having settled on the pillows, she sighs:
– Previously, women did not work. Not accepted, since the husband contains. And now? At universities girls more than guys. There are women and in the government, and among the candidates. Some Saudi Arabia did not dream.

Issue the daughter to marry Maryam is not in a hurry, although the law allows you to marry on 14-year-old girls. In fact, in the cities rarely who get married until 27 years. First you need to make a career, look around. Yes, and find a couple in "divided" Society is not easy. Well, if a friend will present his brother or your brother will lead to a friend’s house. All on recommendation. On the street in Iran do not get acquainted. We are still talking to Zuhroh and her friends. I begin to understand: denying mullaz "Showing" Islam, Iranian themselves are very scrupulous in moral matters. Unwritten laws act effective government prohibits. The scheme has long been worked out and never changes: after young people meet and appreciate each other, they will arrange "Party" For fathers of families, families will begin to be friends at home. And there before the wedding not far. Although the girlfriend Zuhron Fatima promoted "In girls" up to 30 years:
– So what to do? – She says. – Mustafa neither the apartment was nor a car nor gold. We have a bride should bring only furniture and household equipment to a new house.

In the next morning we are going to the grave of Imam. For me, Maryam got a white chadra. Wearing it teach since childhood. In the cape to the top (Craida’s face is not closed) I, having made a couple of steps, coming on "tail" and hardly fall. No fasteners, covered with hands, and it strives to slip off the head. For many Persian Chadra – everyday form of clothing. "Crow", wrapped in black fabric, especially much in the province: people there are religious. And someone just seeks to hide under the cradle. Or cover poor outfit.

. Minarets and dome Shiite shrine covered with gold sheets. Inside, too, everything shines and overflows. Let Mausoleu, not one century, but now he gained the current luxury in the last 10-20 years – he is considered one of the best architectural compospects of the country.

In the external hall and in the sacred yard pray for whole families, but the grave of the Holy Woman and Men are suitable separately. Some elderly woman flies, kisses the floors and the door, torn to the grate of the tombstone. The spectacle confuses – but also touches. I know from Zuhron – Imam Reza performs desire and heals the suffering. I also make a desire, but I can not resist the question of a girl standing near the amazing beauty. Lowering the eyelashes, she quietly asks:
– Who pray? For his father, for the brothers, for her husband. And my son is small. Why should I pray for yourself? I dreamed here to get all my life – now my desire turned.

Iranians sincerely, as children, believe in miracles. They are open, friendly and incorrigible optimists – live by the formula "While the thunder is not born". If you find anything too late, they will cry and bitter to complain about fate, then calm down … and so indefinitely.

Do not rush…

Our journey in Iran continues. We got to Bender Lenge, cities on the banks of the Persian Gulf. December – and here heat. Children are worn on the embankment, their milfs drink tea in teahouse under a luxurious canopy. Come here to suit, discuss the latest news. In Bender-Lenge, you can meet Araba, African, Hindu, Persian Bendaries – the so-called Yuzhan from the port cities. Here you do not know about the rhythm of the life of noisy Iranian capitals. Town froze under the winter hot sun. Even speech from locals slow, thoughtful. Hurry nowhere, and here will always find a minute for a leisurely conversation.

Even tehrans who always have a joke about the inhabitants of other provinces, they can not say anything bad about them. Bendaries – kind and working people. Day are always ready to call for a cup of tea or help with advice. But at night. Noticed how someone hastily shores a suspicious appearance of the box, it is better to pass by and not looking around. Smuggling in the port cities of Iran blooms a buoy. Everyone survives how.

Next day when mandatory in these edges ends "siesta", We are watching the setting sun paints the walls of clay houses in light yellow. Badgira are allocated on a general background – "Wind towers", Ancient similarity of air conditioners: Thanks to a special design, they cooled hot air, and below is cool even at a fifty-degree heat.

But it’s time ago, in Tehran. And I’m even further north – to Moscow.

At Zuhra Airport crying:
– You will come, honey?

I also do not. I am already accustomed to smiles, questions, noisy bazaars, and most of all – to surprisingly slowly current time here. To life without a crazy rhythm. As Zuhra would say: "And you will achieve goals. Do not rush. "