well people, first of all let me apologize for not updating earlier, i did one pdate, but didnt have the time to finish it so i just lefy it, saved it and when i came back realized that it was kind of corny so i scratched the whole thing.
ok, first of all let me say that my stalker has resurfaced, yes, today i got an email that said he TOO is in Iran, Tehran, doing some graphic work and wanted an update on me as well. in his words he "thought an update would be nice"! alright.
why is it that i attract strange men, who seem to THINK im their friend, when ive only met them once. and HOW THE HELL DOES HE KNOW THAT IM HERE? in tehran.? my beloved city of stones and polution and skinny dark men with way too much gel in their hair? mmmmm
in other news, i didnt vote, i know i said i would, but i changed my mind. for reason that will be discussed upon my return
we went to the north this weekend to a place called namak Abrood, which translates into "salty water". this place is beautiful, heaven on earth. we stayed at hotel esteghlal, which used to be a Hayat, but after the revelution was taken over and renamed Esteghlal and then renamed again as PARSE hotel. the hotel showed signs of having been built pre-revelution, the once seaside, swimming pool, which is now emptied (b/c men cannot be seen by women while in swim suits, and women..well you know...) had two islands at both ends that must have been a pool bar. it was strange, but i could almost see the people in their colorful swimsuits swimming. kids jumping in the water, little girls splashing their father, and mothers sitting at the side laughing. i could see girls and boys sitting at the bar, ahving orange juice or strawberry daquries, and laughing. i could see persian girls, in their two pieces (modest by todays standards) sunbaithing. i could hear laughter and chatter, and children's screams, b/c persian ppl go nowhere without their kids. and then there was the empty swimming pool. naked and dry. even the steps that lead into it were removed. in the place of the sun-umberellas, was a simple rusting pole. its wierd. this is the best hotel, in that erea, and when you walk to the poolside, you feel like youve walked into an abandoned house. the swimming pool, evokes anger, resentment and even a sense of melencholia. (although it was built and emptied of its parties and drinks and water long before i was born) still i felt a sense of loss
the tea house had a similar effect on me, it was obvious to me that it had been a bar of somekind in its previous life. i could again see people chattering over a drink, and persian girls in their glitzy getups and big updoos. girls in hick eyeliners and red lipstick, and men in ties and suits, b/c persian men dont beleive in going casual. the dance room is now a restourant, its walls still dressed in their wallpaper from 50 years ago are silver. it looks like a disco room turned lunchon
the hotel itself was beautiful, and old. . it had a sea side view and a forest side. from my room i could see both
i remembered being there as a child, and not much had changed in terms of hotel interior. the people and their attire however was a totally different story
the first time i went there 18 years ago, my mother was told upon entering the hotel to fix her hejab, becuase few strands were showing. now, although the walls of the hotel are still ", decorated with sayings like :"Hejab is not a limit, its a pride", ,"Hejab is the face of dignity", "MY sister your hejab is your innocence protected" the atmosphere is much more relaxed. women seem to have forgotten heir "dignity" and "pride" and must not care much about "innocence" , sonce from what i saw no one was wearing the "hejab". what women were wearing were tight, colorful, and short tunics, the ones that are in style in canada, and their "rusari" was basically a shawl tied around their neck losely. some were even undignified enough to sit in the breakfast area with only a big hat, and the scarf around their neck. after all why wear it, when theres no one there to arrest you
after breakfast wen went to the forest area. can say much about that, because it cannot be described in words, i will however put some pics on as soon as i download them
till then my friends
toodles
