Good Friday

Today is a holiday in Iran—every Friday is a holiday here. Most shops are closed, with only a few open until noon. Most restaurants are also shut, which means we have the city mostly to ourselves. It’s the perfect opportunity to get lost in the old town with its narrow, winding streets. We’re staying quite close to Jameh Mosque (Kabir Jaame Mosque), which many Iranians come to visit and pray at. We were standing outside the mosque when a woman approached us with a smile. It was clear she had been gathering the courage to talk to us. As always, people ask: “Where are you from?” We reply: “Denmark.” And they always respond: “You are VERY welcome.” The lovely lady was from Yazd, and she insisted we should ask her if we needed help with anything. We hadn’t been chatting for long when she invited us to her home for lunch. We were a bit taken aback by such a generous invitation. You’d never get an offer like that in Denmark! It’s a big gesture, and we felt a bit shy about it. So we politely declined. Then she offered to prepare the food and bring it to us... Such generosity is hard to come by! :) It’s not unusual to receive lunch invitations in Iraq from “almost” strangers. However, you have to remember that not everyone always has your best interests at heart, so think carefully before saying yes. We were quite surprised by the lunch invitation. The lady seemed really nice, so maybe next time we’ll say yes... Eating in Iran is incredibly cheap. Local food is affordable, but even sandwiches, spaghetti, or pizza aren’t expensive. Two dishes, including drinks, usually cost around 3-4 USD. On the other hand, hotel stays aren’t super cheap. The cheapest ones start at about 35 USD. We’ve noticed quite a few people with bandages on their noses—both men and women. It’s a trend and quite normal to get a nose job in Iran. People want to get rid of their “hooked” noses and instead have a small, straight one. You can even get a massage here—only 7 USD for about an hour. In this country, massages are also combined with washing. You have to be completely naked, which felt strange since you’re usually expected to be fully covered. The male masseur was dressed in just a pair of leopard-print swim trunks. The female masseuse had to take off her chador to avoid getting it wet, so she switched to shorts and a T-shirt. We took turns being massaged, washed, and slathered in oil. I got to sit in the massage room while Honny was being treated. It had to be kept secret since it’s usually a restricted area for women.