Home > Notebook > Cut Down The Hanged, Drain the Balls From The Pool

The guidebook made Kerman sound irresistible. It promised a former ice-house now converted to children's playground with the ice hole filled with colourful plastic balls. With shah's hanged effigy in a cylinder with stars and stripes dangling from the ceiling. It wasn't there. The ice-house was taken over by tourist information office.

But there were some interesting things: vegetable sellers shouting at the open market and the probably cheapest city transport in the world. Ride on the citibus was 250 rials which is approx. 2.5 US cents.

And even in Kerman there were couragous Iranian girls who were not afraid to say "Hello, how are you." to a foreigner and add a smile – when nobody else was around. In Esfahan I was greeted by whole school trips and even in old city of Yazd I met few. I started to believe that those in Tabriz in Elgoli Park were just friendly girls who were not afraid. Iranian men are for a big surprise when next revolution comes and Iranian women won't have to wear headscarves and gain equal rights (today the woman's testimony at the court is considered only half as important of as one of a man).