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The world's longest street is in Tehran. It is called Valiasr and is about twenty kilometers long. It bisects the the city from south to north. Rougly in the middle there is a square called. That is called Valiasr too. To the south of it is older poorer part of city, to the north the modern and richer one. That's where the shops, fast-food joints and some unimpressive shopping centers are. It's where the Park-e Mellah is too. And eventhough there are more than fourteen million people living in Tehran it feels like a small town. Even it the north where it is supposed to be lively it is sleepy and on Friday (equivalent of our Sunday) everything is closed and Park-e Mellah is where all the action seems to be.

In the park there is aviatory full of birds (from birds of pray to chickens), lake and unexpectedly cool breeze. It was crowded with picniking families, badminton playing couples and quite a lot of inline skaters (girls have to skate properly veiled, of course, and so they were the same dress as usual). But in three days I have not seen anybody on a skateboard. It is probably to free-thinking. Even graffiti does not seem to be popular here.

The smog smells different in the north than in the south. Which is not such a big surprise as the cars are different. You won't see almost no Paykans in the north. It is all Peugeots, here and there even Porsche's SUV. And of course Kia Pride which is omnipresent.