The other day my friend Farshad emailed me a link to photos of the city where he spent the first years of his life and where his extended family still lives, Tehran. I have to say I was a bit embarrassed about how ignorant I was of it.
I have to confess, I thought it would look like Baghdad – low-rise buildings the color of desert sand that blend into the background scenery. I couldn’t have been more wrong. In winter, Tehran looks more like Vancouver than Dubai. The skyscrapers look so Western, and the low-rise buildings look like the ornate 1800s office buildings in downtown New York City.
What’s surprising is how in the past 100 years most of the old architecture in Tehran has been replaced with modern designs. Here in California people get their panties in a twist if anyone threatens to bulldoze a building that’s from the 1800s. Think about Iran. They’ve been building since 1000 BC or more and have ancient architecture that’s 100 times more beautiful than an old craftsmen-style home.
Before we possibly go and start blowing things up and ruining things, check out the photos of Tehran.
Iran is on my list of places to visit. It looks so beautiful and all the Persians that I have met are some of the most caring people that I have ever known.
