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STEEPED IN CULTURE<br />
If you want to experience somewhere exotic, rich in<br />
history and culture, with awesome sights and very<br />
friendly people: Iran!<br />
Iran's capital is Tehran and it houses almost nine million<br />
inhabitants. It is one of the most gridlocked cities in<br />
the world. You will get stuck in traffic jams at midnight,<br />
3am, 11am, 2pm and 5pm on a good day. It can take<br />
an hour to travel several miles but the demographics<br />
explains it all. The city's residential population and an<br />
addition six million people come into Tehran everyday<br />
to work.<br />
Furthermore, when in Iran, it is important to follow local<br />
law and customs. For example, women should wear<br />
long sleeves, cover their legs and hair while men should<br />
not wear shorts, unless if they were on the beach.<br />
WEATHER<br />
Iran is the 18th largest country in the world. It is slightly<br />
smaller than Alaska, the United States' largest state.<br />
The size of Iran means that temperatures can vary<br />
hugely, depending on which corner of the country you<br />
find yourself in and days can be incredibly hot between<br />
May and October, particularly in the desert regions<br />
and along the Gulf Coast, while the mountain ranges<br />
of the north freeze over winter.<br />
In Tehran, lightweight clothing is worn from April to<br />
October while medium weights are advised from<br />
November to March. Be reminded, however, your<br />
dressing should respect the local laws in place,<br />
particularly for women – the wearing of headscarves is<br />
obligatory in public.<br />
The Jameh Mosque of Isfahan is a stunning illustration<br />
of the evolution of mosque architecture in Iran<br />
The Azadi Tower in Tehran was commissioned to<br />
celebrate the 2,500th anniversary of the Persian Empire<br />
Travel<br />
Kebabs are a popular dish in Iran<br />
FESTIVITIES AND FOOD<br />
Rice is the staple food and the Iranians cook it in style,<br />
eating it with wheat bread, yoghurt, lamb and aubergines.<br />
Typical Persian flavours are subtle with cinnamon, cloves,<br />
turmeric, cardamom and saffron all delicately blended.<br />
When it comes to seasoning, garlic and lime are heavily<br />
featured. Many Iranians make their own yoghurt, which<br />
can be used as an ingredient in many dishes or as a cool<br />
and refreshing drink. Kebabs, served either in oven-fresh<br />
bread or with rice, tend to dominate menus. Iranians<br />
are quite the meat-eating bunch but visitors will often<br />
find meat-free options too.<br />
If you've decided to try everything Iranian, your chosen<br />
hot beverage has to be Iranian tea. Iranians are a very<br />
hospitable bunch and don't be surprised if you get<br />
invited to locals' homes for tea on a fairly regular basis.<br />
Drop your reservations and say yes, as it may well be<br />
the most rewarding thing you do in Iran.<br />
Or if you're a smoker or have not dabbled into the shisha<br />
culture, Iran is the place to try it out. The omnipresent<br />
water-pipes still form an important part of local culture,<br />
so order a pipe and watch the world go by as a<br />
quintessential Iranian experience.<br />
But most importantly, it should be noted that the import,<br />
sale and consumption of alcohol is banned in the country.<br />
Instead of bars, socialising often takes place in tea<br />
houses where rings of smoke emanating from the shisha<br />
pipes permeate the skyline.<br />
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