While the first day in Tehran was challenging, on the second I already stepped out the door with a bit more confidence. Every Friday is kind of a flea market in Tehran’s oldest district, occupying three floors in a parking garage. I walked up the ramp and was surrounded by the usual street traders and jewellery. It’s quite impressive that you can find the same type of jewellery all over the world in every flea market. But there are two things making flea markets, bazars, and even entire quarters standing out of the norm: The amount of carpets and tea sets sold, and the distinction of rows all dedicated to a special topic. And so I passed by dresses and clothes and wandered through tons of carpets in all forms and sizes.
After that it was time to meet with my new friends and taking the metro back to their place. If you are female only Iranians expect you to go to the women only zone which is usually the last wagon of the metro, and luckily most of the time also a bit less crowded than the men zone. Empty enough for various street sellers to get in and sell all kinds of stuff from headscarfs to underwear, making the metro a little bazar of itself. Women only also apparently does not apply if you are seller. One male seller seemed so impressed with seeing a tourist, or was so off by my headscarf that he just gave me one for free. Lucky me.
I decided that I look a little bit like a Jedi wearing a headscarf, but it was still difficult to keep it on my head and being able to look to the side without loosing either the scarf or my vision. On my final day I needed to go the Uzbekistan Embassy for my visa early in the morning and was a bit in a hurry, so I got ready, threw the scarf on, and – what’s that? I look to the left, full vision, scarf sits like a charm. I look to the right, same thing. Success! It was going to be a good day.
