Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
As the plane touched down, I felt a wince of anxiety. h is was a strange
land for me—and therefore frightening. We had considered leaving our big
camera in Greece and just taking the small one. Nervous even about the
availability of electricity, I had made sure all my electrical stuf was charged
up before leaving Greece. And there were questions: How free would we
actually be? Would the hotel rooms be bugged? Was there really absolutely
no alcohol—even in fancy hotels? Would crowds gather around us, and then
suddenly turn angry?
I was about to set foot in what just might be the most surprising and
fascinating land I've ever visited.
Tehran: Iran's Mile-High Metropolis
By my i rst night in Tehran, it was already clear that Iran was an intriguing
and complex paradox: playful Revolutionary Guards, four-lane highways
intersecting with no trai c lights, “Death to America” murals, and big, warm,
welcoming smiles.
Tehran, a youthful and noisy capital city, is the modern heart of this
country. It's a smoggy, mile-high metropolis. With a teeming population of
14 million in the metropolitan area, its apartment blocks stretch far into the
surrounding mountains.
