Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
standing like statues in their desert-colored fatigues. When the congrega-
tion stood, I didn't notice them, but when all bowed, the soldiers remained
standing—a reminder of the tension within the Islamic world. I asked Seyed
to translate a brightly painted banner above the worshippers. He answered,
“Death to Israel.”
Despite this disturbing detail, I closed my eyes and let the smell of socks
remind me of mosques I'd visited in other Muslim countries. I pulled out my
little Mecca compass, the only souvenir I'd purchased so far. Sure enough,
everyone was facing exactly the right way.
Watching all the worshippers bow and stand, and pray in unison, at
i rst seemed threatening to me. h en I caught the eye of a worshipper hav-
ing a tough time focusing. He winked. Another man's cell phone rang. He
struggled with it as if thinking,
“Dang, I should have turned that
thing of .” h e mosaics above—
Turkish blue and darker Persian
blue—added a harmony and calm-
ness to the atmosphere.
I made a point to view the ser-
vice as if it were my own church,
back in Seattle. I was struck by the
similarities: the too-long sermon,
responsive readings, lots of getting
up and getting down, the “pass-
ing of the peace” (when everyone
greets the people around them),
the convivial atmosphere as people line up to shake the hand of the cleric
after the service, and the fellowship afterwards as everyone hangs out in the
courtyard. On our way out, I shook the hand of the young cleric—he had a
short, slight build, a tight white turban, a trim Ahmadinejad-style beard, big
teeth, and a playful smile. He reminded me of Rafsanjani, Iran's moderate
former president. In the courtyard, a man hit the branches of a mulberry tree
with a pole as kids scrambled for the treasured little berries.
Esfahan TV, which had televised the prayer service, saw us and wanted
an interview. It was exciting to be on local TV. h ey asked why we were here,
how I saw Iranian people, and why I thought there was a problem between
the US and Iran. (I pointed out the “Death to Israel” banner, for starters.)
After the service, the cleric was eager to talk
with us.
