Iran- A call out to the West

This is my first post in english? Why?First of all because Im too lazy not to write in Portuguese. The second reason is because I want that all of my friends worldwide be able to read this post, even though their terrible handicap of not understanding portuguese language. (so forget my spelling errors cause im writting this without a word dictionary!)

I want to tell you about Iran, and the misconcept that people in the so called free world have about it (including my mother unfortunately!).

To start, in every prejudice there is a little bit of truth. Iran is no exception. It is a dictatorship. yes. There is censure on the media.Yes. The electoral results were rigged. Maybe. Everyone carries a machine gun?Only the militaire. Does every woman have to cover their hair.Yes (partilly covered at least). Can you find alchool on the street?No. Can you find a drink if you really want to? Yes (like everywhere in the world if you have money u can get whatever u want).

And that's about it. These are the things that are actually true about Iran. Does thios bother the tourist? Well,except that when its hot u cant drink a beer in the mainsquare and that women have to cover themselves, these things bother iranians. Specially people from middle and upper class,that would like to travel, drink once in a while, or, at least have a choice to do so.

What the Islamic Revolution did, was to impose on everyone a model of faith, not letting people do their choices regarding to religious practices. From one day to another, all the clubs and bars were closed, alchool banished, and women had to cover. Didnt matter if u were believer but didnt practice the religion in a strict way, didnt even matter if u had another religon at all. Its the law of the land, and everyone has to obay to it.

What happens if u drink or dont wear scarf? There is a special police, a religious one, that has these vans and will take u to the police station. Will they cut your hand?No. More civilized. They will just make u pay a fine. OF course, in such a poor contry, if u have money, u can buy all the alchool u want in the black market and have house parties (that's how young people party here. the only way.) If the police comes because of the noise or find u drunk, u just bribe the police. and party goes on).


Anyway, what I really wanted to tell u, is that, Iran is the most hospitable country I've ever been to. People when they see u on the street they just come and greet u, say hello, welcome,and ask you where are you from, if you like Iran, and then they say goodbye.

I Had people offering me food, dont letting me pay for taxi or bus tickets, offering me tea, bread, everything. It's increadible how can everyone is so friendly, can make you feel so confortable and relaxed.

And the country itself is beautiful. Tehran is ugly, but it has nice mountains where u have great quality snow. If you come to the south, you can go to the beach and dive in the persian gulf. In betweeen you have desert, forests, ruins, beautiful cities, markets, and mosques.

And it's cheap!:)

So change ur mind about Iran, get ur visa, and come before it gets too touristic!