Jeremiah's Strange Times

Its been a very very long time since I've done anything with this blog, and here I am, posting in it anew. Iran's been in the news, and I've been travelling again and so I felt I might as well finish what I started. The following is slightly different - this is mostly a direct transcription from my journals.  Most of the time I feel I need to elaborate (and I have actually done a bit of that here) to change and redraft the text I carry in my bag for most of my life, but in this case (mostly) is seemed good enough, one might even hazard striking the word 'enough' from that last sentence.  I'd barely started talking about Iran when I ceased writing last time, there is a lot more to tell. So enjoy the story of a trip a good few years old.  If you're new to the blog please feel free to look at some of what I've already posted.  Who knows if I'll manage to keep this up so enjoy it while its here! The Buzz and the Beauty Friday the 4th of...

Breakfast was easy:  cheese wrapped in flatbread.  Paying my bill was complex.  So devalued is the Iranian currancy that 1000 has its own shorthand, 'Toman' this mixes freely with other forms of standard and unspecified monetary slang and it was something I never really came to a full understanding of.  Here, on my first morning, I was at the beginning of that particular doomed ascent into comprehension and so for the first time of many, thought I understood it all completely.  I nodded  "Ah Yes, of course!" and strode out into the dusty alley. With only the tiny map on the back of the hostel's business card to work from I headed first away from and then towards the Metro.  It was still busy and it was still confusing.  At one crossroads I encountered a contented looking mime, while I glanced, alarmed at his static smile, a lady, half glimpsed, brushed close and left me with a bunch of white flowers.  She was gone before I got a chanc...