Photographs and Memories from Iran

Does it remind you a little of Tokyo Skytree? These travel notes from 2012 show Tehran's Milad Tower, a striking feature of the skyline. The original note recorded its height as 435 metres.

The crow we saw had black and grey plumage. Although its shape and size felt familiar, the grey made a different impression from the all-black crows I usually see in Japan.

A sunny beach may not be the first image that comes to mind when thinking of Iran. This is the Persian Gulf coast in the south, with calm blue water and opportunities for water sports.

Kebab — meat grilled on skewers — is a familiar Iranian dish.
This meal came with salad, rice and tomato-flavoured soup. We encountered lamb, beef and chicken kebabs, as well as fish. Seeing so many soft drinks served with meals surprised me at first; the photograph shows an orange-flavoured drink.

This gas grill brings back memories of the home we stayed in. The first one we bought did not work, nor did its replacement, and it took three trips to the shop to get a working one. A small but memorable part of the visit.

The rugs were stored outside small offices. As a visitor, I could not tell which pile belonged to which shop. I took this photograph while wondering whether the man was sitting on his own stock.

Inside this multi-storey bazaar, shopkeepers relaxed and chatted on the wooden rug platforms between customers. The easy conversation was part of the atmosphere of this visit.

Small independent shops stood close together on both sides of the passage. Although the scene first looked crowded, each seller made clever use of limited space, and it was surprisingly easy to browse.

This dry earth palette is one of the colours I associate with Iran. Looking out towards the horizon felt very different from the green hills I know in Japan. Even the sparse roadside plants added to that sense of being somewhere new.

Clockwise from the top are pistachios, dried figs and mulberries. The figs became sweeter as I chewed, while the mulberries tasted intensely sweet. These familiar local snacks were all delicious.

At the shops we visited, cakes were often sold by weight. Rather than asking for two chocolate cakes, customers might request a kilogram and choose a mixture. I enjoy sweet food, but the rich sweetness meant one or two pieces were enough for me.

A woman wearing a black chador browses the jewellery window. Gold jewellery was very prominent in the shops we visited, valued both as adornment and as something that could later be sold or exchanged. I found that combination of beauty and practical value interesting.

Pistachios, almonds, pumpkin seeds and dried fruit filled the bowls, with many different varieties and seasonings. Customers asked for a quantity and the shopkeeper weighed it on the scale. We enjoyed these snacks on their own and with tea.