Snapshot of Iran

By Sara W. Barbieri

Flying into Tehran in the middle of the night is, in some ways, a remarkably other worldly experience. I imagine the people below dreaming, as we do, of living a comfortable life, a life of loving and being loved, of being safe in our changing world. How easy it is to forget, with the amount of hyperbole in the media, that this desire is essentially universal. As much as our cultures, histories, and politics may differ and be misinterpreted, in so many ways we are more the same than we are different. Within a day of landing in Tehran we find that our integration into this new world has happened seamlessly. We readily exchange glances, smiles, and finally conversations with those around us. Eager to preserve this moment of meeting by capturing it on film, we take numerous photos of each other, each photo symbolic of a desire for connection and understanding.

There are fourteen of us traveling together through this varied landscape of snow-covered peaks, green hills studded with groves of wild almonds, stretches of highway, bustling city centers, and sun-baked lands. We wend our way, our trip resembling a “connect the dots” of rock reliefs, back into Iran’s intricate past and peoples as we work our way from the north, westward, then into the south. At Sar-I Pul-I Zuhab, we imagine the life of King Annubanini and his people, the Lullabis. In Susa, the seat of the Elamite Empire for approximately 1500 years, we visit the Tomb of Daniel and walk quietly amidst the worshippers.

In Khuzestan we tour Choga Zanbil, the largest known ziggurat – even in the oppressive heat we are suitably awed by the structure. We wander through Pasargadae, the ancient city emerging from fields of delphiniums and cornflowers. Upon the advice of our own Queen of the Lullabis, Professor Holly Pittman, we take a detour to view Kurangun, a glorious Elamite relief. In Shiraz we try faludeh, a refreshing concoction made of rice noodles, lime juice, and rosewater. We visit a madrassah and engage in an exchange with the resident mullah and dean, translated by our superb guide, Saeed Alizadeh. We even take turns being Darius, posing commandingly on the plinth where he once stood. In Isfahan at Khaju bridge we meander under the arches and are serenaded by a group of gentlemen who regularly gather here to sing. And, of course, there is Persepolis, but that is another story…

The Marquesas Islands used to be one of the most remote places on earth. Although today, travel by periodic copra schooner is supplemented by regular air service to two islands, you still feel the remoteness and a certain desolation. The six inhabited islands in the Marquesas are all high volcanic islands. There are no coral reefs encircling the islands – just sheer black and red volcanic cliffs rising from the crashing surf. The islands are rugged and mountainous – covered with thick primeval forest in some areas, and almost-desert vegetation in others. These islands offer stunning dramatic vistas and are among the most scenic landscapes in the world.

But natural beauty is only the first of the Marquesas’ attractions. The interiors of the islands are covered in the remains of earlier cultures. Alone, of all Polynesian cultures, ancient Marquesans built their homes on immense stone platforms.

These can be up to 5 m (15 ft) high and are built with boulders (?) sometimes weighting tons. Not only are the remains of ancient houses scattered throughout the forests, but there are also huge ceremonial complexes that were the scene of huge competitive feasts. One Marquesan village would save for years to prepare entertainment and food for thousands of guests. The invited guests would do their best to eat through the accumulated food as soon as possible, because they would be obliged to outdo their rivals when they were in turn the hosts. These feasts could last for weeks. If you are feeling adventurous, you can also explore ancient temples, half consumed in giant banyan trees, where human sacrifices and ritualized cannibalism took place.

By far, the best way to visit the islands is on the Aranui trading ship. On the Aranui, you live in comfort with all the modern amenities, yet an exciting adventure ashore beckons as you awaken each day to find yourself at a new island.