Here are five photos from four cities that captured some pretty unexpected moments from Iran.
Nothing could’ve prepared me for this, groups of screaming school girls sprinting toward us, swarming in shrieks with overly excited requests to take our photos. I would only do it if they were in the pictures with me. No, the impression of Iran in my head prior to this trip didn’t include a mini version of Beatlemania.
Our tour guides finally explained that Iranian locals hardly encounter Asians, only in books and in films. Their curiosity was clearly an understatement. Every single day throughout our journey, I found myself taking selfies and group shots with locals. As much as I was fascinated by their mosques and bazaars, I was also inadvertently morphed into the subject of people’s fascination too.
City: Abyaneh
The scene: With a group of local tourist in an old city with a population of 300.
City: Isfahan
The scene: Approached by a group of school girls on a field trip to Chehel Sotoun Palace.
City: Shiraz
The scene: Visitors and locals were required to be fully covered inside Shah Cheragh – a funerary monument and mosque where groups of female locals took a break for photos.
City: Tehran
The scene: Waiting in line outside one of the most delicious lamb restaurants in Tehran, the woman standing behind me had nothing else to do but to pose for selfies.
City: Tehran
The scene: A group of school girls approached and shrieked with mobile phones in hands, couldn’t wait to snap away!
