Vakil Abad Park Bridge

Location: Vakil Abad Park, West of Mashhad

Iranian Women

First thanks for showing interest in knowing more about Iranian women. As you may recognize, women in Iran wear Hijab in their own way.

Iranian Women's participation in various elections is indicative of their social and political activities. Their presence in the elections of the Islamic Consultative Assembly (Parliament), both as electors and candidates grew steadily in the past decade. In the presidential election in 1992, women constituted 44% of the entire body of voters.
Meanwhile, women's participation at executive and managerial levels has steadily increased, and key positions in planning and policy-making domains have been made available to women. 4.41% of general managers in Iran are women, and in important ministries like Health and Medical Education, Culture, and Higher Education, about 50% of the staff are women.


Reference: http://www.salamiran.org/index.html

Highways in Mashhad

Side trip to Cyprus

Hi my friends, I came back home today. It was a very fun and enjoyable trip.
Thanks to Sara for her nice photos during my absence and also thank you all for your visits and comments. I and Sara will keep posting more photos of Mashhad. Let's see some of my photos in Cyprus.

Marina Beach Street (at night), Larnaca

Marina Beach Street (at day), Larnaca

Surfing on Mediterranean Sea, Larnaca


Larnaca Beach in the morning

A Memorial Statue (I don't know who he is), Nicosia

Music Bars and Clubs, Ayia Napa

I found lots of huge cultural gaps between myself (and also my friends) and the people there in Ayia Napa.. There was a street full of music bars and clubs, strip clubs and etc. They were all drunk there, enjoying loud rock musics and dancing. I may talk about it more later. It was interesting for me to see such new things for the first time but I didn't enjoy it at all.

Good Bye Cyprus and Hello Iran

Iranian Vermicell Pottage

This is a Kind of Iranian famous Pottage or soup that my Mom cooked.We call it "Ash Reshteh" in Farsi.It contains Kind of Vermicelli and special vegetables like Leek,Parsley and etc plus Cereals like Pea,Bean and etc.We try this Pottage with Liquid Whey.It is so delicious!

By the way! My Mom is a skillful chef,She is going to start her own food blog and says to you Do not hesitate to contact us for the instruction if you are purpose to cook this pottage!

Gaillardia

I do not know the name of this beautiful flower.I love the brilliant color of it!It is so eye catching.Isn't it?

Again,Thank to Dear Uselaine for her information about this flower.This is named Gaillardia.

*Uselaine!You are a skillful Botanist!

Arum italicum

Do you know what is this strange plant?

I found it in my Grandpa's Garden and do not have any information about it.

If you know what is it, let me know,too.

Thank to Uselaine for her information.This plant is named Arum italicum.

Baby

Can you guess who is this cute Blue eyed Baby?
He is my little cousin. Look at his Blue Eyes! They are so nice .When I tried to take this photograph, He was watching me stirringly!
In Iran, Most of the people are Brown eyed with Black hair, so when a baby birth with Blue or Green eyes and blond hair, that looks strange to others and also more beautiful. Like my cute cousin, Aria.
Aria's mom (my aunt) is a university professor. She teaches in university 3 days of a week. So she sometimes asks me to have care of her kid and it causes that I and Aria be came 2 close friends!
I think after being an Architect, It is one of my important job; Baby Sitter!!!!

Iranian Hand-made Carpet

Have you ever heard anything about Iranian Handmade Carpets?I am sure you know that how much it is famous in the world.
We have many different kinds of carpets such as Short-napped coarse (Gelim in Farsi),Coarse loosely-woven (Jajim in Farsi),Silken Carpets and etc.The most beautiful and expensive Carpets are made in Kashan,kerman and Tabriz cities.Mashhad carpets are also popular.
In this Photo you can see a very nice silken Gelim.I like its designing.To me, there is a mystery in it that I could not discover it yet ! Notice to the Roosters styles,It may tell a story!

Garden

Here is my Grandpa's Garden.He was died around 16 years ago,When I was just 5 years old.This Garden is my Mom's family heritage.There are lots of old walnut trees in this garden and a nice Waterfall with a river.
I like there so much because of its unique atmosphere.We often go there at end of weeks with my aunts and uncles and their kids.It is a good Chance for us to gathere and forget the pollution of the city and problems of the Machine-made life for a while!

And about the biggest photo;this hand made ladder attract me to take photo,I named this photo "The Ladder To The Sky"!
The other Pictures show The Waterfall and a view of the river.You can see the Wild Raspberries in my photos,too.
I believe that this Garden is part of the parodies!

Let me know your opinions!

Cockchafer

This is a quite different photo!
I took it few days ago in my Grandpa's Garden.This kind of Bee is named Cockchafer which is a little bit dangerous because of its sting.
Look at its small horns form and the strong contrast between its body colors!

Iranian women

It is the first time that I have updated this photo blog.I preferred to show you some other photos about Iranian Women because I thought you become so interested in this topic.As Meead said in the last posts nothing would limit Iranian Women to stop their social works,even wearing Hijab!

I may be a good example of it! I am an Iranian Muslim girl,who studies Architecture at university,who has job,drives car,does many social works and etc.So nothing could limit me to not do all these works.

Flower Seller

Guys, tonight I will travel to Cyprus and stay there for 9 days. I am going to visit Larnaca, Nicosia and Ayia Napa. So I will not be able to post photos; but Sara will continue the Daily Photos with her own photos of Mashhad. Please keep visiting the blog and comment Sara's work. Thank you. See you soon again.

Biking on Fridays

Today is Friday: the day of biking again. Last friday I was driving my car when I took cyclists' photos, but today I was cycling. It was so enjoyable! Let's see some photos of today's biking and bikers.

Look at the man with green t-shirt. He doesn't have one hand. He is a very good example for people with disabilities. Disability couldn't make him not enjoy his life; he keeps biking.

Women in Iran

Many people in the world may think wrong about Iranians society due to what they often watch/hear in the media. Iran is a different country in the Middle East in compare to Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan and some Arab countries.

All women in Iran have to wear the hijab in public. However, large numbers of Iranian women are in civil service and have higher education. Currently near seventy percent of Iran's science and engineering students are women. Women, make up 27% of the Iranian labor force and the percentage of all Iranian women who are economically active has more than doubled from 6.1% in 1986 to 13.7% in 2000. They have the right to vote, to drive, to work in state/private firms, to do bussiness, to study, and so many other rights as well as men.

To be honest, women in Iran have some limitations due to their hijab mostly; but they have some alternatives: there are several swimming pools, institutions, beaches, parks and other places, ONLY for women. Men are not allowed to enter those public places for women only.

I and Sara (the new author of Mashhad Daily Photos) will post more photos of women in Iran in next weeks.


Wikipedia.org is the reference of numbers in the text. For more information visit this page: Women in Iran.

Sugary Rooster

"Sugary Rooster" is the name of a famous and old confectionery in Mashhad, at least around Sajjad Neighborhood if not city-wide.

Father's Day

Tommorow is Father's Day in Iran. We and most of the poeple here celebrate it tonight. Shops are now too crowded; everyone tries to buy something for his/her father. I am writing this post to say kind congratulations to my father. I will post more photos tommorow.

My Neighborhood: Yas Avenue

Here is the 2nd Yas Avenue, Golriz Street: one of the most silent, green and livable neighborhoods around Sajjad Boulevard. I love it.

Biking on Fridays

A father and son

I took these photos on last Friday, July 11. If you come out of home soon in the morning on Fridays, between 6-8 AM, you will see so many people are biking alone or in a group. Their route and destination are as same. They bike through Malek Abad Boulevard to the end of Vakil Abad Boulevard, then to Torghabe or Shandiz (two small green towns outside the city). Anyway, let's see some other cyclists.

A young man

Two girls

Mashhad Carpet Bazaar

I wish the stores were open to show you some Persian carpets. This photo was taken by one of my friends, Sara. Here is Mashhad Carpet Bazaar.

Some of you may know that I will move to Portland on September. So I think Sara would be the best person who I can let her continue Mashhad Daily Photos in my absence in this town. I will start Portland (OR) Daily Photos after that. Mashhad and Portland are cities with near 12 hours time difference, which means they are located in the maximum far distance on the earth. It's interesting!