04 - 06.11.2011

I take the bus from Tabriz to Qazvin and a shared ride the same evening to Rasht. I am hosted there by Babak. He tells me of his previous guest who came from Melle, the tiny town near Osnabrueck where my dear grandmother comes from. I start out in the early morning next day for a day-trip to Masoule. Mohammed, an English teacher from Fuman, takes me the last half of the way. He is a most avid mountaineer and a living encyclopedia of mountaineering expeditions throughout modern history all over the world. From Masoule we climb fast and swift and have great conversations about the Iranian state of society, the differences between east and west, linguistics and the source of religions. Among other things Mohammed points out that young men and women come here to be together in peace, without the fear of doing something wrong in the eyes of the 'social police'. Mohammed returns to Fuman for his classes and I continue hiking through the mountains. On my return to Masoule I meet a larger group of University students. Eyes from the group shine at me. Again the differences between Eastern and Western states of society are our topic.  Faroogh states in his imperfect, but perfectly comprehensible English:

"Economy in Iran is low, but Love in Iran is big!"

I must totally agree with him.

 

After having a short chat with another couchsurfer from Rasht, that I meet in a cafe of Masoule by chance, I decide to explore the town. The town is built on a mountainside so steeply that many entrances to houses are found on the roofs of the houses below. High in town an elderly couple invites me to their place, calling from their balcony. I have a tea at their place and am invited to marvel at the newly restored and refurbished interior. Mozaffer, another English teacher takes me back to Rasht and again the difference between east and west are a major topic.

While the people in the east are looking up to the state of society in the west, the people of the west, having arrived in it and experiencing as a norm all the conveniences it has to offer, do not find there a fulfillment to their deepest yearnings. They look for deeper qualities of life in simpler conditions, without the distractions and without the isolation technology facilitates. Due to this green and socialist movements prevail and are in many parts of the western world coming strongly to the forefront. Due to this also such an incredible number of travelers embark yearly on the pilgrimage to the east. The motivations between people might differ, but the mass-movement of young generations, the cross-fertilization of east and west is a fact. The west teaches of scientific and technological achievement, of perfect infrastructure and organization. The east teaches of the value of family and social life and of the satisfaction and power that lies in deeper spiritual states and insights. The east is attempting to shuffle off its outgrown chrysalis of religious discipline to attain to a state of outer freedom, freedom of expression. The west is searching in dire need for a sense of direction and guidance from among the results of a freedom devoid of higher ideals.

The following day I visit Ghale Rudkhan, a Seljuq castle high in forest covered hills. With astonishment I find that what I am hiking through is temperate rainforest, lush, humid and fresh, full of wondrous sounds and invigorating smells.