Iran - Andrew Burke [309]
Muslim Calendar
The Muslim calendar, which is used to some extent in all Islamic countries, starts from the month before the Hejira, but is based on the lunar year of 354 or 355 days, so it is currently out of step with the Persian solar calendar by some 40 years. The names of the 12 Muslim calendar months in Farsi are: Moharram, Safar, Rabi’-ol-Avval, Rabi’-ol-Osani (or Rabi’-ol-Akhar), Jamadi-l-Ula (or Jamadi-ul-Awai), Jamadi-l-Okhra (or Jamadi-ul-Sami), Rajab, Sha’ban, Ramazan, Shavval, Zu-l-Gha’deh and Zu-l-Hejjeh. The handy website www.rabiah.com/convert converts Islamic (Hijri) dates to Western (Gregorian) ones and vice versa.
Zoroastrian Calendar
The Zoroastrian calendar works to a solar year of 12 months of 30 days each, with five additional days. The week has no place in this system, and each of the 30 days of the month is named after and presided over by its own angel or archangel. The 1st, 8th, 15th and 23rd of each month are holy days. As in the Persian calendar, the Zoroastrian year begins in March at the vernal equinox. Except for Andarmaz, which replaces Esfand, the months of the Zoroastrian calendar are the same as those in the Persian calendar.
* * *
Return to beginning of chapter
CHILDREN
In Iran, foreign children will be the source of much amusement and curiosity, which may drive them (and you) to despair after a while. Nappies (diapers), powders, baby formula, most simple medications and so on are available in most cities, although you might want to bring your own to save having to hunt about. The hardest thing will be trying to keep children entertained in a country where journeys are often long and the attractions often rather ‘adult’. Parents would want to relate fairly clearly to their daughters aged nine or older that they’ll have to wear hejab, and pray there are no tantrums.
Eating with the family is the norm in Iran, and taking your kids into a restaurant will not only be welcome but often bring you more-attentive service. While few menus include special meals for children, staff will usually tailor the size of the meal to the size of the child. Most food is not spicy.
If you have small children and plan on using taxis, you’ll probably have to bring your own baby seat. Very few vehicles have seatbelts in the back seats, so it might also be worth insisting on a car that does. At least one bewildered agent we met was forced to have seatbelts fitted in the back seat of his car before his clients would drive anywhere. High chairs, childcare agencies and nappy-changing facilities are scarce indeed. As for breastfeeding in public, it’s not a great idea.
Return to beginning of chapter
CLIMATE CHARTS
Because of its size, topography and altitude, Iran experiences great climatic extremes. Winters (December to February) can be unpleasantly cold, especially in the north and west, and in most of the rest of the country the nights are very cold. In summer (June to August) temperatures as high as 50°C are nothing out of the ordinary along the Persian Gulf coast and southern provinces.
Regular rainfall is more or less restricted to the far north and west – the area north of the Alborz Mountains receives an annual average of about 1300mm of rain, but although year-round cloud helps keep summer temperatures manageable the high humidity makes summer pretty muggy on the Caspian coast. In western Iran winter temperatures are regularly well below zero and snow frequently remains until early spring, making some mountain routes impassable.
Unless you’re a mad dog or an Englishman, it’s best to avoid the Persian Gulf coast between early May and mid-October, when the double whammy of high temperatures and oppressive humidity take much of the fun out of travel. Further inland, summer temperatures are very warm indeed, but low humidity makes life more bearable. See also When to Go.
Return to beginning of chapter
COURSES
There are not a lot of courses aimed at foreigners. Farsi teachers can be arranged through your embassy or one of Tehran’s English-language newspapers, which