Iran - Andrew Burke [325]
Minyaturha (miniatures; Click here for more information) are another popular, distinctly Iranian souvenir, and Esfahan is probably the best place to buy them. What constitutes a ‘real’ miniature is widely debated (should they be painted on paper or camel bone?), however most of what you see will be on camel bone. Better miniatures are likely to cost at least US$50 for a tiny work, climbing into the thousands for the best pieces. Apart from Esfahan, Manuchehri St in Tehran has some good examples. Tehran Bazar, Khorramabad and Orumiyeh are also good for miniatures, and qabha-ye aks (picture frames) are good in Orumiyeh.
There are dozens of shops and factories selling sefalgari (pottery) and moza’i-ha (mosaic tiles) at Lalejin, near Hamadan; Maraqeh, near Tabriz; Minab, near Bandar Abbas; and around Rasht and Masuleh.
Traditional clothes can make great souvenirs. Givehs (lightweight shoes) and abas (traditional coats without sleeves) are available in the Kermanshah and Khuzestan provinces. Uniquely embroidered abas from villages near Bandar Abbas and Bushehr are especially impressive. All sorts of beautiful garments and fabrics called termeh are found in Yazd province. Traditional woollen Kurdish coats and hats from Kordestan and Ilam provinces are popular, and the women of Masuleh will probably attempt to fleece you for their fine woollen socks.
Intricate shisheh alat (glassware) can be bought in Yazd and Tehran.
Be wary unless you know what you’re doing when buying javaher alat (jewellery). If you do, there are plenty of gorgeous choices: traditional jewellery from Kordestan, turquoise from Mashhad, and silver filigree necklaces and earrings from villages in Zanjan province.
Bags made from charmineh (leather) from Hamadan and Yazd are popular, and Tabriz is renowned for its abrishom (silk).
Some interesting metalwork souvenirs to pick up include knives from Zanjan, anything made of silver or gold from Khuzestan province, Kerman or Shiraz, and servis-ha-ye chay (tea sets) and qalyans (water pipes) made from mes (copper) and beronz (bronze).
Za’faran (saffron) from Mashhad, and hanna (henna), particularly from Tabriz and Yazd, are readily available.
Woodwork is widely available, but for carvings and moarraq (marquetry inlay-work), some of the best deals come from Sanandaj and Esfahan.
Most cities have bookshops selling at least a couple of inexpensive English-language coffee-table books about Iran. Finally, another popular souvenir that’s available in every bazaar in the country is the qalyan. Prices start at about IR40,000 for a smaller pipe with wooden accessories, and a stock-standard pipe with some long-dead shah on the bowl will set you back about IR80,000. Prices rise fast when you step into a souvenir shop.
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TELEPHONE
Phone numbers and area codes continue to change with disconcerting regularity in Iran. For example, in 2005 all Tehran landlines had an extra digit added. Fortunately, you didn’t need to be a rocket scientist to work out the change; the first number was repeated, so 123 4567 became 1123 4567. If you find the numbers in other big cities have changed, they might have followed this method.
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WHAT A BARGAIN!
As a general rule, the prices of groceries, transport (except private taxis) and most things with a price tag attached are fixed, and fixed prices are undoubtedly more prevalent than they were a few years ago. On the other hand, virtually all prices in the bazaar are negotiable, particularly for souvenir-type products and absolutely always for carpets. In touristed areas, such as Imam Sq in Esfahan or the Bazar-e Vakil in Shiraz, bargaining is essential.
Bargaining can be tough if you’re not used to it, so here are a couple of pointers. First, when you find something you like be sure not to show too much interest. Vendors can smell desperation a mile away. Second, don’t buy the first one you see; subtly check out a few alternatives to get