Esfahanian Reporter

our and your president!

2009-07-11T11:51:00.000-07:00

I wish we had a president like Barack Obama!:(#IranElection

01.01.2009!

2008-12-31T20:08:00.000-08:00

Happy New Yer From Isfahan,Iran! Wish all people a nice Year full of peace and love!:)

I Love web 2.0!

2008-12-17T06:54:00.000-08:00

checking my Gmail, notice an email from Twitter:"Paulo Coelho is now following you!":O this is one reason that I LOVE Web 2.0 very Much!:) :*

Happy Persian New Year!

2008-03-22T00:42:00.000-07:00

From March 20, 2008 Persian New Year begins. We, Iranian have 13days holidays to celebrate the New Year that coming with the beginning of spring. In these 13 days many Iranian traveling around Iran and mostly they visit major cities like Isfahan, Shiraz, Mashhad, Tabriz, hamedan, Kish Island and North of Iran…Wish you a happy year…

1.Isfahan Bazar from above!

2.pull of Naghshe jahan and sun!

3.Zayandehrood River and tourists of new year and boats!

Flying birds on Zayanderood River

2008-02-06T20:10:00.000-08:00

Sometimes I feel deep love in my heart about my city,"Isfahan".
I don`t like fall and winter so much but in these seasons you can see some very nice and impressing seen too… As you walk through "33pol"("33 bridges" is name of a famous bridge in Isfahan on Zayanderood river) you can hear sounds of birds flying on zayanderood river… It is such a nice seen that you want to stay and see them and not leave!…
These are some photos I took this weekend… see them and enjoy!

Isfahan theater festival for children and young adults

2007-11-05T20:20:00.000-08:00

The Fourteenth Isfahan Theater festival For Children & Young Adults
Isfahan 28-1 Oct./Nov. 2007
Our Journalism Group published the 5 daily press of this festival.
2 theater group participated in this festival from Germany and Greece.
see more photos in my photo blog:( + ) , ( + )

Mohsen Namjoo, Iranian controversial singer !

2007-09-10T22:25:00.000-07:00

These days, in Iran, every where you go, you can here a deep voice of a 31 iranian singer, who left his country to study music in Netherlands.
A deep, sad voice that make you sad and let you think… I`m not one of his fans but I like some of his songs…
Here you can read The NYT`s interview with Mohsen Namjoo, the most controversial figure in Persian music today.

I AM PERSIAN!

2007-08-20T23:10:00.001-07:00

some days ago I recieved an email that was very intresting so I decided to publish it in my English Weblog. here it is...

I am neither a terrorist nor a wife beater, I don't live in a tent and in the desert and camels are not our ways of transportation.
I speak Farsi, not Arabic.Iran is pronounced "EERAUN" and not "I - ran" (it's not track & field) News flash: Iran and Iraq are two different countries; Middle East is a region and NOT a continent.Belly dancers are NOT strippers (there is no sex in the Champagne room);Anyway, belly dancing is an Arabic dance, it never came from Iran. Each time you play a game of chess to improve your intellect, keep in mind that it was Persians who gave you your game. Iranian women are just as outspoken (if not more) and liberal as the European (western) women. And what the hell is "soccer"?? We also call it Football like every one elsein the world (except Americans).Iran is the first country on earth to have a lion (male) and a sun(female) as its symbol; and the colors red, white, and green for a flag.

A beautiful country run by the wrong people, but still it is [one of the nicest and intresting part of the world], Allow me to introduce myself:I'M A PERSIAN. MY LAND IS IRAN!

WOW... IPhO 2007 In Isfahan!

2007-07-14T02:08:00.000-07:00

The 38th International

Physics Olympiad is

begin, today.

IIPhO 2007 In Isfahan

2007-07-14T01:54:00.000-07:00

The 38th International Physics Olympiad is held in Esfahan.

Travel to Esfahan, try it at least once!

2007-04-22T22:18:00.000-07:00

Today is Esfahan`s day. We, as esfahanian, celebrate 23 April and try to introduce”Half the World” to the world!
These are some pictures; I took by these days, summer 2007.
I advise you to see this interesting and beautiful city, yourself. By traveling to Esfahan, you can experience unique feelings you have not ever had, try it.

see photos of this beautifull city:1-Esfahan in summer 2007
2-Esfahan

Happy persian new year!

2007-03-20T06:53:00.000-07:00

Happy Norooz(new day)!
Persian New Year begins today (21March). Iranian (also some other countries like Iran) celebrates coming spring and has a 13 days holiday begin with the first day of spring. It’s a very important and nice celebration. We set haftsin(7 “S”)with a red fish, flower, Quran and candle, sit around the table exactly when the earth end its anniversary orbit around the sol, After that we start visiting our relatives and friends by these 13 days holiday, give and receive gifts( mostly, money) and have fun.
So I would like to wish you a happy new year blessed with good health, peace, love, joy and success, pray and hope for a special year for you, people around the globe.
Happy Persian New Year, Happy Norooz!

Let's bomb 300!

2007-03-10T01:38:00.000-08:00

Iranian are disagree with "300".
300 the movie
300 movie
300 Versus 70 Million Iranians

A bowl of "Ash"!

2007-01-29T21:21:00.000-08:00

It’s my second interview with tourists who have traveled to Isfahan. This interview was published in one of the best Isfahanian weekly magazine in 22 October 2006.

Brandy Bauer is a 32-year-old writer/editor currently living inMaryland, USA. She recently spent the last three years in Kabul,Afghanistan, working for an Afghan research organization and writingabout Afghan affairs. Brandy has university degrees in genderstudies/sociology and writing from Smith College and Minnesota StateUniversity, Mankato.

»Are you crazy?!” my co-workers and friends say to me after I announce where I plan to take my annual vacation. They are even more concerned when I tell them I’m venturing there alone. “Do you want to get killed?” Well, um, no. But then again, I never really have felt any threat in going to Iran.
Long an admirer of Persian miniatures, calligraphy, and textiles, I had singled out the Islamic Republic as a vacation destination long before America went to war with its neighbor. But it was more than mere art that propelled me to go to this country of blue domes. From the moment I started reading Persian mystical poetry in graduate school, I was haunted by a proverb in one of my books. Esfahan nesf-e jahan. Esfahan is half the world. How could I possibly pass up the opportunity to see the other half I’d been missing? ... “Iran is one of the safest places on earth,” I insist, repeating in my own mind the words that have become my mantra. Half the world, half the world, half the world…. They are the force that drives me forward to embark the following week on the first of three flights that will carry me 6,000 miles away, to a country of gardens and light. «
The sentences above are from brandy’s travel article of Isfahan and now here is my interview with Brandy Bauer.

1-what did cause you to come to Iran and Isfahan? When did you hear about Iran and Isfahan for the first time? Where did you get information about Iran and Isfahan?
I had been interested in Persian poetry for a long time—in my graduate university courses in poetry we studied Hafiz and Jalaluddin Rumi, so I always thought it would be wonderful to visit the places where they lived and wrote about. To tell the truth, I did not know much about Isfahan other than the famous saying “Isfahan nesf-e jahan” which I thought was so magical sounding, maybe I needed to include Isfahan in my journeys in Iran

2-What did you feel when you see Isfahan for the first time?
I flew into Isfahan from Shiraz; from the airplane it did not look much different from other Iranian cities. But when we landed & I rode around…it was so beautiful, all the bridges and the Imam Khomeini square. I was immediately reminded of a very famous couplet from Indian poetry: If there is a paradise on earth, it is this, it is this, it is this. I think whoever wrote that could have been talking about Isfahan.

3-What did you think about Isfahan before coming here? And what was a real Isfahan?
I honestly don’t know what I imagined Isfahan would look like, but the reality was it seemed less crowded than I had imagined, and there were far more interesting sites for the tourist than anywhere else I visited in Iran.

4-Why did you choose Isfahan in your short journey to Iran?
All of the guidebooks recommended Isfahan as the place everyone must visit in Iran, as did my tour company when they were making arrangements for my visit. And it helps that Isfahan is very nicely in the middle of the country, between Tehran and Persepolis, so easy to get to!

5-What did surprise you in Isfahan?
The many different things to see and do around the city. I went to the bird sanctuary and Zoroastrian fire temple outside the city, spent a day in the bazaar and museums in the city centre, spent another day in Imam Khomeini Square, and still didn’t feel like I saw it all.

6- If you were the Mayor of Isfahan what would you do for this city and its inhabitant and specially for the tourists who travel to this city?
Some cities have special cards that tourists can buy and it gets them into all the museums, forts, etc. that tourists want to see. So maybe the mayor could invent an Isfahan Card that admits the person into all these places for one price.

7-If you want to count your favorite cities what would be the rank of Isfahan?
This is easy! I have been to 22 countries on three continents, and so far Isfahan is in the top three cities I have visited in the world (and the only one in Asia).

8-If one of your friends want to travel to Isfahan what do you suggest him or her?
Actually, one of my friends did recently travel to Iran and I told him he should see Isfahan and spend some time meeting the local people in a chaikhaneh, visit Ali Qapoo Palace, and walk around the city. He did, and he loved it as well.

9-How would you describe Isfahan to your friends?
Enchanting, peaceful, full of warm people and places

10-What is the most interesting thing you see in Isfahan? And what is odd for you?
The one thing that was really odd was that the Zayandeh Rud had very little water in it when I was there! I was expecting a big, rushing river, not a little stream.

11-Could you tell us your best experience (or memory) during your journey in Isfahan?
Sitting in the park and being invited to share a bowl of ash with a family of women; also being invited to tea with some schoolgirls.

12-Did you have any bad experience or awful memory about your journey to Isfahan?
The only bad thing was that it was too short a trip. I would have liked to stay there longer!

13-Did you buy anything in Isfahan for yourself or your friends? What was their reaction? What is your opinion about the handycrafts of Isfahan?
I bought two Persian miniatures and a hand printed tablecloth. When I got home, I put the tablecloth in a table in my office and everyone who comes in always asks where it is from and remarks on how beautiful it is. In my opinion, there were a lot more crafts in Isfahan than elsewhere in Iranian bazaars, and they were a good price for tourists, too. My only regret is not getting a carpet, but I guess I can do that next time.

14-If you want to suggest one of your friends who want to travel to Isfahan to buy some thing precious, what would it be?
I would say buy something hand-painted, either textile or miniatures. They will always have it to admire, and it is a very unique gift that you cannot find other places in the world.

15-What’s your opinion about Isfahanian food?
Everything I ate in Isfahan I really loved; the khoreshts are amazing and I had the best fesenjaan ever at the Shahrzad restaurant in Isfahan.

16-what’s your opinion about Isfahanian youth? Isfahanian girls and boys?Isfahanian people?
There is a false belief spread by other Iranians (mostly in Tehran) that Isfahanian people are rude, but I found all Isfahanians the most wonderful, welcoming people I met in all of Iran. The children were sweet and well-behaved and everyone was easy to talk to.

17-What is your opinion about Iranian film and music?
Many Iranian films are shown in the US and they are really well written—my favorite filmmakers are Tahmineh Milani and the Mokmahlbaf family. I prefer traditional Persian music to pop music, but I can be caught sometimes watching PMC (Persian Music Channel) on TV.

18-What is the difference between your city (and people of there) and Isfahan (and Isfahanian) people?
Of course, my city and country is much younger than Iran, so most of the things we have to show tourists are from recent history (like artwork from the last century and houses that are about 150 years old). The people in my city also work longer hours and spend more time driving to and from the city to work…they don’t spend as much time with their families as Isfahanians do, and I think they sometimes don’t stop to enjoy the simple pleasures in life (like a nice afternoon picnic).

19-Did you notice any similarities between Isfahan (also Isfahanian) and your city(also people of your city)?
I think Isfahanians are very kind to strangers (especially tourists) and I think that many Americans are also friendly and kind to tourists when they visit, and want to show them the good things about their city/country and people.

Esfahan-cartoon-Australia

2006-11-05T19:58:00.000-08:00

"interview with an Australian cartoonist about Esfahan"

In this post you can read my interview with Joanne Brooker ,a famous cartoonist from Australia, traveled to Isfahan some months ago to show her art in a gallery in Tehran. This interview was published in one of the best Esfahanian weekly magazine, Shahrvandemrooz.

Joanne Brooker is recognised as one of Australia's top media artists. During 10 years full-time as The Courier-Mail's head illustrator, Joanne was awarded some of Australia's highest media art awards. She has had her art exhibited all around Australia as well as the United Kingdom and Europe. Her fascination for her craft has encouraged her to share her talents and experience in many workshops that are in high demand all over Australia.
After studding Commercial Art at the Queensland College of Art Joanne joined Queensland Newspapers as an editorial illustrator. Under the name, Applegate, Joanne created artwork for News Ltd for ten years. Her artwork covered realistic, symbolic, cartoon,computer graphics specializing in caricature. Joanne is recognized in the industry as one of Australia‚s leading media artists. In 2001 she left Queensland Newspapers to travel the world. Returning in 2002, Joanne continued traveling and working throughout China and Australia as a Caricaturist and Art Teacher.
Joanne's dedication to her craft saw her undertake a solo journey to Iran during the Danish cartoon protests in order to understand the power of political cartoon from within a Muslim country.
Joanne has been exhibited in Barcelona, Iran, Scotland, France, China and all over Australia. Joanne has been published worldwide as an artist and writer. Joanne is an award winning professional media artist that understands the creative process of art and its application.

1-What did you feel when you see Isfahan for the first time?
I was excited to see the place described as half of the world! I was reading my travel book every day in anticipation of the wonders I would see and I was not disappointed when I arrived in Isfahan.

2- What did you think about Isfahan before coming here? And what was a real Isfahan?
I had read about the famous mosques in Isfahan but I had no idea of the layout or feel of Isfahan. I noticed far more women were wearing the chador than in Tehran so I expected this was a very holy place. Isfahan was filled with people shopping for the new year which I enjoyed. I was able to wander and mix with ordinary people out shopping as we do at home.

3-Why did you choose Isfahan in your short journey to Iran?
I wanted to see one for the most famous Islamic cities in the world and especially to visit Emam Khomeini Square. I was so thrilled to be able to wander alone around the Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque taking in its splendors. I was filled with the feeling of great age, holiness and beauty within the mosque. It is far more wondrous than any other religious building I have ever visited.

4- What did surprise you in Isfahan?
I was surprised at how friendly the people are. I was invited to lunch with a family and we had a great afternoon chatting about our countries. I was invited into a bakery to meet and take photos of the bakers. I was surprised at the size of the Emam Khomeini Square . I loved that it was filled with so many people all enjoying themselves.

5-If you were the Mayor of Isfahan what would you do for this city and its inhabitant and especially for the tourists who travel to this city?
I would offer them easy to read maps and easy ways for them to access transport to the different areas around Isfahan. It would have been wonderful to have a guide for the day to tell me more about the sights around isfahan. It can be difficult for shy tourists to speak to people they don’t know for fear of appearing rude or ignorant. I would also encourage visitors to see the art galleries that are of an excellent standard.

6- If you want to count your favorite cities what would be the rank of Isfahan?
I have traveled to Paris, London, Bangkok, Hanoi, Singapore, Sydney, Katmandu and so many other cities. Isfahan has an energy and liveliness that ranks it highly with all of these cities. Isfahan is unique in it's history, culture and openness.

7-If one of your friends wants to travel to Isfahan what would you suggest him or her?
I would suggest spending a lazy day wandering the streets taking in the sights, chatting to people, putting aside a day to wander the magnificent Emem Khomeiini Square. I would tell them to take a day to spend buying a carpet, not only to purchase one, but to als enjoy learning about the value and history of this art form.

8-How would you describe Isfahan to your Australian friends?
I describe Isfahan as one of the loveliest place I have been to in the world. That I felt safe and cared for there. I would also tell them to be very very careful crossing the road!

9-What is the most interesting thing you see in Isfahan? And what was odd for you?
The most interesting experience was standing under the dome of the Emem mosque and clapping my hands as I had seen on a travel program at home. That was exciting for me to finally be in the place I had only dreamed of from a TV program in my Australian living room. It was odd for me to see young girls wearing the chador and looking so elegant in them. I admired their ability to wear them so gracefully, which I cant manage. I tripped up on mine!

10-Could you tell us your best experience (or memory) during your journey in Isfahan?
I was met by two young cartoonists who took me to the art gallery to see an exhibition of Cartoon and Caricature artwork. They had put up a banner welcoming me which I was not expecting. The standard of artwork was superb and I was greatly impressed. I have stayed in touch with these artists over the internet since returning home and they have often asked me to return and enjoy their city again.

11-Did you have any bad experience or awful memory about your journey to Isfahan?
I foolishly wandered into a bazaar with my expensive camera. I was surrounded by people who tugged my clothing and yelled at me. I left very quickly as I think I was being told that it wasnt a good idea to take somehting so expensive into a poor area. It was my own fault.

12-Did you buy any thing from Isfahan for yourself or your friends? what
was their reaction ?what is your opinion about the handicrafts of Isfahan ?
I bought some jewelry for my daughters as I was traveling and couldn’t get anything too large to carry. They wear the jewelry all the time when I was a little girl I read the story The Arabian Nights about geniis and great treasures. In Isfahan I felt that my story book pictures had come to life.

13-If you want to suggest one of your friends who want to travel to Isfahan to buy some thing precious, what would it be?
Of course I would suggest a carpet. I would suggest spending a great deal of time with sellers and to enjoy the experience. Buying a carpet is not like at home; it is an education in Persian art and history.

14-What`s your opinion about Isfahanian food?
The food is very healthy. I like rice and fresh food. I like coffee and tea very much but I am not fond of sweet drinks.

15- What’s your opinion about Isfahanian youth?Isfahanian girls and boys? Isfahanian people?
Such good looking people! The girls are so elegant with tiny hands and large lovely eyes. The boys are like at home, fashionable and confident, looking handsome for the girls! I was treated so well in Isfahan and I felt it was always ok for me to speak to people which is not always the case in many cities.

16-How many days did you stay in Isfahan?
I was so sad to leave after only three days. It was not long enough and there was so much more for me to see.

17-If there is something that I should ask you but I don’t, please ask it
yourself and answer it yourself too!
I would like to return to Isfahan one day. Until I have that chance again I hope to stay in touch with the good friends I made there so I can visit them again.

the large number of photos in:http://nafisehinstanford.multiply.com/photos/photo/6/1
http://nafisehinstanford.multiply.com/photos/photo/6/2

first

2006-10-14T20:51:00.001-07:00

Hello world...