most iranians have to buy their train tickets some days in advance otherwise they have only a chance to get one over a waiting list. as tourist i was told that it was too late for me to take the train in the evening but i could purchase my ticket early the next morning. i left my bicycle in the baggage, took a taxi and after some failures to communicate which kind of hotel i was looking for, the taxi driver and i found a term we both understood: high class. my “no high class” hotel was super cheap and clean.
i was at the station early the next morning. for the price of a cup of coffee on a german train i got my ticket to teheran. i wasn’t sure what to do the whole day and what to see of tabriz when i met ali. we had breakfast together and i played a concert in that restaurant. the waiter was quite nervous, closed all doors and looked outside as if he expected the spanish exquisition every moment.
the train was comfortable and i met a lot of nice people. everybody eager to share their views of iran and interested in the perception of iran abroad. i slept very well with the rattling of the train as a lullaby…