Everybody knows....surreal in Iran

I awake to a cold morning in Karaj - a far flung suburb wedged between Tehran and the mountains. Surprisingly I have slept well and immediately notice I have not been disturbed by the expected 4am call to prayer. In fact, its already day 2 and I am yet to hear even one call to prayer. I head out for a walk on the snow covered streets of Karaj, and whilst there are few people around, no one seems to notice the out of place honky wandering about. There are no imans in their clerical garb, there is the odd chador - something like a burqa but a little more flexible, however I am more struck by our whilst maintaining the appearance of covering their hair and any bodily curves as is required, most women I see reveal most of their hair, by letting the covering sit well back on their head, and making sure their long hair shows out the back. Surprisingly their are a lot of blondes in Iran, and I spot some blue and red hair as well. This colour is accompanied by vibrant red lipstick, and there is also plenty of makeup to go along with this. The oufit is usually completed with a pair of jeans - most women wouldn't seem out of place wandering down Bourke Street.

After what I later learn is the Iranian breakfast - delicious flat bread with labneh or cream cheese or sweet jam accompanied with tea, I make attempt number 2 to get to the mountains. My new taxi driver surprises me by putting on his seatbelt before we take off, and he is very pleased that I already have mine on. As weave our way through the traffic and then hit the mountain road we go through the routine of where are you from Mister? what you think of Iran? Iran good? - all of which leaves him with the impression I am Italian. Exhausting our limit of mutual intelligibility he cranks on the stereo (Iran seems to have only one volume for music - 11) and I hear the soothing tones of Leonard Cohen singing Everybody Knows - a surreal sound at any time, but in the mountains in Iran? I start to think perhaps it is a tribute to the recently deceased artist, however he is followed by Eye of the Tiger by Survivor and then the Eagles and Hotel California. Even my terrible singing can't disabuse him of the idea that I am Italian.