268. Tabriz, Iran

  The Tabriz bus terminal is at the edge of what appears to be an average-size city. The Italian and I catch an urban bus to the center of town and then we mosey around for an hour until we find a cheap hotel in a back alley. The room has two cots and kerosene stove and costs two dollars a night. When I go out to buy some food I meet a young man who wants to practice English. He helps me buy oranges and bananas and find the bus ticket office where I buy a ticket to Teheran tomorrow.

I share a meal with the climber. I provide the food and he provides the wine and beer. I have my first alcoholic drink since coming among the teetotalling Moslem brothers last September. It sure tastes good! The climber stays here.


Early morning: I am given a surprise by the taxi driver who takes me to the bus terminal where I will catch the Tehran bus —he gives me a piece of candy and will accept no money for the ride. I have traveled a lot of miles to have THAT experience!


There is some kind of mix-up about the ticket I bought yesterday at the agency. Another friendly man comes to my rescue and I am soon on the bus and riding through the snowy hills. About every five miles we pass an adobe village that reminds me of Taos Pueblo--in fact the whole scene is a lot like Northern New Mexico.


This bus is first class. It makes regular stops at clean, well-organized depots. When we stop for lunch, everyone buys a wooden token that we present at the lunch counter for a meal. I pay for two tokens with high hopes. I haven’t got the slightest idea what I have bought, but when the food comes I get a nice plate of tasty meat stew on rice, flat bread and hot tea!

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