I have a soft spot for staying in village homes in Iran. I appreciate the simple architecture using rustic material, the thick walls, the thatch ceilings, everything weather-beaten. Furniture, if there is any, is usually the bare necessities. The decoration minimalist and fascinating, as in pictures of dead relatives on prominent display in antique frames…
Getting fresh dairy and eggs in Iran is not about money; like much of life in Iran, it’s about politics. First and foremost depends on the quality of one’s connections: knowing a supplier whom you can trust, getting the right phone call when supplies arrive from the countryside and securing your share before they’re grabbed by others.
Iranians mostly stink at running hotels. The maddening inefficiencies and amateurish missteps found even in 5-star outfits are tragic (and often comical) examples of an ancient culture struggling with something essentially foreign. But receiving guests at home and connecting with strangers eye-to-eye, well, that’s as Iranian as it gets. Persian hospitality at home is a..