Visiting Tehran, Iran with high school programmers (2/2)

August 1st, 2017

Competition Day 2. Honestly at this time, I was completely exhausted from the beginning of the day. Future host countries should take stamina of participants into consideration. However, I was happy to see the best result of Japanese team in their International Olympiad in Informatics history.

After the contest and lunch (it was around 4PM), we headed to the National Botanical Garden of Iran. As an agriculture student, I couldn't help but get amuzed. They have plants native in Iran, some Western Asian and European plants (that I'd never seen before), and so-called "Chinese and Japanese garden" that I admit was Eastern Asian flora.

This is my favorite; not only the seeds (?) but also the form of the branches looks like an exemplary legume.



Nice garden design. You can see 2 different parts of the Earth from another part of that.


Chinese and Japanese garden. I think those rocks are too smooth for the rain-falling regions.


When you look at the downside, you can see these plants are conserved by strenuous works with sprinklers. Under the uncontrolled condition in Tehran, the landscape would be covered with these plants.


I was really upset with the so much delayed schedule. On this day a meeting was held in the Botanical Garden, but even the starting time was delayed by more than an hour. I remember it was 10PM when I (and students) finally had dinner and it was past midnight I reached the hotel. Students were forced to wait outside for hours, without any food.

August 2nd, 2017

Just because the contest had ended (with some trouble) and I didn't go outside in the Excursion day (Jul. 31), I decided to go to the excursion this time.

Golestan palace is one of the most important historical place in Tehran. It is located in the city central (near the tax administration center). Here I post pictures, so you can enjoy as you like.






I'd like to state again: you should keep water bottles around in Iran in summer! I brought 4 bottles, summing up 2 litters of water (we were provided as much water as we wanted, but water is really cheap in Iran. It was sold 10,000 rials (about 30 cents in dollar), but it soon disappeared because of the weather. It was really hot!!

Don't eat me, lion-san!

Inside the palace it is prohibited to take photos, so you should visit and see what it has inside. It is nice for you to visit the palace if you are planning to visit Iran.

By the way, I found crows with gray vest that isn't seen in Japan.


We were provided a lunchbox, that contained too much rice and lamb meet (as usual) were hidden inside. It tastes nice, despite there was no curry with it.


After returning to the hotel (actually I cancelled the afternoon excursions again because I was very tired at the time), we had a barbecue dinner. Even without pork, I can enjoy barbecue very well. Wolves eat meat without knowing what meat it is.


Since the next day's flight was right after the closing celemony and small dinner, I had to gather up my belongings and go to bed.

August 3rd, 2017

Somehow this day was also full with programmes. After having a meeting and lunch, we went to the closing celemony. I guess the venue is some conference center and you're not interested in that. Neither am I.


Luckily the Wolf got gold medal... thanks to our team students borrowing me the medal. The next year, IOI 2018 will take place in Tsukuba, Japan.


After the ceremony and farewell dinner, we returned to the airport and took a flight to Dubai, and Haneda. I was sick at the farewell dinner and I didn't have energy (and anything attractive) to take photos at night in the bus and the airport, but I bought ice cream and Farsi phrase books (I like to buy books when visiting foreign countries) and took a plane. Of course as soon as I landed Tokyo, I went to pork-don restaurant.

Conclusion

Of course, Iran is known as one of the biggest Islamic countries and there seems to be some strict rules, such as women need to wear robes, short pants are also refrained even by men, and there are pictures of the leaders of Iran. However, people are very friendly and many people will talk a random topic (about a Japanese movie director, for example) or help you in street. Besides, souvenir shops for even tourists are very cheap here and you can buy Persian traditional glass dishes! If you don't care about losing the eligibility of US visa waiver program, I think you should experience at least once. A lot of people can see the world unusual to you.


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