Ancient Persia lays claim to the very first postal service. They credit the invention to the Persian King Cyrus the Great who ruled between 550 and 529 BC. He instructed that every province in his kingdom would offer both delivery and reception of post for every citizen and even got neighboring countries to agree to do the same. He also had roads built from Post in the west to Hakha in the east.
The system included different stations where the message carrier could swap his tired horse for a fresh one, to increase delivery speed. According to Greek historian Herodotus, “…neither by snow nor rain nor heat nor darkness from accomplishing their appointed course with all speed”, does that sound familiar?
Magic Carpets
Fans of Aladdin may have always dreamed of taking a magic carpet ride with the pauper turned prince. Unfortunately, Iran’s famous Persian carpets won’t be able to take you for a spin, but they are known all over the world for the magic of their exquisite designs and beautiful workmanship. The Iranians are expert rug makers, with over 2,500 years of experience under their belts. No wonder rugs are the country’s second-largest export commodity only surpassed by oil.
Each Persian rug is a carefully weaved and designed work of art, but don’t be surprised if you take one home and notice that it contains a small flaw. This is actually done by the carpet weavers on purpose due to their belief that only God can reach perfection. Therefore, they make sure to sew one mistake into their rug on purpose to display their human limitations.
Parkour
Parkour, a military-style obstacle course exercise regimen, has become all the rage in Iran. The discipline, which is based on acrobatic movement, began in France and become immensely popular around the world at the end of the 1990s and early 2000s. The urban sport soon reached Iran and has been a local favorite ever since.
Many Iranian teenagers spend their time in dedicated Parkour parks and clubs, flipping, jumping, climbing and generally having a great time. The sport is ideal for urban areas, doesn’t cost anything, needs no special equipment and can be performed in almost any type of clothing.
Special Ice Cream
It is often hot in Iran, and locals have a special way of cooling down, they eat plenty of Faloodeh. It is a traditional Iranian dessert which is reminiscent of sorbet and is made with noodles. Thin vermicelli-sized noodles made from starch are used and placed in a semi-frozen syrup containing sugar and rose water. This classic dessert is frequently served with lime juice and ground pistachios.
Faloodeh is sold in coffee shops and ice cream parlors and is offered in flavors like saffron, pistachio, rosewater and honey. It may sound unusual but many who have tried it claim it is both refreshing and delicious, and it only costs the equivalent of about 15 US cents.
Almost A Record
In a bid to promote healthy eating, Iran decided to try and create the world’s largest sandwich and record it in the Guinness book of world records. They had 1,500 cooks working for two days to place 2,000 lbs. of ostrich meat into the 5,000-foot-long sandwich. They intended to display the giant sub in a park in Tehran.
Unfortunately, things did not go according to plan. When the time came to measure the sandwich, the public lost control and the whole thing was devoured within minutes, leaving the Guinness officials unable to capture a reliable measurement. Luckily pictures and videos of the massive meal remain.