Tehran has a lot to offer, but one thing is murderous - the traffic. Extremely loud, because many rattling motorcycles drive on the streets and often on the sidewalks, everything is chaotic and under a thick smog cloud. I had a constant dry cough. Crossing the street seems to be only for the suicidal. Even at a red traffic light, it is not guaranteed that all vehicles will wait. But the crazy thing is that it still works. Somehow this chaos pulsates through Tehran's streets and people have adapted to it. I have too, but the noise and dust have already taken their toll on me. That's why I kept retreating to quiet corners, for example to the Golestan Palace. The palace has always been the seat of government for the respective rulers, but today it is a museum. The last Shah, Mohammed Reza Pahlavi, married Soraya here and later crowned himself and his wife Farah Diba. However, they did not live in the Golestan Palace, it served mainly for receptions and representation purposes.When you go through the ticket office, you enter a different world: opulence and wealth as far as the eye can see, everything beautifully arranged, well maintained, quiet, still, a few dozing cats and chirping birds.Here I am in the coronation hall of the Shah... unfortunately without a crown, but with a new headscarf. By the way, I have also seen the crown jewels of all the rulers. They are in the national bank and you can only enter these sacred rooms through numerous security checks. No photos allowed, you have to surrender everything. That's why I can't show them here.Overwhelmed by so much pomp, I had to relax a bit in the park. Tehran is full of contradictions that need to be digested. Sometimes not easy, as the gap is wide.But soon the purring company left me and so I withdrew to a cozy café where the baristas prepare the best espresso of all time. A novelty for Tehran, as the national drink is tea. But the young people know their craft, which I really appreciated!
