June 16, 1963
Up early after a hot night under those heavy quilts. Just Mrs. T. and the niece were there for breakfast with us. Lovely thin, soft nan, boiled eggs, cherry preserves, orange and carrot marmalade, tea, lemon cake, soft white cheese, cherries, peaches and cucumbers. Caro went off with us to the Bank Melli after heartfelt goodbyes all around. What wonderful hosts they had been. We transacted Sarkies’ business and gave them the money. Out of town at 8:45 am after getting gas. Lovely blacktop so we really traveled. We had fun passing modern looking buses. It was hard to get used to the desert again after Isphahan. We passed tree farms with acres of young trees.
We stopped for lunch at about the last of the places the buses stop, a nice inn with a pool. We got a table by the pool and had rice, “curry,” broiled meat and oranges, cherries we had bought in town for dessert in the car. We got sick on what we ate here, amoeba probably. We spent about 300 Rials for lunch. It cost 100 Rials for fixing the car in Nain.[1] It cost 25 Rials for Bobby’s turquoise plastic pitcher and a ball, 100 Rials to fix the flat tire, and 25 Rials for the cherries.
We could see Teheran from far away spread out at the foot of hills topped with snow, a huge metropolis. As we got into town there were tall buildings, heaps of traffic, modern looking people and foreign cars. We got lost and had to find the American Embassy and ask directions. The Embassy was impressive. With directions we got to the Mission compound easily. Mrs. Irwin was looking for us and Mrs. Bird also was there as hostess. There is a swimming pool in the compound. Mother and I washed clothes while John and Daddy unpacked the car to take it to the garage. What a lot of stuff we have.
Irwin's were in the guest house, just back from furlough. They have 4 boys, he is principal of the American school in Teheran and Mrs. Irwin teaches music. The Pryors were there too getting ready to go on furlough. Bob, Mary Lou and the kids, Jamie, 4, Jesse and little Julie. Lots of fun and plenty of company soon cheered us up and we went off to bed.
June 17, 1963
We were up early and looking forward to our first day in a big city after 5 years. Corn flakes and huge black cherries for breakfast. We dealt with the laundry, washed undies and gave what needed ironing to a Christian woman on the compound. Daddy and I went downtown and saw a lot of the damage done in the recent riots when we took the car to the VW garage. Daddy felt sick and stayed lying down most of the day.
Lunch was Iranian food, rice and broiled beef kabobs, raw egg yolks on the rice and vegetables. It was good. After a rest and deciding to stay an extra day Mother and I went shopping. We wanted to go to the German department store but did not find it. We went into a big arcade, very swanky shops. I got a black swim suit in one lovely shop. They had nice try on rooms. Glass fronts to the shops so you could see everything. We stopped everywhere and looked at everything. We went into a dozen shoe shops and finally got me a pair of white shoes.
We were good and tired before we got home. Lovely flower stands on the street corners. I got some big jumbo rollers for my hair. Bob Pryor was teasing me about getting the Christian Dior creations in town. What a card! After supper we sat on the steps discussing missionary life. It was nice to get hot baths and go to bed hearing the sounds of the city all around.
June 18, 1963
We just rested this morning. Everyone was writing letters and sending postcards. Daddy took John and me to the American school which is pretty small compared to Woodstock. Very small yard, strange domed roofs, tiny rooms. It is three stories and has a tiny library. We went and saw the Smiths for the Rollins and gave them the gift we brought with us. Coxes had left and Fishers were there for lunch, and Yoders, related to the Yoders we know somehow were also there.
After a rest we went to see the crown jewels; had to wait around outside the Bank Melli till 5:00 pm. Daddy stayed with Bobby at the guest house. The bank is impressive, all marble. We had to pay 100 Rials each. We went down three flights of steps all covered with Persian rugs, tricky lighting with chandeliers and glass walls. The jewels were magnificent. They are shown in different showcases and in the middle of the room as the three crowns and scepters, then a huge globe with the map of the world done in precious stones, all of gold; then the Peacock throne, stolen from India. It is also gold and crusted with jewels, huge and magnificent. There were cases of pearls, a lot of ropes of sea pearls. Farah’s jewels were in two or three windows, only a few she is allowed to wear, tiara, necklace, bracelet and earring sets. In one case of snuff boxes a nice young man point out a tiny little box of emeralds and diamonds that is valued at $5 million. It was exquisite. Plates of rubies and diamonds; a lot of old drinking cups, swords, etc. and other antiques too.
Home to supper with just the Pryors. They are such fun. They took us to a super market and we got some groceries and supplies. It was just like the U.S. We all got so excited. Then home to bed.
June 19, 1963
We early and off, like we had been traveling all our lives. We said our goodbyes and got fruit and bread in the market. We had forgotten mother’s big plastic bag and had to go back for it. The road was pretty good and we made good time. It was quite green with all sorts of crops and people in the fields harvesting. We were following along the Alburz Mountains. There were factories just of out Teheran, one after the other. We got up into a high valley, very rolling; Johnny and mother took motion sickness pills.
We stopped for lunch by a little trickle of water shaded with willows. Tall crops in the fields all around. It looked like Italy. The Guest House kitchen had packed us a very good lunch. Then the road (Hwy. 49) began to follow a tiny stream and we began to go down hill, up and over the 3-4,000 foot pass. The creek became a big, muddy river, roaring down the steep hill and then widened into a tremendous lake – Seifd Rud Lake. It was a a dam so we got out and looked at the huge dam and the water roaring out. There was a hydro-electric plant there. We went through tunnels. The road was wide and very steeply down; daddy like those curves. It got very green and we came down into level rice fields, little mud huts with thatched roofs, dense poisonous looking shrubs along the road. We got to Rasht about 4:00pm and drove on past Bandar Pahlevi which looked like a beach resort and then we were driving along the Caspian Sea, blue and lovely. We drove as far as we could and then parked by some sand dunes, short grass and little shrubs that mom said were wild pomegranate. There were wild horses grazing, sheep and goats came by. Some little boys came by and stared at us but also brought us water. We went down to the shore of the sea but there was a lot of debris (wood chips) so we could not swim. We made camp and got into bed. There was wind and it was cloudy and threatening. Lots of mosquitoes.
