Tehran-Yazd-Shiraz

Some bazaar conversations:

Iranian teenager: Ingliz?
Iranian teenager: German?
Iranian teenager: French?
J-F (annoyed): No Belgian!
Iranian teenager: BELGIQUE! I love your country. Jean-Claude Van Damme my favourite actor. I have all his films at home. You like?
J-F: Famous man indeed. Probably more American than Belgian these days…
Iranian teenager: I like when he is naked, you can see all his muscles.
J-F: Hum, yes… Very impressive.
Iranian guy: Is Prague the capital of Belgium?
J-F: Not quite yet… Today it is still Brussels. You know The capital of Europe?
Iranian guy: What’s temperature like in Belgium?
J-F: It is cold and rainy all year round…
Iranian teenager (enthusiastic): Oh what nice! Seems very good country.

Iranian teenager 2: Mister!
Iranian teenager 2: You speak English?
J-F: I try to…
Iranian teenager 2: Where you from?
J-F: Belgium
Iranian teenager 2: Oh… Do you have skateboard in your country?
J-F: Yes we have… Also BMX and Roller Blade… But can’t say Belgium is the Mecca of these sports.
Iranian teenager 2: Do you know Tony Hawk?
J-F: Afraid not…
Iranian teenager 2: He is skateboard champion… He lives in California.
Iranian teenager 2: Do you have bank account?
J-F (surprised): Yes…
Iranian teenager 2: I send you money.
J-F: Sounds nice!
Iranian teenager 2: You send me DVD from Tony Hawk.
J-F: Listen I am doing a tour around the world and won’t be back home before long… You know the Silk Road?
Iranian teenager 2: No.
J-F: If you are in a hurry, you better download your skate videos from YouTube.
Iranian teenager 2: But Iranian internet is filtered!
J-F: Forgot than one…

Iranian man (speaking Farsi): thytrsyarrty?
J-F: Sorry my Farsi is very limited…
Iranian man (repeating louder): thytrsyarrty?
J-F (trying): Belgique and my name is John…
Iranian man: Oh… Nice… I have friend in Antwerp, he has Iranian restaurant Persepolis.
J-F: Don’t know that one. Good idea for a kebab when we will be back in Belgium.
Iranian man: Is Iran good?
J-F (enthusiastic): Iran very beautiful and people very nice!
Iranian man (smiling face): Want to buy carpet? Cheap price for you!
J-F: Not really my cup of tea.
Iranian man: Want tea? I have cay in my shop.
J-F: That’s very nice from you but we have to go…
Iranian man: Is THAT your wife?
J-F (lying): Yes SHE is.
Iranian man: Good.
Iranian man: Can you sign my guest book?
J-F (slightly annoyed): Don’t have a lot of time…
Iranian man (insisting): Just two minutes Mister.
We both enter the shop, willing to get out asap. As I sit down to sign the book, two cups of tea suddenly appear on the desk.
Iranian man: Sign here… You see I have Korean, Holland, Swiss…
J-F: No Belgians?
Iranian man: No.
J-F: Happy to be the first one then!