Many people have told me what a fascinating country Iran is. This country has a very bad reputation and is only in the spotlight because of the strict Islamist regime of the Ayatollahs and threats against Israel. But travelers report a country full of beauty and warm and hospitable people.

My friend Uwe and I want to find out. We booked a one-way flight to Tabriz, a return flight from Shiraz and a single night in a hotel for our arrival and a visa. That was it.

We wanted to leave everything to chance and trusted that we would find accommodation via the Couchsurfing platform.

We found the beauty and hospitality of these people far exceeded our expectations. We were welcomed with joy and invited to tea, food and homes. We celebrated wild, illegal parties in apartments and in the desert, got drunk, learned Persian cuisine, kissed girls and bathed in the bliss of the mentality of the Persians, who are caught between two worlds.