Iran Archives » BJ Thoughts

World News 2017: Selective Trump’s Immigration Bans

2nd February 201717th April 2021Crime Security 101Extremist, Immigration, Iran, Terrorism, Trump, US, Zakir Naik1 Comment

(The omission was too glaring and that simply adds to the unfairness of the whole affair. Image source: http://www.slate.com)

Well, it finally happened – that “The Apprentice” guy, Donald Trump becomes the 45th President of the United States of America on 20th January 2017.

So it was not a big surprise when Trump decided to “shake” things down once he had officially taken office – Trump has been talking about throughout his election campaign.… [Click to read the rest] “World News 2017: Selective Trump’s Immigration Bans”

Sunrise

29th December 200926th April 2020Photography, Travel & Food 101Iran, Landscapes, SunNo Comments

The mornings here can be cold – too cold to be standing by the window and see the motion that is taking place at the clean lonely streets below.

(This shot was taken at about 6.30 am – I had just came out from a warm shower and decided to check out the horizon – there is always interesting to see the sunrise.… [Click to read the rest] “Sunrise”

Bazaar Time

16th December 20098th June 2020Travel & Food 101Arts, Culture, Iran, ShoppingNo Comments

I first learned about bazaars when I watched the Travel series on the Discovery Channel and I first experienced a real bazaar when I was in Bangkok couple of years ago. Basically it was a modernised flea market and much updated for foreign tourists. Not exactly a traditional kind of bazaar that one was looking for.… [Click to read the rest] “Bazaar Time”

Missing Hotel Life

13th December 2009Travel & Food 101Cooking, Hotel, Iran, LaundryNo Comments

Whenever I am on an overseas assignment, I have always stayed in a hotel.

(The service apartment that I stayed in Bangkok, overseeing the Chao Praya river – so far one of the best of all the ‘hotels’ that I have stayed)

I have stayed in 4 star hotels and I have also stayed in “rumah tumpangan” alike cheap hotels.… [Click to read the rest] “Missing Hotel Life”

Fantastic Trip to Iran 2009: Sorry, No Alcoholic Beers Here

25th November 20098th June 2020Travel & Food 101Beer, Iran, non alcoholic beerNo Comments

(It looks like beer, it smells like beer and the people are drinking as it is beer but certainly it is not beer. Great stuff from Holland!)

Iran, I guess is the second country that I have been to without any drop of cold beer. Brunei was the other country although I could have brought a crate of beer after declaring to the customs.… [Click to read the rest] “Fantastic Trip to Iran 2009: Sorry, No Alcoholic Beers Here”

Fantastic Trip to Iran 2009: Trip to ‘Chilly’ Restaurant

17th November 20098th June 2020Travel & Food 101Chinese, Iran, RestaurantNo Comments

(One good sign that it is a Chinese restaurant is red lights and tang-lungs on the inside and on the outside. By the way, Chilly in Iran means Chinese)

From day 1 after we had arrived here, we have been looking for a cheap Chinese restaurant and thus far, we have been unsuccessful.… [Click to read the rest] “Fantastic Trip to Iran 2009: Trip to ‘Chilly’ Restaurant”

Fantastic Trip to Iran 2009: Time To Be A DIY Chef Part 2

14th November 20098th June 2020Travel & Food 101Chicken, Chilly Sauce, Cooking, Eggs, Iran, MaggiNo Comments

(Another item on the chef’s list is a cooked chicken cocktail with fried eggs and a good dose of Maggi sauce – not healthy, I know but who cares?)

Lately, we have been finding harder to get by without having a good dose of vegetables – going for the ‘big job’ has not been as smooth as it used to be.… [Click to read the rest] “Fantastic Trip to Iran 2009: Time To Be A DIY Chef Part 2”

Fantastic Trip to Iran 2009: No Internet Access!

5th November 200917th April 2021Travel & Food 101Access, Email, Iran, Protest, WebsitesNo Comments

Last Wednesday marked the 30th anniversary of Iran’s storming of the American Embassy in Tehran and taking 52 people as hostages for 444 days. Apparently, this event is celebrated on a yearly basis in Iran. However this year, such ‘celebration’ was also used by the oppositions here to protest against the ruling party.… [Click to read the rest] “Fantastic Trip to Iran 2009: No Internet Access!”

Fantastic Trip to Iran 2009: Time To Be A DIY Chef

4th November 20098th June 2020Travel & Food 101Cooking, DIY, Instant, Iran, Maggi4 Comments

(If I am trying to be a chef, the easiest dish to do would be instant noodles. One of the ‘local’ instant noodles on sale here but compared to Maggi and despite both take the same 3 minutes to cook, it was rather bland and tasteless)

If there is one thing that brings the ‘chef in me’ when I am abroad, it is learning to be independent in the kitchen – independent in the sense of ability to cook something for dinner.… [Click to read the rest] “Fantastic Trip to Iran 2009: Time To Be A DIY Chef”

First Day NaNoWriMo 2009

2nd November 20098th June 2020Blogging 101Blogging, Iran, NaNoWriMo, Nanowrimo09, National Novel Writing Month, Novel, November, Snow, Weather, WritingNo Comments

(Photos – Snow peaked mountains on the way to work)

I guessed I fared better this than last year…

Despite not having a firm plot for this year, I have managed to complete almost 3,600 words on the first day itself. As I keep writing, I managed to get more ideas on how to expand the the current plot.… [Click to read the rest] “First Day NaNoWriMo 2009”