Azadi Monument is trying to hide behind a tree - but he's Definitely Too Big! Ha Ha! 

Much of the mountains visible from Tehran are still covered in snow. If they were normally visible, it would definitely make me feel cold. 

The mountains of Tehran were perfectly visible. This is the same square that below you can see covered in snow.  

Because there was little pollution today - few cars - I could travel to the other side of the city and see the Azadi monument. I didn't know that I could go to the top though - too Bad! 

t is now Noruz -- for those of you with Iranian friends, wish them a happy New Year! For Noruz, everyone likes to buy (or trap) goldfish in a bowl until they die...Ok, sorry, they like to keep goldfish. These are two of my fish. Out of 5 original fish, only one is remaining. It will soon die -- it seems that all of the fish brought into Tehran this year were sick. Anyway, for those people traveling to Tehran - Noruz is only exceptional or interesting because the traffic reduces significantly and the city becomes like any other large city - rather than one large parking lot. But don't expect any fireworks (haha) or even any public celebrations - just a few banners and small television programs. The best sign of the New Year is that on all the street corners there are men selling these lovely fish. I Love Fish!
 

We went on a class trip to visit the Parliament. It was an exciting field trip because this building's architecture is just bizarre. Behind the rectangular building in the front is a triangular/pyramid building --- and I never had imagined such strange staircases in a triangle building. I learned later that I could have taken pictures inside the parliament. We heard a small segment of a debate inside about whether they should change the system for holiday housing. I didn't understand a word!