The humble pencil is truly an amazing invention. The Gutenberg press of writing instruments.
Mr. Rafieh’s Tehran Pencil Shop
21–30 of 84 posts
Re: Mr. Rafieh’s Tehran Pencil Shop
#22I love this. I'm wondering how well he knows his inventory. Like, can you ask for one particular pencil that's stuck in the middle of one of those shelves, and he goes and pulls it right out?
Kind of like Ollivader from Harry Potter haha.
Came for this.
“Curious how these things happen. The [pencil] chooses the [writer], remember…”
Re: Mr. Rafieh’s Tehran Pencil Shop
#23It fills me with a deep sorrow knowing that I will never be able to visit Iran as an American. I don't know if it's just the "forbidden fruit" aspect of it or not, but it's my number one bucket list destination.
Re: Mr. Rafieh’s Tehran Pencil Shop
#24It fills me with a deep sorrow knowing that I will never be able to visit Iran as an American. I don't know if it's just the "forbidden fruit" aspect of it or not, but it's my number one bucket list destination.
I'm not sure what your situation is but I know Americans that have gone through an intermediate country
Re: Mr. Rafieh’s Tehran Pencil Shop
#25It fills me with a deep sorrow knowing that I will never be able to visit Iran as an American. I don't know if it's just the "forbidden fruit" aspect of it or not, but it's my number one bucket list destination.
I'm not sure what your situation is but I know Americans that have gone through an intermediate country
>I'm not sure what your situation is but I know Americans that have gone through an intermediate country
It's possible, sure. But the risk of arbitrary detention would make it impossible to enjoy. The state department currently lists Iran as "Level 4: Do not travel", and suggests you have a will in order if you do [0]. There was a brief moment towards the end of the Obama era where it seemed things may have been thawing, but with the Soleimani assassination I don't have much hope for the future in that regard.
[0] https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/...
Re: Mr. Rafieh’s Tehran Pencil Shop
#26It fills me with a deep sorrow knowing that I will never be able to visit Iran as an American. I don't know if it's just the "forbidden fruit" aspect of it or not, but it's my number one bucket list destination.
I'm not sure what your situation is but I know Americans that have gone through an intermediate country
iran - and many other countries in the world - could take you happily as a hostage if your government is considered an enemy.
Re: Mr. Rafieh’s Tehran Pencil Shop
#27It fills me with a deep sorrow knowing that I will never be able to visit Iran as an American. I don't know if it's just the "forbidden fruit" aspect of it or not, but it's my number one bucket list destination.
So much for freedom, right? After all, the US has a very loud voice on all things freedom related but when it comes to the rights of its own citizens to do as they please the degree of freedom appears to be lower than that of many states that have lesser profile in the freedom department. Countries should not limit their citizens freedoms on the basis of politics, that's no different than the various dictatorships that want to keep their people in (and the foreigners out), it's just a matter of degree.
Whether it is safe - or wise - to do so is another matter.
Re: Mr. Rafieh’s Tehran Pencil Shop
#28Wow Tehran is full of beautiful things that even someone from Iran like me doesn't know
I've spent half a day looking through pictures of Iran from before the revolution, it was - and in many ways probably still is - an absolutely amazing country. Sooner or later the mullahs will be given their walking papers and hopefully the country can then recover some of its former splendor.
Re: Mr. Rafieh’s Tehran Pencil Shop
#29Earlier quoted context omitted.
I'm not sure what your situation is but I know Americans that have gone through an intermediate country
iran - and many other countries in the world - could take you happily as a hostage if your government is considered an enemy.
Statistically speaking insanely improbable. ~5m people and thousands of Americans visit Iran every year. Unless you're a anti-govt journalist or intelligence related you have nothing to worry about.
N.B. the argument that Iran will falsely label you a 'spy' feels weak to me given the order of magnitude of such detentions in recent history is in the tens. It would be equally improbably that most of these detentions were false positives as plenty of foreign intelligence operations happen in any country. Especially given the amount of foreign-intelligence related sabotage in recent Iranian history.
Re: Mr. Rafieh’s Tehran Pencil Shop
#30It's a colorful stall, that's for sure. Does he make the pencils there? I can't read the writing in the photos but it looks like there are no prices (I don't see any numbers). Can someone who is able to read this chime in?
https://media.ana.press/old/1399/09/24/637435502248341625_lg... [R to L]: White Pencil. Tailor's White Pencil. White Oil Pencil. One the side it says "single colored pencils 250 Tomans". The front matter appears to be a verse from Qur'an and below it in Farsi he declares he has 'entrusted all matters to God, the same God that is the protector of its creation'.
There is a 0 missing in the picture. In another photo[1] it says "2500 Toman" which is about $0.10 USD
[1] https://media.ana.press/old/1399/09/24/637435501254726240_lg...
