Gratitude

I woke up early today and as my darling was still sleeping all curled up in our giant bed I made my way to the roof of our building.
It's on the slope of the mountain base, and is five floors, vaulted ceilings in each house, so it's very tall and quite a view.
On one side I've got Tochal, the mountain - it's top covered with snow making soft cloudy whisps as the wind picks it up (and yes, I am close enough to see...it's amazing) and on the other there is the vast and mostly flat expanse of Tehran.
I sat in the sun and just marveled at my being here, in Iran - so far from anywhere I'd ever imagined I'd be, even as a travel addict.
It's something for which I am grateful, honored even, as it doesn't seem they're letting American nationals in the country very readily these days.
This is a beautiful place - with amazing natural surroundings. From nearly every road in Tehran the mountain is visible - even at night when you can just make out the lights of the hill stations and restraunts that line the lower slopes.

H loves to drive, it seems to be a favorite of most guys here - driving fast along the mountain roads that twist and turn slowly up the side, and in five minutes we've left our neighborhood for these roads lined with evergreens and smaller, leafy trees.
Sometimes we stop along the way to have tea and snacks at one of the traditional places along the road - sitting or laying on beds covered with cozy Persian carpets and massive pillows with an ornate glass hookah full of hot strawberry or lemon tobacco, and then make our way back down the road to home.

Every single drive, every new flavor, every conversation (and new vocabulary word) is an experience for which I am so thankful.