ATA hosts talk on ‘brave’ woman’s solo trip to Iran
THE Anglo Turkish Association of Northern Cyprus (ATA) hosted a talk on Tuesday titled “One woman’s travels through Iran”.
The talk, which was postponed by a day due to the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II, was given by Caroline Houghton at a restaurant in Lapta.
Ms Houghton spoke about her visit to Iran earlier this year, which included a summary of the country’s history, including the “Bronze Age Elamite civilisation, the Archaemenid Empire of Persia, the rise of Islam, the Safavid and Qajar eras, the Pahlavi Dynasty of the last Shah,” and all the way through to the present day.
She also described the various places she had been to, including the “beautiful palaces and mosques in Isfahan”, the palaces and gardens of Shiraz and Kashan, Ayatollah Khomeni’s mausoleum, the Milad tower, and the Azardi tower.
In addition, she gave an outline of modern Iranian culture, people, food, dress, religion and customs.
The talk’s attendees noted “how brave” Ms Houghton was to “visit Iran on her own as a single woman”.
ATA member Fiona Harris described the talk as “fascinating” and that “it
makes you want to go to Iran”, but added that “I don’t think myself and my husband are brave enough to go there on our own”.
The UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office currently “advises British nationals against all travel to Iran”.