A TOUR AROUND BAGHDAD & THE AL ANBAR

THE IRAQI SERIES, DAY 10 & 11

BAGHDAD

A tour around Baghdad & the Al Anbar. This morning we do as the Iraqi’s do…eat food!

NOT SURE IF I AM MORE IMPRESSED BY THE RESILIENCE OF THESE PEOPLE OR THE AMOUNT OF CALORIES THEY CONSUME

After a quick stop at Firdos Square, the site of the famous statue of Saddam we headed to Al-Hadi Street for some much needed scran!

WHERE IS BAGHDAD?

Baghdad

GEYMAR & KAHI 

Baghdad’s streets offer high-calorie delights, like Iraq’s national breakfast of Geymar and Khai, a buttery pastry with creamy Geymar. A huge dose of honey and syrup on top adds to the already rich Geymar and Khai. And if that doesn’t send you into a coma then the milky tea with a wheelbarrow of sugar would!

I had reservations, but the sugary Geymar and Khai at 9 am were irresistible. Am I becoming Iraqi?

A tour around Baghdad & the Al Anbar

MARTYRS MONUMENT 

We headed to Martyrs Monument, a blue structure built by Saddam to beautify Baghdad and honor war victims. Unfortunately it was closed but we would get another chance.

A tour around Baghdad & the Al Anbar

LOCAL MARKETS 

There are local markets, and then there are markets for locals. This was clearly for locals, as I was told not to record. We saw a crowd playing three-card monte. I knew it wasn’t innocent; likely eight men teamed up to earn from locals.

A tour around Baghdad & the Al Anbar

NO SUCH THING AS A FREE LUNCH 

The name of the game is to guess where the only face card is, two are blank one isn’t. They make the card’s location obvious in the first few rounds, with insiders making big bets to lure others. Once a passerby is enticed, they bet, only to find the card elsewhere, moved by sleight of hand.

U.S. EMBASSY 

After getting a few footballs and an Iraqi football shirt we were on our way through the green zone and passed the victory arches. The green zone is a safe area within Baghdad but an area you cannot stop within as it houses most of the city’s embassy’s. Embassies are usually grand, but the U.S. embassy in Baghdad is on another level. It’s bigger than any hotel, with several apartment blocks, shops, and even its own airport.

A tour around Baghdad & the Al Anbar

MINISTRY OF OIL 

Now if you like conspiracies listen up; here is something that will shock you yet not surprise you. During the air raid on March 20, 2003, many Baghdad buildings were destroyed and looted, including museums, hospitals, and schools. However, one building was protected by the Americans: the Ministry of Oil headquarters. You cannot write it.

A tour around Baghdad & the Al Anbar

AL-KADHIMYA MOSQUE 

After visiting the Baghdad Mall and the Iraqi culture monument, we went to Kadhimya, Baghdad’s most conservative area. I wanted to visit because Saddam took his last breaths here during his execution in a government building basement.

DAY 11 – ABU GHRAIB 

Today we headed west, to the most dangerous part of Iraq, a desolute area and the birthplace of ISIS; the Al Anbar region. Before venturing on, we stopped near Abu Ghraib prison, infamous for torture and abuse during Saddam’s and the Americans’ times. The Americans used it to torture and abuse inmates, 80% of whom were ordinary people in the wrong place.

You will all remember the images that made their way onto the front pages of the newspapers of inmates chained as dogs and beaten and abused. Many incidents marked the Iraqi war for the US, but none more than the Abu Ghraib torture scandal.

Credit – The Independant & War Poetry Website

CHECKPOINT 

It didn’t take us long before we were told to turn around and if I’m honest it didn’t surprise me. This region is unsafe at the best of times but ever since the conflict in Palestine escalated it has been a no go for foreigners. Such a shame. 

Instead we drove around Baghdad checking many of the cities sites including the Arabian Nights monument and again the Martyr Monument for a closer look. 

LOCALS AT FREEDOM SQUARE 

The best travel experience is always about the locals. Freedom Square in Baghdad is the best place to meet locals. As a tourist you don’t even need to do anything, park yourself in the middle and enjoy the locals come up and chat to you, we even got chatting to a local drunk who claimed to be from New York, his accent was pretty spot on so I could believe it!

NIGHT OUT 

For a beer in Baghdad, go to the 12th floor of the Palestine Hotel. Actually, the D Lounge is better, as the P Hotel has noisy music and strong shisha. There were times I thought I would have to get carried out.

The hotel grounds feel like another world, with everyone in expensive cars, dressed up, and eager to smoke and drink all night. It’s a part of Baghdad that’s worth seeing!

TODAY’S YOUTUBE VIDEOS

If you want to see today from a different perspective, and catch a few different stories from the front row, then check out today’s YouTube videos below.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Not reaching the Al Anbar region was disappointing, but such trips have challenges and give reasons to return.

NEXT UP

To Saddam’s hometown and then the infamous Mosul!! Click to read.

SAFE TRAVELS, DS x
160/229

This post is part of The Iraqi Series, for the entire series click here or for episode 1, click here.

To watch the video of my trip, head to my highlights on my Instagram.