THE IRAQI SERIES, DAY 6 & 7
NAJAF – KARBALA
World’s largest cemetery & sweets. As we approach the centre of Iraq we head to an area famous for shrines and believe it or not sweets.
SNACKS SWEET ENOUGH TO MELT YOUR TEETH!
As if the people of Iraq need any more sugar in their lives, the chai they constantly drink should come with a diabetes warning!
WHERE IS NAJAF?
Najaf
World’s largest cemetery & sweets
GREAT MOSQUE OF KUFA
You only think you have seen mosques until you visit the likes of Najaf and Karbala, like nothing I have ever seen. The size of these places would rival any other building in the world and with the number of people that are here each day I can see why.
World’s largest cemetery & sweets
DAILY INFO….
- HOTEL – Al Sahla $80/night (Najaf)
- ATTRACTIONS – (+rating)
Kufa Mosque
Imam Ali house
Imam Ali Shrine
Najaf Cemetery
Imam Hussein
Karbala’s sweets
Al Khaydhar Fortress
Altar Caves
NAJAF’S SNACKS
This is the region of Iraq that is famous for its sweets so it would have been rude not to check out the options and get a few free samples in the bazaar. Locals refuse to take payment and I wonder why I even brought money. There were many winners but the best had to be this noodle peanut butter option. There was no noodles or peanuts in it but there is no other way to describe it…🤷🏻♂️
World’s largest cemetery & sweets
WORLD’S LARGEST CEMETERY
Built within the city of Najaf, just across the road from the bazaar is the world’s largest cemetery at a size that is completely overwhelming, graves as far as the eye can see. The cemetery, called Wadi Al Salam is an incredibly sacred site due to its close proximity to the Shrine of Imam Ali, a place where people like to be buried near to.
If you visit here don’t expect it to be organised like cemeteries at home. Because of the cost of the real estate, graves are dotted in every possible space you can find. Walking your way through is more akin to an obstacle course than anything else!
World’s largest cemetery & sweets
RELATED READ: GETTING INSIDE THE ANCIENT PYRAMIDS OF GIZA
IMAM HUSSEIN SHRINE
After a long day we finally made it to the Imam Hussein Shrine (believed to be Mohammad’s rightful predecessor), the daddy of shrines here in Iraq and one that over 20million people will walk to as part of their Arba’in pilgrimage. I hate to say it but we only think Christians are devoted to their religion but when you see this part of the world and how strictly they follow Islam it does make you wonder
WHERE IS KARBALA?
Karbala
Day 7 – AL KHAYDHAR FORTRESS & ALTAR CAVES
This morning during breakfast I had a Saudi man and his wife ask me to sit at their table for breakfast. He spent the next 20 minutes asking me to visit his family in Al Qatif (and showing my what’s in his mouth lol), not far from the Bahrain Border. This is one of many examples of how nice the people of the middle east are!
We then headed to the Al Khaydhar Fortress, a defensive fortress used by traders on the silk road route. It’s in the middle of absolute nowhere, not far from the lawless region of Al Anbar which we hope to explore in a few days time and hence why we had to get a police escort, our first of the trip.
After a quick stop at the Altar Caves we headed back to the Shrine of Imam Hussein for another look – it was that good! And then finished out night with some local bites – the best in the country!
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
People did wonder why I wanted to spend almost 3 weeks travelling around Iraq but when you get days like these you can really see how much there is to explore.
NEXT UP
Time for another one of Saddam’s palaces in Babylon!! 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.
