Another Trip to the MidEast

[Kalmairn]

Hey, everyone.

I spent another week in the MidEast. Most of the time was spent in Amman, Jordan, but I did spend an overnight in Baghdad. Pretty good trip, I really enjoy getting to visit these places - even if I end up sitting in an office 95% of the time.

I did get out one day to visit some ruins in Jordan - a very cool side trip.

Our trip to Baghdad was via airplane (you can fly to Baghdad!), things are obviously improving out there. Within a few months, Baghdad International Airport will have 5-6 major regional carriers flying scheduled flights. I've heard rumour that at least one major US carrier will be flying into Baghdad in the forseeable future as well.

Anyways, here are the pics. Enjoy!

http://www.kalmairn.org/gallery/Travels2005

Kal.

[Jaylin]

Those are some really nice pics. Glad to hear that you made it back in one piece. How is Baghdad looking, with the rebuilding and all?

[Kalmairn]

It's a mixed bag out there. I was out in Mar04, at which point it was significantly safer to visit than it is today.

In Mar04, there was a lot of street activity - lots of merchants, storefronts, traffic.

Today, there isn't nearly as much activity, probably about half. However, a lot of the storefronts that are still open are much nicer - new, clean glass, new signs, nicer cars.

There are actually working stoplights now, and some of the streets are lit at night where neither was the case a year ago.

Power is still unreliable, you still need to live with your generator at the ready and UPSes on anything that needs to stay online (computers). Water is still unsafe, at least for us soft westerners.

It's getting better in most respects, but as a westerner I'd suggest delaying your travel plans.

Kal.

[ironrice]

How about if you are a easterner who lives with westerners? Would it be safer?

[GZire]

Howdy Kal we were wondering where you'd been.

My observations;
1. Growing up in a tropical region it's like a moonscape to me.
2. Wow 2000 year old stuff. It must have really been something to see these ruins when they weren't ruins. The scale, even now, is pretty spectacular.
3. I like the night shots. It's a whole new place after the sun goes down.
4. Ronald McDonald in the middle east huh.
5. How is the pizza and soda? Tweaked for regional taste?
6. SNAKE!!!!!!! Run!!!

[dholly]

Gadzooks! That's one hell of a hooka in First Visit pics 41 and 42!
Pic 25, with all the trees leaning, reminded me of the DiviDivi trees in Aruba.
Very cool collection of pics, thanks for sharing!

[Kalmairn]

Originally Posted by GZire

Howdy Kal we were wondering where you'd been.

My observations;
2. Wow 2000 year old stuff. It must have really been something to see these ruins when they weren't ruins. The scale, even now, is pretty spectacular.
3. I like the night shots. It's a whole new place after the sun goes down.
4. Ronald McDonald in the middle east huh.
5. How is the pizza and soda? Tweaked for regional taste?

I've been stupid busy lately, barely time to get on here at all. I've barely put 1000 miles on the G in 4 months, just driving 5 miles each way to and from work. In the middle of it all, an emergency trip to the MidEast. I'm not complaining, I love to travel, but I do want to stop to breathe.

2) What you really can't fathom is that the ruins you're looking at are actually built of the same stone and in the same location as the ancient Greek city of Gerasa. This location was continually inhabited from about 6000BC until about 850AD when it was nearly destroyed by an earthquake.

3) I love cityshots at night. Can you tell?

4) McD's is everywhere, truly. If you look in my Kuwait pics from 2004 (http://www.kalmairn.org/gallery/Travels2004) you can see a pic of McDs in Kuwait City. It's everywhere, you can't escape. Funny, tho, they have a "regional" value meal, I'll try to get a scan of the box. McArabian or something like that, obviously aimed at tourists more than locals.

5) It's very Americanized - that was a Pizza Inn in the Green Zone, in place for the contractors and military personel who were sick of the normal grub. It's EXPENSIVE, but still pretty busy. The pic was taken at 10:30am.

From dholly's comments, the pics of the Hookah were TERRIBLE, the waiter had no idea how to use a camera. We look stoned, heh. Shisha owns, if you ever get a chance I highly recommend you try it. (No, it's not a drug, it's just tobacco - drugs are seriously frowned on in the MidEast.)

Fun trip, just busy and short notice.

Kal.

[Ru_G36c]

ah ... so that's where ya disappeared off to. great pics. welcome back to the states