The Rest of Kurdistan

When Zack first suggested we visit Iraqi Kurdistan, my response was "yes...but where is that exactly." Having not read every Hitchens essay (most twice) like Zack, I didn't know much about Iraqi Kurdistan but was willing to give it a go. While our time in Kurdistan was short and served mostly as a bridge between Turkey and Iran, it remains a highlight for me of the trip thus far. 

The landscape was beautiful. The people were hospitable. The economy was polarized and at times bewildering (think terrible poverty right next to an enormous mall selling coffees for eight euros.) The expat community (mostly there to make big bucks in oil) added an interesting flavour. We paid a visit to the American village (there is also a Swedish and Italian village) that had cookie-cutter homes on streets named after each of the states. America village also had a bustling bar, where expats have a few drinks each night and stumble home to Nebraska Avenue, or Utah Crescent. Ironically the bar is owned and operated by a Filipino family.

The Citadel is the main attraction in Erbil. It marks the oldest continuous human city in the world.

The view from the Citadel.

Looking out over the city. 

This is what the side of the road looks like. 

Zack  and our host Zring (not from Alabama.)

Love for America is in the air. I suppose that happens when they save you from a sociopathic dictator who has been torturing and killing your people for generations. 

Stopping to visit a waterfall during our day driving around the countryside. 

Kurdistan loves their colourful scarves.

Wasn't expecting to stumble upon an amusement park while driving through the mountains. 

Difficult to see from the angle, but from the sky this mountain suburb looks like the Kurdistan flag. 

Villages perched on the edge of a gorge. Would make me nervous if I was a parent. 

Roadside BBQ, a VERY common Kurdish tradition. Roads are lined with people grilling and brewing pots of tea. 

Sigh. A wonderful night all alone at Lake Dokan. Since camping is not a thing in Kurdistan, explaining what we were doing and why was a challenge. 

Saddam's compound for political prisoners in Sulaymaniyah
. 

Artistic rendttions of the suffering and sadness that happened in these cells.  

Late night meat stand. 

I really liked men's Kurdish dress, prayer beads and all. 

Juice guy giving me a smile.