Apr 20th, 2013 at 10:00AM:
Ask someone to name tourist draws in Turkey and you'll get the obvious: Istanbul, Cappadocia, Galipoli, maybe the beaches of Antalya. Some more familiar with the country might offer up the bizarre calcium cascades of Pamukkale, or the monstrous gods' heads sculptures on Mount Nemrut. Nobody ever mentions Ani, a city that for a brief period 1,000 years ago was one of the cultural and commercial ...Click on a label to read posts from that part of the world.
baghdad posts
Ani, The Ghost City
Apr 20th, 2013 at 10:00AM:
Ask someone to name tourist draws in Turkey and you'll get the obvious: Istanbul, Cappadocia, Galipoli, maybe the beaches of Antalya. Some more familiar with the country might offer up the bizarre calcium cascades of Pamukkale, or the monstrous gods' heads sculptures on Mount Nemrut. Nobody ever mentions Ani, a city that for a brief period 1,000 years ago was one of the cultural and commercial ...Visiting Iraq: The Practicalities
Dec 12th, 2012 at 12:00PM:
Will Iraq become the next big adventure travel destination?
Short answer: Not yet.
Long answer:
At the moment most of Iraq is closed to solo travel. The Iraqi government has authorized only a few group tour companies such as Hinterland Travel and Babel Tours. These tours have a set itinerary and offer very little freedom for individual movement. This is not the fault of the tour ...A Solo Stroll Through Baghdad
Dec 7th, 2012 at 11:30AM:
I am alone in Baghdad. After a farewell dinner and a visit to an Iraqi amusement park my travel companions have left for the airport. Our guards from the Interior Ministry have gone off to other duties and I'm staying unguarded in my hotel. I don't fly out until tomorrow.
I'm not supposed to leave the hotel. Guards are supposed to be with me at all times. While I understand why the government ...A Family Night Out In Baghdad
Dec 5th, 2012 at 12:00PM:
After a long road trip around Iraq, I find myself back in Baghdad. It's our last night together as a group. For our final dinner we decide to eat a famous Baghdadi recipe at a famous landmark –mazgouf fish at Abu Nuwas Park.
Abu Nuwas park runs for one-and-a-half miles along the east bank of the Tigris in central Baghdad. It's named after an early medieval poet who was half Arab and ...A Sneak Peek At The Soon-To-Reopen National Museum Of Iraq
Nov 20th, 2012 at 1:00PM:
The National Museum of Iraq is as battered and defiant as the country it represents. Battered because it has suffered looting and neglect, defiant because its staff fought to protect it. Now they're rebuilding and the museum will soon reopen.
I got a sneak peak while visiting Iraq and was overawed. I knew I would be. Here is the treasure house of the dawn of civilization. Giant statues of ...Iraq Street Art: Beautifying The Blast Walls
Nov 18th, 2012 at 11:00AM:
One of the first things you notice when traveling in Iraq are the blast walls. These giant concrete barriers are everywhere – in front of government buildings, schools, mosques and dividing Shia from Sunni neighborhoods. They remind me of the "peace walls" put up in Northern Ireland to keep opposing sides from killing each other.
Like the Irish peace walls, they're ugly, and some locals ...Iraq Road Trip: Who Takes The Ultimate Adventure Vacation And What's It Like?
Nov 14th, 2012 at 10:00AM:
We heard our first gunshots a week into our trip. We were resting after a long drive in our Baghdad hotel when shots crackled through the night. Anyone who was sleeping immediately got up. Nothing wakes you up quicker than gunshots in Iraq.
Insurgency? Sectarian violence? No, a wedding taking place in front of the hotel.
Iraqis like firing in the air when they're celebrating – when ...A Run-In With The Iraqi Police
Nov 13th, 2012 at 10:00AM:
All I wanted was to buy an Iraq National Football Team uniform for my son, a perfectly normal thing for a father to do on his first day in Baghdad. The problem is, doing something normal in Baghdad can land you in serious trouble.
We were in one of the city's many souks, those famous Middle Eastern markets where you can buy just about anything. There were shops for metalwork, books, hardware, ...Ten most corrupt countries of the world
Oct 28th, 2010 at 8:00AM:
You spend every holiday weekend annoyed that you can't talk your way out of a speeding ticket. If only there were some way out of that predicament ... aside from taking your lead foot off the gas, right? You may be out of luck on the New Jersey Turnpike, but there are plenty of places in the world where money talks, according to a new study by Transparency International. So, if you tend to ...New Baghdad route for French airline
Oct 17th, 2010 at 1:00PM:
Where are you going for Christmas? Forget New England charm or warm islands where you can skip the traditional holiday and sun yourself without regret. Now, you can take the sort of vacation that will be the envy of all your friends: Baghdad. Your options were once limited, but now there's one more airline taking passengers into Baghdad International Airport – from a convenient spot.
...Coming attractions: Iraq
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Dec 11th, 2009 at 11:30AM: Could Iraq be the next big adventure travel destination? One hardy tour company and their clients are saying, "Why not?"
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There's no shortage of things to see. Just as Ethiopia is the cradle of humanity, Iraq is the cradle of civilization. Cities like Ur and Babylon had palaces and ...Five great reasons to travel now
May 20th, 2009 at 3:00PM: You've been bombarded with pessimistic accounts of the travel industry's decline. And, yes, I am fully aware that I'm part of it. Frankly, these reports are true. There is a problem – i.e., people aren't traveling – and it's driven by a combination of macroeconomic challenges and company mismanagement. But, these conditions also mean there's no time like the present to get out on the ...Satisfy your lust in Baghdad (finally!)
Apr 20th, 2009 at 8:00AM: According to the NY Times, Baghdad is getting safer, and people are looking to have a good time (though, this does stand in stark contrast to the suicide bombing I reported a few weeks ago). So, if you find yourself in Iraq's capital, stop by a nightclub, order a drink and nail a prostitute. For the best results, go to Saddoun Street, where you'll have plenty of choices.
Or, you can dash off to ...Baghdad or Bust
Mar 23rd, 2009 at 4:30PM: Here at Gadling, we often have conversations revolving around where we want to travel next. As we run through our lists, inevitably the conversation will turn towards the opposite question. Where wouldn't you go? The usually hot spots always get named: Iraq, Afghanistan and, of course, Houston in August. But the New York Times featured a group of travelers bold enough to travel to Iraq. And ...Iraq's National Museum reopens in Baghdad
Feb 24th, 2009 at 10:30AM: After six years of reconstruction, Iraq's National Museum reopened its doors this week. The institution, which was ransacked as soldiers stood by powerless, suffered major losses during the American led invasion, and much of the priceless collection was scattered throughout Iraq. Now, with only one third of the collection restored, the museum just opened its doors to a phalanx of politicians and ...Postwar Iraq gets its "first" tourist
Feb 7th, 2009 at 3:00PM: It's been over five years since the invasion of Iraq, and the country seems to be slowly emerging from the ruins of five years of conflict. Yet despite the progress, most would agree there's a long way to go before the country is ready to again welcome "Western" tourism. Random violence remains a real threat and many cities do not have the infrastructure of guest hotels, restaurants and ...Another war-torn golf course?
Jan 29th, 2009 at 2:00PM: It's becoming pretty clear that the U.S. government equates golf with peace, freedom and stability. The best way to "ruin a good walk" is on its way to Baghdad's "Green Zone," which is what the comparatively safe part of the city is called. The Joint Contracting Command Iraq, Mission Support Division is trying to find the equipment necessary to construct a driving range on Phoenix Base in this ...Destinations on the edge: Baghdad
Jan 6th, 2009 at 11:40AM: There used to be one way to go to Iraq. You'd go to your local recruiting office, take an oath and sign a contract. Then, you'd subject yourself to a minimum of 16 weeks' training under the most unpleasant of circumstances. Wearing your snappy new threads (and a Kevlar helmet), you'd be put on a plane. Today, things are a bit different. You don't have to be a soldier or civilian contractor to go ...Baghdad airport welcomes first European passenger flight in 18 years
Jan 3rd, 2009 at 11:00AM: 18 years after the United Nations imposed a ban on all commercial air traffic destined for Iraq, a Swedish charter plane has landed at Baghdad International Airport. The charter was operated by Nordic Leisure and their 150 passengers were mostly Iraqis. This is just the beginning of what should become a fairly popular route, as many Iraqis are in Europe waiting to return to their homeland. ...In Baghdad, It's Time to Shop
Nov 12th, 2008 at 12:30PM: Bombings in public spaces are fewer than before in Baghdad, but still not uncommon. However, the threat doesn't seem to be stopping local residents from shopping at the city's markets. Vendors at these retail meccas are staying open later and stocking more goods in their market stalls than before. The city's central market district could be considered "bustling" for the first time in a long time. ...
