Baghdad, Iraq May 28, 2023 The Shahbandar Café at a corner of Mutanaby street has been the Baghdad’s intellectual hub for a century and it remains a much loved and frequented café. Traditional cushioned benches have tiny tables in front for the tulip-shaped glasses of tea. The walls are lined with photographs, each more … More Baghdad of Yore
Baghdad, Iraq May 27, 2023 Al Rasheed street is the oldest street in Baghdad. In between modern concrete and glass are older buildings in a sad state of disrepair but they have a grace that the modern ones lack. I field hellos and “welcome to Iraq” as I walk along, heading toward the markets. In … More The Streets of Baghdad
Baghdad, Iraq May 25, 2023 Arrival in Baghdad was strangely anticlimactic. I knew about the visa on arrival but had expected to be asked for several documents but apparently none were needed. A single form, in English no less, was duly filed out. It disappeared into the back room with the passport and not half … More In the Land Between Two Rivers
New York May 24, 2023 Given my abiding passion for ancient civilizations, it is no surprise that I long wanted to visit the ruins of Mesopotamia. And that means Iraq for the most part. For many years it is a strictly no-go region and it is only fairly recently that it has opened up … More Dream of a Lifetime
ITCHY FEET TRAVELS 