VISIT THE NEW IRAQ Nick Campbell, Canada Before you read my story, forget everything you know about Iraq. The ancient ruins of the Mesopotamian city of Ur and Nineveh, the birthplace of civilization were invented writing and codes of laws, Hanging Gardens of Babylon, the intended location of the biblical Eden, and the capital city of Baghdad - it all wiped off the map of my route. I'm going to "new Iraq", with respect to security and stability, a remarkable semi-independent state in northern Iraq, whose territory is living one of the friendliest and most hospitable people on earth. A resident of Kurdistan My acquaintance with the Iraqi people and its culture began for me before I came to this country. During one of my recent trips from Turkey to Syria, on the bus I sat next to Hassan Jabbar, a resident of Baghdad, who was returning from Istanbul, where he spent the holidays. Jabbar, specialty instructor, so many hours, he read my "lectures" on various topics of Islam and the history of the Middle East to electrical engineering. He insisted that I wrote myself a notebook different useful telephone numbers, a variety of information about Iraq, and even sketched maps of some areas that I could come in handy during my trip. He also told me about life in Baghdad, which, along with significant improvements (now the city was bombed only once in 2-3 months compared with 2-3 bombings a day in 2003) still remains a dangerous place for tourists. He showed me some scars on his leg, which left him after one of the bombings. When we left the bus at the bus someone accidentally dropped a suitcase that fell, made a lot of noise. Hassan instantly fell to the ground and covered his head in his hands. He was a little embarrassed. He said that over time, he was so accustomed to the bombings, which sometimes instinct for survival takes precedence over reason. It took only a few weeks, I was already riding on a bus in eastern Turkey, the city Silopi, which is located on the border with Iraqi Kurdistan. However, until the city itself, I never got. In Cizre, adjacent to Silopi town, the bus stopped energetic taxi driver, who was looking for wanting to cross the Iraqi border for 15 dollars "from his nose." I got into his car with an elderly couple, also from Baghdad, who were returning from holiday in Turkey. A woman sat in front and smoked one cigarette after another, asking me the usual questions in such a situation (through her husband Mahmoud): whence I came, what I do, how much I make, why I travel alone and where my wife. When I asked Mahmud of scars on his arm, he replied that he was wounded during the Iran-Iraq war, which ended 20 years ago - it was one of the bloodiest armed conflicts in the past 50 years. He showed me his ID representative of the military command. "Welcome to Iraqi Kurdistan!" When they reached the border, we drove to the beginning of the queue of hundreds, perhaps even thousands, of trailers. Our driver will handle all formalities with our passports and rushed from window to window, making your way without waiting in line and filling in various forms on our behalf. We, meanwhile, waited in the car, talking and trying to at least a little to hide from the rays of the scorching Iraqi sun. We moved on, but after awhile we were greeted by a large board on which was written "Welcome to Iraqi Kurdistan!". Armed guard still allowed me to photograph this product agitprop, although at first he refused me. Then I was taken to a small room, where I measured the temperature, and asked where I came (it was a little like the "interview", which I promised my guide, and to which I was ready. It seems that today in Iraq arrives enough tourists, so Foreigners do not pay much attention). After that I was taken to another room where there was full of local, where we were treated to a black tea with sugar, while we were waiting for us to return the visa and passport. That's it. I'm in Iraq! Read more:
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