Travel Living

While traveling, there are never short of things to see, never short of sites to visit and never short of places worth spending more time but you can’t always see and visit all the time in your entire journey. That’s why I said yes when Barbara requested to cross the Turkey/Georgia border together when we happened to check out from the hotel we stayed in Doğebeyazıt at the same time.

Barbara is an American woman in her 50s. She has been living in Tanzania for the past few years and is currently in a trip, a travel-living trip.

Barbara

I always hope to meet travelers who I can learn something from but unfortunately, most of the travelers I met on the road were those only contented by sightseeing and holiday making. I never get a chance to meet some gorgeous travelers. 

OK!..leaving to Georgia – the birthplace of Stalin soon. See you~~

Epilogue

For those who always follow my blog and never lost patience and interest to read it, I hereby apologize for not able to write it on time and in a more enlightening way. Almost all the blog entries here have been lagged behind for some time and I wasn’t able to finish it before crossing to another country and the fact is, there are so many new things coming to you once you cross to another country and while learning new country, you tend to succumb to the things left behind. But one thing for sure is despite the difficulty to write on the road in which you not only ought to have a fit mind but also ample time, I will never quit writing as long as I’m still on the road because that’s the time I think the most and understand the most. While confronting myself, it helps me to gain a better understanding about a country and my own self, as well as the connection and possible relationship between both entities. There was a time which I almost gave up writing until I completely realize how important and necessary to write. Till then, wish me good luck! 

Because of Turkey

If you read through all my blog entries for Turkey, I’m sure you will fall asleep because these were what the output a tourist gets. Yes, I’ve retreated as a tourist in Turkey…no more hitchhiking (which is silly not to do here), no more communication with the locals(Turkish is so not easy!), no more reading, no more learning, little output and I spent most of the time, sightseeing, visiting prominent sites, wandering around and most importantly – hurrying on the journey.

One day one town; two days one city; three days one country!

I can’t help myself. Fire is burning my ass. Money is flowing out from my wallet.

It was Turkey – the money-sucking country. I think I’ve succumbed to the capitalism of Turkey.

There have been so many places I want to visit in Turkey. Konya, Divriği, Trabzon, Safranbolu, Amasya and the Black Sea Region in particular have been on my list since setting up my foot on the land of Anatolia years ago and I swore to myself I will definitely make myself here in one day. However, I didn’t make my way there in my current second visit because they are too far and hey, check out the costs! It’s not worth to pay so much just to get there and stay for a couple of days before backtracking here(I’m heading east). Let those be my next trip to the land of Anatolia, perhaps on a bike. If all are not because of money issue, I will definitely go well up to the bridle.

Despite its capitalism, I still love Turkey. It’s unfair not to fall in love with a country just because it’s expensive.

‘Do you want to have sex?’

1^st attempt:

‘Do you want to sleep together?’

‘No.’

2^nd attempt:

It’s so cold here. Only you and me here, nobody knows.’

‘No!’

‘Why?’

‘No!’

…D, 40, South Korea, in Trabzon.

1^st attempt:

‘Do you want to have sex?’

‘No.’

2^nd attempt:

’Just 5 minutes no problem.’

‘No!’

…T, 33, Japan, in Kars.

1^st attempt:

’Are you Ok staying alone in the room?’

‘No problem, I just want to have a rest.’

2^nd attempt:

‘Do you want to have some beer? We can drink in your room.’

‘Oh! No thanks. I’m tired. I just need some rest’

3^rd attempt:

‘Hey! I’m married but I can sleep with anybody. No problem.’

‘……’

…B, 50, United States of America, in Doğubeyazıt.

The hotel manager in Trabzon still kept on asking the reason why he was rejected for a ‘sleep together’ in a hotel where the South Korean was the only guest staying there; the bus driver in Kars offered a cheaper bus fare in an attempted exchange of a ‘5-minute sex’ in a bus where the Japanese was the only passenger; the hotel staff in Doğubeyazıt knocked the American’s door 3 times a day to make her changing her mind. These are just 3 of the many examples of ‘sex attempt’ took place in Turkey.

It’s so sad to know that there are so many people who learn about foreigners merely on TV, Internet and even porn movies.

And that makes traveling even more necessary – to see and learn the world by your own eyes.  

Doğubeyazıt

Finally, I’m in Doğubeyazıt now. Doğubeyazıt has been on my list since setting up my foot on the land of Anatolia years ago and I swore to myself I will definitely make myself here in one day.

Ok! Ok! Ok! This will be the last time I used the same prologue as my blog entries for Turkey.

It’s all because of Ishak Pasa Palace and Mount Ararat!

Ishak Pasa Palace

Mount Ararat

Oh, Van Gölü!

Finally, I’m in Van now, or to be more exact, Lake Van. Lake Van has been on my list since setting up my foot on the land of Anatolia years ago and I swore to myself I will definitely make myself here in one day.

And it’s today – 14^th May 2011.

Van Gölü by far is the most conspicuous feature on the map of eastern Turkey. In fact, it has been my wish to travel in a ferry across the lake from Van to Tatvan (or vice versa) but I find no reason to do it and even I insisted to do so, it’s not journey-wise as I can’t connect it to my journeying in eastern Turkey and will eventually lead to backtracking.

Van

So, I just contented myself by sneaking in to the striking Van Castle perched majestically on a hill overlooking the eponymous lake. This vast expanse of water pool surrounded by snowcapped mountains is virtually untouched and scenic. It’s definitely an ideal place for picnicking but…I was alone!...and it was raining! Damn it!

Van Castle

Back to Turkey

Today is May 13 and it’s Friday. So I went back to Turkey.

Everything seemed working well except I got lost in the town of Orumiyeh and when I arrived in the bus terminal before 9am, out of breath, all long distance buses have gone. Damn the ticket seller who told me the day before that there were buses scheduled at 8am and/or 9am.  

Feeling exhausted and almost succumbed by my damn backpack, I walked again to another minibus terminal lying at the other end of the town, trying the break-journey road. So in total, I walked for 2 hours, with my backpack suppressing my back. Crazy and silly! I didn’t salute to myself at this time.

It wasn’t until I reached the minibus terminal that I realized there wasn’t any minibus to Sero. Damn the Lonely Planet to have still named the minibus terminal by the same name. Seeing me in such a state of pity, a local tried to help me out by negotiating a taxi for me(I hate taxi). Eventually, I took a shared taxi to the border, paying $2 for a 55km drive, breaking the previous $5 deal as I saw others paying only $2.

Am I a nasty passenger?

Traveling Independently in Iraq(Kurdistan), May’2011

First of all, don’t simply believe everything you read, be it in the internet travel forum or travel guidebook.

Getting There and Away (By Land)

The only border crossings available for foreigners are Turkey and Iran.

Turkey: You enter Iraq through its northwestern corner –  the Ibrahim Khalil border post at Habur. The nearest town is Silopi, which is 15 km from the border post. You can take a series of dolmus from bigger cities in Turkey to the springboard of Silopi. The sample fare of dolmus is Midyat-Idin-Cizre-Silopi-Habur = YTL 7, 4, 4, 5. Ignore the taxi drivers in Silopi as they charge an unacceptable YTL 20 for a mere 15 km drive and claim that that is the only way to get there. Some idiots even paid $50 for it! Hitchhiking is possible from Silopi but bear in mind that if you get a ride from a truck driver, you will have to walk to the border from distant away as there is usually a long queue of trucks before the border. You are likely allowed to walk to the Turkish stamping booth(if not, just insist on it or hitchhike from the gate) and once you are stamped exit in Turkish side of border, you will have to hitchhike a random vehicle for a merely 500m crossing over the Tigris River to get you to the Iraqi Kurdistan side of border as walking on foot is ludicrously prohibited. You will be granted a 10-day standard visit visa on arrival which is free and extendable after you answer some standard questions. It is pretty straightforward and it usually takes less than half an hour. There are usually some taxis waiting outside the border which you can take to travel to the nearest town of Zakho or further to Dohuk. It is also possible to hitchhike by asking someone in the immigration building while waiting for your visa. If you are leaving Iraqi Kurdistan to Turkey through Ibrahim Khalil border post, bear in mind that you will likely have to wait for a ridiculous 6-hour just to pass through the Turkish side of border as rumors have it that the Turkish custom officers are making this on purpose and it is not uncommon for them to go for a tea break in the middle of hectic long queues. There are also some small scale of smugglings especially cigarette from Iraqi Kurdistan to Turkey. 

Iran: You enter Iraq through its northeastern corner –  Haji Omaran border post. The nearest town is Piranshahr which is about 20 km away. You can travel to Piranshahr by taking a bus from Orumiyeh(pronounce Urmia in Kurdish). Once you are in the Iranian side, you can take a shared taxi to Erbil(IQD 22,000; 2.5 hrs) through Hamilton Road which is very scenic and yet very unfriendly due to the unexploded land mines left behind during the 8-year Iran-Iraq War. If you are leaving Iraqi Kurdistan to Iran, apparently there is a bus($30, 7-8 hrs) departing from Erbil to the border but I failed to locate the bus company. Even I hate taxis, it gave me no reason not to take it in this case as it’s far cheaper and faster. Once you crossed over Haji Omaran border to the Iranian side, just wait with locals right after the border as they will be buses passing through which will bring you either to Piranshahr or Orumiyeh for FREE. But bear in mind, do it as low profile as possible especially to get away from the taxi drivers. One of the drivers threatened me to report to the traffic police as I was not in the passenger’s list. Change your money here as the money changers here are more honest and they usually offer better rate than those in Iraqi Kurdistan side of border.

It’s not possible to cross from Syria to Iraqi Kurdistan or vice versa unless you have an Iraqi visa, which is not likely to issue to independent travelers. The Rabiya border remains as ‘local-only’ crossings.

Transportation

You can’t really get around in Iraqi Kurdistan without taking a shared taxi. But this doesn’t mean that you should only rely on shared taxi. Apparently there are lots of cheaper buses but you need some efforts to figure out.

Shared taxi from Zakho to Dohuk(IQD 5,000; 1 hr) leaves when it is full. It is not necessary to hop on a taxi to get yourself to the garage. It is relatively easy to reach on foot(10-30 minutes) from the town of Zakho. Just ask around for ‘Dohuk Garage’. Keep in mind that this garage is just a parking compound with a hut.

Shared taxi from Dohuk to Amediya(IQD 7,000; 1 hr) leaves when it is full. The garage is near the Stadium but is distant away from the town. If you hate taxi like I do, just ask around in the town and by luck you will get a lift by a private taxi. You should pay him the same amount of money and ignore for any overcharge. As for return, shared taxi leaves from either Amediya(the first round about in the town) or Sulav(an hour downhill walk from Amediya)( just ask and wait at any souvenir shop or restaurant) to Dohuk and both should cost the same price.

Shared taxi from Dohuk to Suleymaniyah(IQD 35,000; 5-6 hr) leave either from the taxi office near the souq or you can ask them to pick you up in your hotel. If you prefer to break the journey, there is a shared taxi from Dohuk to Akre(IQD 8,000-10,000, 1 hr); from Akre to Raniya(IQD 12,000-15,000; 2.5 hrs); and from Raniya to Suleymaniyah(IQD 8,000; 1.5 hrs). From Raniya, it is possible to go to Choman (IQD 5,000; 1 hr) by shared taxi. There are lots of hiking opportunity but beware of land mines. Seek local advice before attempting any hike. You can also take a shared taxi from Dohuk to Erbil(IQD 15,000; 2 hrs) and from Erbil to Suleymaniyah(IQD 10,000; 2 hrs). News from other travelers said that there are cheaper buses from Dohuk to Erbil. However, the buses from Dohuk to Erbil might go into the city of Mosul, which is under Arab Iraq, before making its way to Erbil.

Minibus from Suleymaniyah to Halabja(IQD 3,000; 2.5 hrs) leaves from the garage located outside the town centre. It’s a 15-minute walk from the busiest souq in the town centre or you can take a bus(IQD 400) from the town centre there. Just go to a garage nearby and ask for ‘Halabja Garage’.  Shared minivan from Suleymaniyah to Erbil(IQD 10,000; 2 hrs) leaves from another garage miles away from the town centre and you should take a bus(IQD 400) there. The main highway between Erbil and Suleymaniyah goes into Arab Iraq. While buses might go into the city of Kirkuk, which is under Arab Iraq, before making its way to Erbil, shared taxis usually will make the trip through the outskirt of Kirkuk (If you are in a shared taxi, don’t fall asleep as you can have a glimpse from the car’s window on the grey city of Kirkuk which is totally different with all the cities to the north).

People have been telling me that Mosul and Kirkuk are the most dangerous city in Iraq. There have been some attacks and kidnapping there but I wasn’t able to further testify it as with my Iraqi Kurdistan visa, I’m not allowed to travel further south. But even if you happen to be in Arab Iraq, don’t panic and just remain calm. The driver will help you to get through of it after you answer some questions as there isn’t any clear border line between Arab Iraq and Iraq Kurdistan. Bear in mind that it’s illegal to travel to Arab Iraq with an Iraqi Kurdistan visa unless you have an Iraqi visa which is currently unlikely to issue to independent travelers considering the current situation in the country. 

Shared taxi from Erbil to Haji Omaran border(IQD 22,000; 3 hrs) leaves when it is full from a small garage which will take you 20 minutes to reach on foot from the citadel.

Accommodation

News from other travelers have been telling that it is literally easy to get invited by locals to stay overnight in their houses. I was lucky to be invited for a walk, a chat(and a photo session?) but regrettably I was never lucky enough to be invited for a home stay.

Dohuk: Kordo Hotel (Twin bed private ensuite; IQD 15,000).

- This was the most luxurious place I have ever stayed as far as my trip goes, with satellite TV, fridge, cupboard, couch, clean bathroom and big twin bed. All are more than enough for me. Now I understand what value is for money. The 18-year old Wisam speaks English. Bargaining is necessary.

Hotel Kordo

Suleymaniyah: Brayan Hotel (Twin Bed Room; IQD 15,000).

- This is also a very comfortable and well-equipped room. Again, all are more than enough for me. Bargaining was necessary.

Brayan Hotel

Erbil: Sarsung Hotel (Twin Bed Room, IQD 12,000)

-This was the cheapest one I can find near the Citadel and it was gloomy and tatty and the share bathroom and toilets were disgusting. I stayed in a windowless room but luckily the weather wasn’t too warm. Only locals stay here. Bargaining was not necessary as the owner knows it was the cheapest place in town. The owner speaks no English.

Sarsung Hotel

Note: I was wrong. Lebanon isn’t the most expensive country in the Middle East. It’s Iraq. RM 1 ≈ 375 IQD

Border Crossing

‘Every religion isn’t a religion at its genesis. It’s human who make it a faith because we need it.’

I had a pretty nice chat with a nice Kurd-Iranian while waiting for a free VIP bus which was about to ply the road to Orumiyeh at the Haji Omaran border. We chatted a lot about religion and unfortunately this is the only thing I can remember and tell you here, or should I say this is the most enlightened part of our conversation until it planted on my mind, vividly.

Sayad had been searching for a job for the past two years and he was trying his luck this time, in Iraq. However, he couldn’t get through the border. There was something wrong with his passport.

Oh ya! Did I tell you I was the center of havoc at the Iranian side of the border? It all began when the Iranian taxi touts approached me after I crossed the border on foot. They insisted on taking me either to the town of Piranshahr or Orumiyeh, lying that there wasn’t any other way other than taxi (This has been the outdated trick, dude, I won’t take the bait). I hate taxi and told myself taxi drivers all over the world are the same - untrustworthy. Then I saw some locals apparently waiting there for something. So I asked one of the guy in secret and got the confirmation that a bus (Farsi:  Otoboos) was about to cross the border after finishing the border clearance. So I was glad not because I can get to my destination free of charge but simply because to have realized that I’m always very smart in budget traveling.

The security clearance took 3 hours and we chatted for that long. Led by Sayad, we hopped on the bus and I was too excited to have sat on a spacious and comfortable couch in a very luxury VIP bus until I wasn’t aware that something has happened on the ground. There was a fight between the bus driver and those taxi drivers, because by taking me, they lost their business. One of the taxi drivers even threatened to report to the traffic police as I wasn’t in the passenger’s list(neither do the other! Shit!). This was unfair and apparently double-standard as why only me who must take the taxi but not the local? Damn it. Sayad and I were then forced to hop down and we walked further on. His plan worked. After walking for about 200m, we hopped on the same bus again, throwing behind those embarrassing taxi drivers.

Ha!~~ We won at the end. Don’t play play ar…

Taking the Hamilton Road

I was in Rayat – the last town in Iraq before crossing the border to Iran at Haji Omaran border post. The driver stopped his car in front of a mosque and went for prayers. It was a cloudy day. I went out and the surrounding mountainous view stunned me right away. I took out my camera and started killing my shutter. An army spotted me in just a second and ‘invited’ me to his office where I was directed to his superior wearing in plain cloth.

As usual, they took my passport.

In exchange, I was served with tea and curiosity(if not suspicion).

Scenic yet unfriendly mountainous region, known as Hamilton Road 

The officer told me that there are landmines all over the mountain which were left behind during the Iran-Iraq War almost 30 years ago. While Hamilton Road remains as one of the most scenic and wonderful high road in Iraq, I told the officer that I’m just wandering on the street. I’m not going for any hike. I have interest but have no time.

The rest of the day seeing me struggling at both sides of the border, explaining to those stupid custom officers and border polices that as a Malaysian, I don’t need a visa to get in Iran. Aighhh…

Leaving Iraq also means saying goodbye to the arduous Arabic. No Arabic anymore!

Next challenge – Turkish and Farsi.

Note: Oh ya! The only cheap stuff in Iraq is the cigarette. So I bought as many packet of cigarette as possible in Iraq to bring over to Iran and Turkey, pretending to be one of those smugglers. Praise me smart, please!

Crossing 3 Countries in One Day

My plan for Iraq-Iran-Turkey crossing in one day failed…because I decided to switch to public transports. I was too lazy to hitchhike, especially at night and I wasn’t sure if the Iran-Turkey border open at night.

So I ended up staying in the Kurdish town of Orumiyeh in northwestern Iran, telling myself(if not self-justifying) to survey the cost of living in Iran(rumors have it that due to the rise of crude oil, everything has become at least one third more expensive!) before setting up my foot here in a month to come.

Since I was in Syria, I have been getting fussy on organizing the journey to Turkey, Iraq and Iran because the problem is I still want to travel further to the Caucasus region at the north(I can’t wait to drink wine in Georgia and experience the unprecedented aura of Gods in Armenia). My initial plan was to travel to Iraq from Turkey, back to Turkey again before traveling to the Caucasus Region and from there, getting in Iran(Turkey-Iraq-Turkey-Caucasus Region-Iran) or, travel within eastern Turkey before moving further north to the Caucasus region and from there, getting in Iran and make Iran as a stop point to travel to Iraq(Turkey-Caucasus Region-Iran-Iraq-Iran). Since both of these option involved backtracking and since backtracking is totally out of my list, I chose Turkey-Iraq-Iran-Turkey-Caucasus Region-Iran and this made me lazying around in Orumiyeh.

This is the cause and effect. 

Note: A friend of mine from Slovenia just get rejected an Iranian visa after weeks of waiting. My fellow western friends, please don’t get jealous as I can travel to Iran anytime I want without any hassle. Ha!~~

Things Changed

What is the first thing come to your mind when you hear about Iraq? Saddam Hussein? Baghdad? Iran-Iraq War? Iraq-Kuwait War? Suicide bombing targeting on Shiite pilgrims in Karbala? 2003 US-led invasion?  Turtle Can Fly? Yes, it is all about war. No any country on earth has dominated international headlines as extensive as Iraq, but sadly it was all about the unkindly events. In my personal ranking, Iraq is only second after Afghanistan as the most dangerous places in the world.

No gun into the park!

I was born in a generation which knows nothing about war. Neither do I know the concept of peace which has always been thought to have granted without the necessity to work for it.

Anything you want to say about both of these photos?

Despite of being one of the most dangerous places on earth, Iraq was the cradle of Mesopotamian civilization where the Assyrians, Sumerians and Babylonians once set their foot on. While the southern region of Iraq(Arab-controlled Iraq) remains off-limit for travelers , it is absolutely safe to travel around in the northern region(Kurdish Region). Iraqi Kurdistan is not a little-visited region anymore especially upon the incorporation of an Iraqi Kurdistan section in the latest Lonely Planet Middle East Travel Guidebook. However, it is regret to know that while most of people tend to take BBC or CNN as the only source of information, others still tend to take some news they saw in the past as a whole and never realize things have changed.

Touristic Erbil

The bus stopped in the suburb of the city centre. It took me one hour of walking before the citadel was visible. I began not to feel the weight of my backpack. I wasn’t sure if my backpack was getting lighter or I’m getting stronger(Shit! I’m actually getting thinner).

I still can’t make up my mind as how many days do I want to stay in Erbil(Kurdish: Hawler), the headquarter of the Kurdish Region Autonomous, or better known as the capital of Iraqi Kurdistan.

Abdullah invited me for a coffee in Shar Park, a fountain park very popular with locals and tourists. Having sick of coffee, I drank milk. Wore in a T-shirt and jean which looked no different with those hip-hop youngsters on the street, Abdullah told me he is a mufti. Upon leaving, he kissed my cheek.

The mufti and I

Shar Park

By the way, I(how about you?) never expect Erbil will be so touristic. No, no, no...I never expect Iraqi Kurdistan will be so touristic…in Zakho, Dohuk, Amediya, Suleymaniyah, etc, almost all the cities I have been were full of hotels and tourists. Oh, ya! Did I tell you that the Citadel in Erbil is the one drawing me to come to Iraqi Kurdistan? It was actually an aerial photo with the rising citadel sits in the middle of the entire city. Initially, I thought that it would just remain as a dream to come here but hey, here I am!

This is it! The Citadel of Erbil

You know what? I have been dreaming a lot since I’m on the road. When I wake up this morning, I thought I have returned to Yemen. Having traveled in Iraq Kurdistan for a couple of days where you were the only stranger on the street speaking no language other than Ingreezi(English), I found myself getting lost in this city, mentally. Perhaps it is because there is not much thing to see and do here other than wandering in the labyrinth of numerous alleys which make up a place called market, and I still can’t understand why there are so many tourists here.

Suleymaniyah

I like Suleymaniyah.

Kaso Mall

Not because of its Chinese community. Yaya…around 80% of the outlets in Kaso Mall were owned by Chinese and I can only see some Kurdish salesman in some of the outlets. Furthermore, Chinese restaurants were scattered in the city. But this is not the thing.

So, what’s the thing?

Well, maybe it is because of its markets, its busyness, its relatively organized streets, its relatively ease to buy cheap and fresh breads, its……

Suleymaniyah's busy market

Suleymaniyah's busy square

Hey! You don’t really need a good reason to like something, do you?

So, let me like Suleymaniyah.

Amna Suraka Museum(Red Intelligence Museum) was once the headquarter of Ba'ath Regime

Bullet holes are everywhere on the building

Kurdish Genocide

In responding to the Kurdish guerrilla groups in northern Iraq, the then President Saddam Hussein made a test of its chemical weapons on local Kurdish people on 16 March 1988, right before the end of Iran-Iraq War, by releasing multiple chemical agents including mustard gas, the nerve agents Sarin and tabun which directed to the civilian-populated residential area in here, the town where I’m standing now – Halabja. 5000 people have been found dead in a number of ways – ‘just dropped head’, died of laughing, dying in a few minutes after coughing up green vomit, etc. 7000 to 10,000 people injured and thousands more died of complications, diseases and birth defects at the post-genocide period.

Despite its darkest moment, Halabja is now a little dusty town with rows of workshop, grocery shop and restaurant as well as markets. I really couldn’t tell when a local asked me what I think about Halabja.

Halabja town

While it took me a bit of efforts to locate the Genocide Museum & Peace Monument, the photos in the museum appeared to be disturbing. It reminded me of the genocide in Nanjing, China carried out by the Japanese during the World War II though the scale of the latter is incomparable.  

Genocide Museum & Peace Monument

Dream City

So I was in the Dream City in Dohuk. Wisam, a young Yezidi who works in the hotel I stayed brought me here. Hmmm…a dream city in Iraq, pretty ironic, huh? No! It’s not! It’s all because of my naivety and ignorance.

‘Don’t make a big fuss, you of little knowledge.’ I told myself.

Dream City is actually an amusement park and the Dream City in Dohuk is by far the newest and most popular in Iraq where it also draws lots of people from the South especially Baghdad.

Ok! Ok! I admitted that I will never believe there are wheel Ferris, roller coaster, water park, dodgem, etc in Iraq until I see them with my own eyes.

Dream City of Duhok

What else are missing?

So, I believe now.

While tonnes of food and products are imported from the neighboring relatively flourished countries such as Turkey, Syria and Iran as well as China, the country seems getting on its feet. In fact, there is a saying that the Iraqi Kurdistan is far well-organized, managed and developed than the rest region of Iraq. You can even see street cleaners in uniform cleaning the street and traffic polices giving penalty to those who don’t abide the traffic law.

While it is still too early to comment, let alone to judge, I can’t bury my thought as I think I see their future rising on the horizon, slowly yet vividly.

Well, what I can say. This is traveling, to see the world and learn the world by your own self, not through a picture box or a monotonous screen.

Country or Region?

Iraqi Kurdistan flag

I started my exploration in the town of Dohuk soon after the afternoon rain by wandering around the busy markets. Two Kurdish brothers approached me and they offered to walk with me, by the way showing me around the city. We walked past a pretty run-down fountain park where some people always drink and get drunk, to the amusement park, passing the dam and eventually walked uphill to a vantage point where I can see the entire lake, before ending up the day in the pet shops. Yes, the pet shops full with birds. They like birds.

Dohuk's covered souq. Do you see the rubbish bin in the middle?

Dohuk('s backyard)

They were originated from Mosul but had decided to move here due to the racial animosity between Arabic and Kurdish there. Omer, the elder brother, told me he lost all his Arab school mates and neighbors. He tried to contact them but in vain. The city of Mosul is currently under control by Arab Iraq. Only the outskirt of Mosul is controlled by the Kurdish Regional Government. With the background as a translator for the US army and the ability to speak a good American-accent English, Omer told me how he was bribed to snap some photos at some sensitive region in exchange of a rank in the army; how the US aid in civil projects were hindered by local hatred; how the Kurdish people manage to live in the attempt of Arabization and how racism separates the country.

While hearing such an amount of stories in my first day of visit here which further arose my curiosity to learn more about the land and the people standing in front of me, I found myself little confused(if not shamefully ignorant) as what is the correct way to call the land I’m currently standing and its people as well as the whole idea of it.

Shall I call it a country? Or a region? How about Iraq? Kurdistan? Or Iraqi Kurdistan? What I know is being virtually independent from Baghdad since 1990s, Iraqi Kurdistan has been working as an autonomous region in Iraq. It has its own government, which is Kurdish Regional Government(KRG) headed by its own leader – President Massoud Barzani.

I think I need to make some study to make everything connected.

Garden of Eden

If you have fed up with the touristic places along your journey and start whining and mourning how mass-tourism turned some once Garden of Eden on earth to purgatory on earth, Iraq should definitely be on your list.

I’m not saying Iraq is the Garden of Eden. In fact, it never is neither does it was.

The whole environment was totally different after I stepped in to this country, especially when I traveled from the money-oriented Turkey. It was a sleepy afternoon and yet I wasn’t dreaming. Nor do I overstate the general feeling of stepping in this little visited country, or shall I call it region?

Without asking my permission, the Kurdish drove me all the way to Zakho, Iraq’s first town after the Ibrahim Khalil border post as well as its most northerly town. He unloaded me in front of a car workshop. I thanked him and the first thing I had been thinking about was to get in a grocery shop and get myself a packet of cigarette. I have been told by a Turkish truck driver in Kahta, who always made a trip here, that it’s cheaper here. And he was right. It’s more than 100% cheaper! In fact, I can’t wait to go to the Duty Free in the border free zone area but…you know why. Apparently it’s discrimination to the poor as it’s only for drivers, not walkers. Without wheels is impossible to get there. How ridiculous it’s. As soon as I lit up my cigarette, a local approached me and greeted me. Well-suited, he spoke excellent English. While chatting, he told me he was going to Baghdad tomorrow and I was too ignorant to have asked him wasn’t there too dangerous to go, forgetting the fact that he is an Iraqi. This is his homeland.

Kurdistan is everywhere

Since I’m in a backpacking trip, so with my backpack on my back, I wandered around the little town of Zakho, passing by numerous hotels and motels, not getting the idea why there were such amounts of building for travelers. My instinct told me I could easily get a cheap place to stay, definitely cheaper than those recommended by others. But I didn’t feel like spending a night here though I liked the whole feeling of it.

Many people were surprised(if not curious) to see me and I knew they were talking about me. As soon as I arrived in the town centre, the situation get ‘worse’ as I have become a celebrity(if not an unpaid model) where everybody came to take photos with me and never turned away their prying eyes. I can’t help walking further when I came across the elders sitting and sipping tea in the souk, with their traditional costume clothed, as if on display.

Moneychanger! Look at the money! They just put the whole bunch of cash like that!

Chatting for nothing

Traditional costume on display

By snapping photos and chatting for nothing, I contented as much as the locals did, before walking to the garage where I hopped on a shared taxi on my way, to Dohuk where I planned to spend a night.

Or may be two.

Welcome to …

I walked to the booth to have my passport stamped. The officer not allowed me to proceed further on foot. A Kurdish with his nephew who waited after me then offered me a ride in his car. We crossed over a bridge spanning the Tigris river before stopping at the next immigration building, only a mere 200m from the booth where I was not allowed to walk. He handed over our passports to the counter and we sat in a relatively luxurious hall, before my name was called after 30 minutes.

‘What are you doing here?’

‘Travel.’  

‘Only travel?

‘Yes.’

‘Alone?’

‘Yes.’

‘Where are you going?’

‘Dohuk and Erbil.’

‘……’

‘……’

‘Welcome to our country.’

‘Thank you.’

Then I was granted a 10-day visit visa, as easy as chips. We returned to the car and drove away, passing underneath a big archway. I glanced back and a group of phrases appeared to my sight - ‘Welcome to Iraq’.

Welcome to Iraq

Hmmm…not much thing to say and don’t know what to say as well. Wish me good luck!