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.