Apparently these are the two things you must be most wary of in Kurdistan. The person who shared this advice apparently bleaches her veggies! I wonder what she does to her men...
Please feel free to comment on this if you happen to feel strongly about either subject.
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Miscellania from Last Weekend
The drive from Hawler to Sulemania via Koya takes approximately 3 hours. The drive via Kirkuk 2! But although we experienced both routes this weekend, we didn't manage either in 3 hours! So you know about the traffic blockade on the Kirkuk route already, but what you don't know is that at about 2+ hours in (on both trips) we had to disembark and light up the underside of the vehicle with a mobile phone so that Dr. Z could locate the fuel leak and wedge the fuel pipe together tighter! This, and having to jumpstart the car most mornings, appear to be a normal things to do here as he actually took it to a repair shop only to be told, "No problem".
Anyway, this first photo is just a view from somewhere near Koya.
These handsome men can be found outside the park on the main drag in Suli. I would love also to know who they are. And if you are patient, I will try to find the answer and post it as a comment to this post.
Pambette enjoys a private joke with one of her new stone-faced friends.
A photo of Mu only because there are no others of him in the photos of this weekend... and he was significant as he met us on arrival into Suli and took over the driving and guiding for the inside Suli part of the trip.
This last picture is "Moon over Kirkuk". I post it because I am always amazed at how big the full moon looks from here.
Anyway, this first photo is just a view from somewhere near Koya.
These handsome men can be found outside the park on the main drag in Suli. I would love also to know who they are. And if you are patient, I will try to find the answer and post it as a comment to this post.
Pambette enjoys a private joke with one of her new stone-faced friends.
A photo of Mu only because there are no others of him in the photos of this weekend... and he was significant as he met us on arrival into Suli and took over the driving and guiding for the inside Suli part of the trip.
This last picture is "Moon over Kirkuk". I post it because I am always amazed at how big the full moon looks from here.
Sunday, November 25, 2007
Drive by Shooting
A little scared to pull out my camera while passing through Kirkuk... once again... and once again by accident! I put on my telephoto lens and shot pictures from the back seat over Pambette's shoulder through the dirty glass of the Jeep Cherokee's window. (Just to let you know, although Kirkuk has been posted here more than once, it is always an accident when I find myself there - this time being no exception...the only difference is that this time, the driver also didn't intend to go there. We discovered the error when we passed Chamchamal instead of Dokhan).
Our first experience of Kirkuk was a high traffic jam/blockade where we sat hemmed in by lorries and other vehicles haphazardly matted together. Uniformed military personnel let us sit there a while before starting to weave their way among the vehicles slapping the sides of cars to get them to stop or move ahead and untangle the many lines of traffic. Later we found out there had been some incident with American soldiers and some fundamental Islamists and hence there was a curfew on the city which lasted until 5pm... so I guess we waited there until 5:00.
This next photo was accidentally shot. You aren't supposted to take photos at checkpoints. This is the actual Kirkuk checkpoint (the little white booth with the three men in unifroms in front). We had no problem entering Kirkuk. It was as though all the guards in Kurdistan had been warned that there was a red Jeep Cherokee of foreigners trying to find their way to Hawler. At some of the checkpoints they even spoke to Dr. Z in Turkish.
This next photo is of nothing - just the road as you enter the opfficial city boundaries.
At this point, it was starting to get dark and we were really driving too fast to shoot any non-blurry photos, but this one is of a statue of someone ?(Kirkukis, please write and let me know who this is)near the center of the city where you start to pass by the citadel, the markets and streets with little street stalls and... cows!
And this last photo is of a typical scene in Kirkuk. Last time I saw the Iraqi National guards dressed in Ninja outfits manning mounted guns on the back of a truck. This time it was a convey of armoured vehicles - American?
Our first experience of Kirkuk was a high traffic jam/blockade where we sat hemmed in by lorries and other vehicles haphazardly matted together. Uniformed military personnel let us sit there a while before starting to weave their way among the vehicles slapping the sides of cars to get them to stop or move ahead and untangle the many lines of traffic. Later we found out there had been some incident with American soldiers and some fundamental Islamists and hence there was a curfew on the city which lasted until 5pm... so I guess we waited there until 5:00.
This next photo was accidentally shot. You aren't supposted to take photos at checkpoints. This is the actual Kirkuk checkpoint (the little white booth with the three men in unifroms in front). We had no problem entering Kirkuk. It was as though all the guards in Kurdistan had been warned that there was a red Jeep Cherokee of foreigners trying to find their way to Hawler. At some of the checkpoints they even spoke to Dr. Z in Turkish.
This next photo is of nothing - just the road as you enter the opfficial city boundaries.
At this point, it was starting to get dark and we were really driving too fast to shoot any non-blurry photos, but this one is of a statue of someone ?(Kirkukis, please write and let me know who this is)near the center of the city where you start to pass by the citadel, the markets and streets with little street stalls and... cows!
And this last photo is of a typical scene in Kirkuk. Last time I saw the Iraqi National guards dressed in Ninja outfits manning mounted guns on the back of a truck. This time it was a convey of armoured vehicles - American?
Not yet in Hawler
Last weekend, we (Dr. Z, Pambette and I) went on a little jaunt down to Suli! Although we really only had one evening and half of the next day there, it was great. We didn't have time to drive up and observe the view, but we did get what we came for - a little break from Hawler. Those of you who are Hawleri, please don't feel upset. I think little breaks are essential wherever you happen to live! Here are a few of the things you can observe in Suli (but not Hawler):
This first picture was taken at Dragon, a Chinese restaurant in Sarchner. Dr. Z is eating some "Chinese" noodles which were essentially spaghetti in Chinese sauce. The Chinese waitress argued that although the noodles were Itali mien that mien (noodles) are mien! I suppose that is true... and anyway, I was happy that although the food really wasn't good this time, I could still taste traces of authentic Chinese flavours (wood ear and other such lovely stuff)... This is different from the fake Sheraton in Hawler which thinks that if you add soy sauce to anything it becomes Chinese.
The second picture is also dedicated to food. It is where we had lunch on Saturday -Zara. Like Papula, is was attached to a department store, had a fast food restaurant downstairs and a cafe upstairs. What is special about these cafes in Suli is that there are coed groups of young people in the booths and young AND old couples out on dates. You can even see the occasional all female group! Another plus was the cappuccino... no Nescafe granules sprinkled on top!
A POST OFFICE! I wonder if it really functions. There was some news of a post office in Hawler as well, but none of us have seen it yet! I really want someone to mail me a letter just to try out the system.
And look here - a real phone booth. Near the bazaar in Hawler, you can also find some phones, but they are area phones belonging to some guy who stands there with the phone and collects your money. This is ever so much more... private (that is unless some foreign idiots come along and start taking your photo).
This first picture was taken at Dragon, a Chinese restaurant in Sarchner. Dr. Z is eating some "Chinese" noodles which were essentially spaghetti in Chinese sauce. The Chinese waitress argued that although the noodles were Itali mien that mien (noodles) are mien! I suppose that is true... and anyway, I was happy that although the food really wasn't good this time, I could still taste traces of authentic Chinese flavours (wood ear and other such lovely stuff)... This is different from the fake Sheraton in Hawler which thinks that if you add soy sauce to anything it becomes Chinese.
The second picture is also dedicated to food. It is where we had lunch on Saturday -Zara. Like Papula, is was attached to a department store, had a fast food restaurant downstairs and a cafe upstairs. What is special about these cafes in Suli is that there are coed groups of young people in the booths and young AND old couples out on dates. You can even see the occasional all female group! Another plus was the cappuccino... no Nescafe granules sprinkled on top!
A POST OFFICE! I wonder if it really functions. There was some news of a post office in Hawler as well, but none of us have seen it yet! I really want someone to mail me a letter just to try out the system.
And look here - a real phone booth. Near the bazaar in Hawler, you can also find some phones, but they are area phones belonging to some guy who stands there with the phone and collects your money. This is ever so much more... private (that is unless some foreign idiots come along and start taking your photo).
Nightmare in Naz City!
The posting of the Halloween pictures has been much delayed. Perhaps because what I really would have liked to have posted would be Dr. F's hand-drawn poster for the Halloween party at his nextdoor neighbour's! In any case, there were 2 party's this year! One for adults on the Thursday night following the REAL Halloween... and one on Friday for the children at Dr. D's:
This is probably Kurdistan's first real Jack-o'-lantern, carved by the fabulous Dr. D. It was also suggested that I photograph and post the infamous pink cupcakes from this party, but I realize you can already see these in the post of my birthday (Oct. 16). For this special party, Dr. D also made chocolate-frosted cupcakes which, although I truly thought they were even more tasty, were suggested to only taste better because it was psychologically more pleasing if your eyes don't tell you they taste PINK!
T reads Dr. F's palm... I am not sure accurate a reading he got, but I do know that afterwards, he likely forgot anything negative due to anticipation of the cake (see table) bedecked with.... how did you guess? PINK icing.
Devil meets devil! Although in fact, Pambette's devilish adult version was not really so scary to the rest of us adults, it reduced the little devil to tears. It wasn't immediately clear if and how we could calm her.
And the photo below is the only one I will post of the Thursday night party. None of my photos were particularly good, but I had to post one of our new English teachers in his Caspar head! I would love to post the story of the day we met, but as the story could be deemed "policically incorrect", I will desist until after asking permission. (PS. For those who know me, this same guy can be found in my Facebook wearing a Dolaemon head)!
This is probably Kurdistan's first real Jack-o'-lantern, carved by the fabulous Dr. D. It was also suggested that I photograph and post the infamous pink cupcakes from this party, but I realize you can already see these in the post of my birthday (Oct. 16). For this special party, Dr. D also made chocolate-frosted cupcakes which, although I truly thought they were even more tasty, were suggested to only taste better because it was psychologically more pleasing if your eyes don't tell you they taste PINK!
T reads Dr. F's palm... I am not sure accurate a reading he got, but I do know that afterwards, he likely forgot anything negative due to anticipation of the cake (see table) bedecked with.... how did you guess? PINK icing.
Devil meets devil! Although in fact, Pambette's devilish adult version was not really so scary to the rest of us adults, it reduced the little devil to tears. It wasn't immediately clear if and how we could calm her.
And the photo below is the only one I will post of the Thursday night party. None of my photos were particularly good, but I had to post one of our new English teachers in his Caspar head! I would love to post the story of the day we met, but as the story could be deemed "policically incorrect", I will desist until after asking permission. (PS. For those who know me, this same guy can be found in my Facebook wearing a Dolaemon head)!
Friday, November 02, 2007
Dolma
If you have ever been to local home in Hawler or neighboring areas, you definately know what dolma is! Last weekend, due to a sudden recurrance of a particulary pernicious sort of chronic social disease in which I seem unable to come with any polite excuse whatsoever to defer, postpone or decline invitations, I ended up going out for meals 3 times last weekend. It all started with dinner on Thursday night at Haji M's house:
Above is Haji M inviting us (Dr. F, Dr. S and I) to put a little more biryani on our plates already heaped with dolma (see center plate). In South Kurdistan, dolma is made of any and all local vegetables available: tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, courgettes, aubergines, onions, etc. All are hollowed out and stuffed with rice cooked up with spices and meat. (Please note I received an essay last year where the main premise was that it was clearly evident that Kurdish culture was far more advanced that Turkish culture via the fact that Turks only stuff peppers for dolma, whereas Kurds use all vegetables. In fact, I like all the variations, and in Turkey I love some of the different ways of serving yaprak sarma (stuffed vine leaves): cold with yogurt, hot wish spicer accompaniments. In Kurdistan, the ones where the vegetable skins are rubbed with lemon before stuffing are good.
Anyway, enough about the dolma... the real reason I try to avoid invitations is not because I don't like dolma... which invariably shows up in quantities enough to serve an army, but because the hosts usually force feed the guests until they are unable to stand up and walk to the street afterwards. In our case, Haji M's wife (a lovely lovely lady) would hold kupa (little fried meat dumplings) in her fingers and look at you with a distressed look when you turned a 4th helping down, "But they are so good."
This second photo was taken on Firday, a week ago exactly. On Saturday late morning, I went to a 2nd home for lunch; however, shock of all shocks - there was NO DOLMA! And the food was not served on a plastic tablecloth on the floor (Which I am quite comfortable with being rather festive and picnic-like). Instead, everything was carried on the overly fancy silver serving trays (identical to the ones in our Naz CIty flats) and laid out on a table in the living room: a kind of meat biryani, apricot stew, fasulya, chicken... The food was plentiful, but not as heavy or overabundant as usual. Then I found out the family was not exactly local, but from Sulemaniya. Hmmm... very similar to what one might order at Abu Shahab restaurant (a local favorite), but less greasy. I actually left with enough energy to go shoppping at lenga market and for ice cream at "Me and You". This second picture is of Bilge and Dr. I enjoying Ice Cream. After Ice cream, we continued on to Izzy's house for coffee, food and drinks. I spend all of Saturday recovering. (More about Izzy to come soon).
Above is Haji M inviting us (Dr. F, Dr. S and I) to put a little more biryani on our plates already heaped with dolma (see center plate). In South Kurdistan, dolma is made of any and all local vegetables available: tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, courgettes, aubergines, onions, etc. All are hollowed out and stuffed with rice cooked up with spices and meat. (Please note I received an essay last year where the main premise was that it was clearly evident that Kurdish culture was far more advanced that Turkish culture via the fact that Turks only stuff peppers for dolma, whereas Kurds use all vegetables. In fact, I like all the variations, and in Turkey I love some of the different ways of serving yaprak sarma (stuffed vine leaves): cold with yogurt, hot wish spicer accompaniments. In Kurdistan, the ones where the vegetable skins are rubbed with lemon before stuffing are good. Anyway, enough about the dolma... the real reason I try to avoid invitations is not because I don't like dolma... which invariably shows up in quantities enough to serve an army, but because the hosts usually force feed the guests until they are unable to stand up and walk to the street afterwards. In our case, Haji M's wife (a lovely lovely lady) would hold kupa (little fried meat dumplings) in her fingers and look at you with a distressed look when you turned a 4th helping down, "But they are so good."
This second photo was taken on Firday, a week ago exactly. On Saturday late morning, I went to a 2nd home for lunch; however, shock of all shocks - there was NO DOLMA! And the food was not served on a plastic tablecloth on the floor (Which I am quite comfortable with being rather festive and picnic-like). Instead, everything was carried on the overly fancy silver serving trays (identical to the ones in our Naz CIty flats) and laid out on a table in the living room: a kind of meat biryani, apricot stew, fasulya, chicken... The food was plentiful, but not as heavy or overabundant as usual. Then I found out the family was not exactly local, but from Sulemaniya. Hmmm... very similar to what one might order at Abu Shahab restaurant (a local favorite), but less greasy. I actually left with enough energy to go shoppping at lenga market and for ice cream at "Me and You". This second picture is of Bilge and Dr. I enjoying Ice Cream. After Ice cream, we continued on to Izzy's house for coffee, food and drinks. I spend all of Saturday recovering. (More about Izzy to come soon).
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