Goodbye to 'a good guy'

I guess you all know by now that this place is not really for the faint-hearted. Well, back sometime in October, when there were fewer of us, the great Lady S made a prediction on which of us would bolt first... and it was G (known by some as 'the good guy'). Unfortunately, her prediction came true and these are the pictures from his farewell (taken at the Turkish restaurant above New City shopping complex) - Note that this is MUCH delayed posting as he left only one month after coming back from Christmas (didn't waste time in giving notice). I didn't post as I was sort of hoping he'd return.

This picture is of course G himself, holding up a bottle of Pinkoo Gripe Water (part of some joke that probably only G and friends who share his twisted sense of humor will get).





By now you should all recognize the infamous Dr. Z as well... giving a toast with tea since such family establishments do not serve the usual poison.


G with T... T's friends in the US and Canada, please let her know that another lovely pic of her has been posted!

And now other guests pictured without G. This is newcomer Br... the New Yorker who can out-talk (over talk over) D, the other New Yorker... remember I LOVE NY! The other you will recognize as the lovely LADY S... who took some of these photos incidentally - most notably the next one which will likely be used someday to blackmail one or the other...

Oh, well done S! This captures Rh. in all of her girlish delighfulness and Al who you may not have seen here before... a definate 'diamond' in the rough.

Bird on a wire

Photo credit goes to Dr. S.

And us, perched on our olive brocade sofas in New City, we also have no idea how long we will be here in this surreal space caught between different extremes and not knowing in which direction to look...

Stars and Stripes

And I bet you all didn't know that Dr. Z was such a nationalist! I think this photo is priceless. Well done, Dr. S! The next one should show someone in front of a poster of Ataturk.

Take my picture, please!

These two photos were taken this last weekend at the bazaar. The boys are competing to weigh you for the price of a mere $250 Iraqi dinars (about 20 cents?).
This woman, on seeing the boys posing for a photo, asked that her photo also be taken.

Accidental Tourist in Kirkuk

(This post is also about the weekend before the one that just passed)

Although bursting with stories when I first got back to Hawler on Saturday, the 10th of February, I didn't manage to write it all down; about the coffee shop in Zagros mall where WOMEN were sitting on their own and drinking cappuccino, about the authentic Chinese restaurant (where subsequently Mu. now goes when he is there for business and Br has had his students take him), about the fact that there were only 5 hours of electricity per night in the motel and only a trickle of cold water from the bathroom showerhead... and most notably about the ride back to Hawler via KIRKUK!!!

Yes- somehow the road seemed straight and the journey too fast seeing as the 'safe' road from Sulemaniyah to Hawler bypasses Koya through the mountains and has a number of hairpin turns. Most people prefer this 3 hour journey to the straight 2 hour one that necessitates passing through Kirkuk. The driver was quite cocky and insisted that he was Peshmerga and knew all the right roads to take. He took me through Kirkuk as if we were touring famous sites at a vacation destination: On the left, please notice the Citadel, and now to the right is the bazaar (Would you like to stop - it's much cheaper than Hawler's) and those three menacing looking guys dressed in black poised over machine guns in the back of the truck - just Iraqi police! Seeing as the one with his pointed over the cab of the truck even had a black hood with only a slit for his eyes, perhaps you will understand why I didn't feel as calm as the driver.

Fortunately, we exited Kirkuk shortly after our police sighting and the driver spent the rest of the drive teaching me the Kurdish names for everything we passed; ker (donkey), cher (cow), bisin (goat), mar (sheep)...

Chia (Mt.) Azmar; Sulemani

Again I am late to post as these photos are from last weekend (and there are more to come from even further back than that... just waiting to get the photos from S and Z's respective cameras. These ones however come from mine! They are all from the mountaintops of Sulemiyah. The peak you see in the second photo is Mt. (Chia) Azmaar! I learned this from the driver (who spoke almost no English) on the way down to Sulemani... I was also informed where Talibani lives (at the foot of some mountains) and told a story which somehow connected Talibani (or some other high-ranking official with Mao Tse Tung! (Will have to get this story retold when a translator is present).

Anyway, I had a great time in the mountains as I met a SUV full of friendly people from Shinjian, China. I demonstrated to their child (possibly to the dismay of some local people) how to make snow angels and they told me where the Chinese restaurant was (most authentic non-Kurdish food I have had since my arrival in Kurdistan). Anyway, I am afraid I didn't get any photos of the groups of local men. with linked pinkies, dancing 'halai' to the music blaring from inside thier SUVs - next time!





Bad photo of me, but it was rather cold!

Coffee Cup Reading

Thanks to G, the head chef at the cafeteria, I now know that I am going to conceive and deliver twins in the very near future. My mother will be so happy to hear she is finally about to become a grandmother. Unfortunately, the events surrounding this event seem a little unlikely. The father is a shortish man whose name begins with K and we won't marry until after I am already pregnant... yet it isn't exactly a shotgun wedding as it seems the more important event is the pregnancy and not the wedding (but if you'd like to imagine the wedding, G claims I will wear a princess dress made of tuille, lace or some other sheer material). There were plenty of other life details, involving travel, a clear heart, a rising sun and etc... but I had a meeting to go to, so G shared his predictions with others instead of me - predictions leading to rumor and speculation regarding K's identity. To be honest, I don't anyone whose name starts with K, but I do know I need a book on Turkish coffee cup readings as I would prefer to be the reader rather than the readee.

stacks of cash

Only thing necessary to start your own currency exchange is a cardboard box, some money and lots of trust!
(Photo credit goes to Dr.S)

New City Running Club

Like many other expats, since I have come here, my fitness regime has been replaced with one of sleeping, drinking and recovering from colds or food-related illnesses (not just an excuse) . However, a few weeks ago, I saw a plump man in a track suit and plastic bathroom slippers jogging around the circular drive of New City Motel. This planted the seed of an idea in my head. If I were to get up and jog early early in the morning, maybe I too (even as a woman) could do this... especially if he could do it in bathroom slippers. I did this twice; the second attempt joined by D!

A few days later, I was coming home late and the big guy who inspired my jogging was out on the curb squatting over a grill. I looked over and he waved. A few minutes later, a young guy came over with a plate of grilled chicked from big guy's grill. I had noticed they were drinking something they poured out of a paper bag and went out to fill them up from my own stash of single malt. So they admitted they had seen me jogging and I admitted they had inspired it. So the next day at 6:45am, we all met in the drive to jog! Best excercise I'd had since arriving. Fortunately (or unfortuately) they have left now... and I have once again become unable to get out of bed before absolutely necessary.

Hoshim Dewi - Love thy Neighbor

"Hoshim Dewi" means, "I love you!" in Sorani (local dialect of Kurdish). The girls in this photo live in the house directly opposite of S. She always gets the windows overlooking the houses in back (whereas I get to look at the driveway into NC).

Anyway, the children on both sides love to yell at us whenever they see us, "Hello! What's your name? I love you!"

I wish the wall between us wasn't so high or I'd invite them to play badminton (or goodminton as H calls it) the next time 6-year-old H and I play in between the houses.

Electrical calamity # 2

Imagine my dismay to one day be in the middle of cooking a meal for a guest and run out of gas in the middle... I took it in stride, however, and promptly called the front desk to bring me another smelly canister. Unfortunately, the price of gas in Iraq had gone up enough that our hotel hosts decided to replace all the gas cookers with electrical units.

Sigh... Although bad enough that I now had to wait for the elements to heat up in order to cook, I was informed that I could only use one of the too-tiny, set-too-close-together elements at a time. I wasn't really sure whether or not to believe this until S used both hers at the same time (results pictured). Now all my dinner parties are on hold until we move. I mean, it was bad enough running to other peoples' houses in order to be able to cook properly; cook 2 dishes in my house and heat the dahl and rice in someone else's.

Breach in Security: Accidents Happen!

Sometime in the late afternoon last week, a 10 year old boy took his father's BMW for an extremely brief joyride- a ride just long enough for him to crash into the outer wall of New City and bring it tumbling down (not too hard given the absense of steel supports inside the wall). But there are no worries inside New City as we have our Peshmerga on duty around back. Anyway, one and all should have a good look, along with the spectators pictured, as this is likely the only chance you will get to have a look at the city life just outside the walls of New City from this vantage point on the inside!

What's do YOU use your mobile phone for?

(Unrotated photo taken by mobile phone of local mobile phone salesman)

I haven't been without a cell phone since Korea (1996), and so now have one with tons of functions I almost never use: walkman/radio, address book and day planner, world clocks and alarms, camera, email and chat functions, etc... (although when in London, I did occasionally check my email). Anyway, you all know what two very (can't think of appropriate adjective) high-ranking officials in Iraq used their mobiles for! And shock of shocks, one of our lovely local staff used his to receive and playback this scandous video footage for us. I couldn't watch once I figured out what we were about to view (and not only because the angles shifted so much as to make the most balanced person dizzy) ... but our friend said that just having this proof made him feel 'comfortable'. B recently bought a mobile phone and I noticed she had left the bluetooth option on. I hope our naughty local friend doesn't notice this and send her his video clip.

Dr. Z (King of the World... Are you still going by this?), where can I read what you have written about the big event itself?

Closer to home - US raid on Iranian diplomatic mission

On the 11th, Hawler (Irbil/Erbil) made the news- Not Mosul or Kirkuk, but this very city. It's just unfortunate that making the news seems only occasionally a good thing... And it is unfortunate that news was about a US raid and not of a Hawler local winning a Nobel Peace Prize (or even something trivial like the very first working ATM to be installed in a supermarket... Hawler really does seem to be developing quickly. D-who loves Sulemaniya- says that Hawler has caught up to and surpassed 'Suley' in terms of development).

Anyway, back on topic... Information on BBC suggests that the building didn't have diplomatic status, but Iran has lodged a complaint (no doubt) to Iraq's foreign ministry. Resident experts believe that this will blow over without any kind of real backlash, but it does make me anxious for tomorrow when I will be privy to predictions from outside the complex. I am hoping that some who have more knowledge about this incident than me will post information, predictions and comments here.

I (insert heart here) NY!

For all you regular readers, I want to say that I have withdrawn the last post about New York attitude in Hawler as my lame attempt at humour went terribly wrong... some readers may not have known how I REALLY feel about New York and my NY colleagues who are always welcome at my place (although I am sure D - who was one of those mentioned... and who occasionally reads but NEVER posts - does): the noise, the activity (not to mention the salsa scene, galleries and shopping), the attitude and the manner of communication (which I bring up because of my possible bitterness at not being able to get mistaken for a New Yorker). The truth is I do love it... and my only regret is not going to experience life there pre-George Bush.

Unfortunately, at the moment, NY seems a million miles from Hawler (involving at least two stop-overs and a potentially unpleasant customs experience on arrival with Iraqi stamps in my passport dated before my UK student visa expires). So I wasn't able to meet my friends there this holiday (A in California and F in Vancouver, thanks for spending the last days of 2004 there... and PLEASE post... Doesn't matter that you haven't met anyone here yet... Start planning your holiday to Kurdistan!)

The 5000 Fingers of Dr. T

Did you watch the Grinch that stole Christmas on TV this year? I didn't... but I did get to enjoy Dr. Seuss nonetheless. I was having more difficulties posting while in London, but S (the one in London, not Hawler) and I saw (on her National Film Theatre member's 2-for-1 coupons which we luckily used before her wallet was stolen) the 5000 Fingers of Dr. T. For all of you Dr. Seuss fans, I recommend you look this one up - very strange indeed! (I haven't provided a summary so as not to ruin it for you).

Zagros

Zagros is a range of mountains spanning Iran and Iraq. As a girl's name, it means sweet and feminine... and it is also the name of D and her husband A's restaurant in Paris. As a favor to H (D's 6 year old mentioned sometime in October here on Daily Hawler), I went to find it on this my last night before returning to London... and Hawler.

This is the first sight on ascending the metro steps: Boulevard Richard Lenoir (named after Mr. Richard and Mr. Lenoir - 2 guys who brought the cotton industry to Paris).






And this is A: proud restauranteer. He has handed over his package for H, downed a glass of wine with me, and taught me a little French. It's all good. Next time I will go with friends to wash down some Greek-Kurdish amuse bouche with a little raki and listen to Aynur.

Methode de Kurde: Sorani

I am only posting this in case I or someone else wants to visit in future:

Institute de Kurde de Paris
106 Rue La Fayette, 75010
Phone: 00-33-(0)1-48246464

Note that nobody speaks English (why would they?) but French and Kurmanji are no problem. I was only there a few minutes to buy a Sorani textbook for 24 Euros. Good deal as I will be able to learn two languages for the price of one! There are detailed explanations about Sorani grammar: 'le substantif, le pronom personnel, l'ezafe, etc..." of course all in French! I will have to study hard!

Gare du Nord

Today I have moved to a hotel near Gare du Nord as SA had to pack and leave for Dubai. I will leave tomorrow morning. After getting settled in, I arranged to meet up with R. She is a lecturer at a London university who happened to be visiting Paris at the same time. She also happens to have similar shopping tastes as me (and being Brazilian, manages a better sounding French than I can muster). We bought identical shoes at a shop on Rue de Rivoli and hats (different ones) at Etam department store. Then after a little wine, she had to catch her train at Gare du Nord. This is us (two in center) in front of the station along with the Morrocan-French girls who took turns taking our photo for us. They also gave us an email address to send the photos to and the travel advice not to visit Marrakech, but Saïdia.

'Companion in evening talk'

Like last time in Paris, Sm skipped the main party (this time, New Year's Eve) and joined us for dinner & drinks our last night out together. The title of this post is the Arabic meaning of his appropriately chosen name. SA translates it as 'the entertainer'... Either way, he certainly kept us amused. I find it a little creepy that he looks a bit like my brother... and I apparently look like his aunt. I wonder if I also look Algerian then... (or does he look like my mix?) It is kind of comforting to look related to people... or live in parts of the world where people assume you are local if you can just keep your mouth shut. Anyway, although Sm hates visiting the same place twice, we ended up at Le Loup Blanc along with Fo, Ka, and Ta. I love this place because they serve sides of pousses de fougere ('fiddleheads' in English - essentially a kind of baby fern). During dinner, Sm insisted I speak French and that kept me silent for most of dinner... so I really could have passed for either Algerian or French!

After dinner, SA, Sm and I went for drinks in Les Halles (a place SA hates). I just hate trying to say it as I always forget that the first 's' is silent even though the 'h' is also silent. Anyway, we passed this creepy kewpie doll window display on the way (see above). The bar was equally kitch with all sorts of paper mache orbs (planets, fugu fish, etc) hanging from the ceiling. (By the way, did you know that mache means 'masticated'?) I was thinking though that it would be great to have these kinds of places in Hawler... Anyone want to move and open a fusion restaurant or a trendy bar/cafe?