Sandman is walking around!

A whole month since the last time I posted in here. I'm too busy these days with tons of works and assignments for my college. Anyway, I decided to post whenever there is a big important event...
Iraq was hit yesterday by sand storms resulted in the suspension of flights from and to Baghdad International Airport, and led to a poor visibility of less than one kilometre what compelled many citizens to stay home. The expertscities the negligence strategy «green belts» near the Sahara made Iraq the spring season of sand storms. The sand storm is coming from the east of the Mediterranean because of the difference in temperature between yesterday and the day before it. Sand storms cover most areas of Iraq and will move gradually to the southern areas simultaneously with the decrease in temperature. Also the scarcity of rainfall during last winter caused an increase sandstorms expected to occur in March and April of every year. Anyway, the weather got better this morning, but as I'm posting this article there are some yellowish heavy winds outside. I think the storm is being regenerated again.

Cheney's in town!

Yesterday's afternoon on my way back home, it was normally to see the huge number of vehicles in Al Jadiriya where the Unviersities of Baghdad and Al Nahrain and some important offical departments lie. It is the rush hour. But at that hour all the roads lead to other districts of Baghdad were blocked. I saw some US armored vehicles and soldiers were proliferated. Therefore, I decided to walk till I get the "Two-layered Bridge" which was called previously during Saddam's regime by "The Leader's Bridge". It was about 20 minutes on foot to go from my university to that bridge. But when I got there, I was surprised when the US soldiers told the people that the walking through that point was prohibited. I asked one of the people there about how long they had been waiting in the streets, he answered me that they were waiting for about 2 hours. *pouts*
"I can't wait forever! It will get dark soon!" I mumbled and then I decided to ask a sweaty suntanned Yankee...
Me: "Hey, sir! Will it take so long?"
Yankee: "Oh, I've been here since couple of minutes... I don't know! No one is allowed to walkthrough the square". He meant the Alhurriya 'freedom' sqaure.
Me: "So, what's the big deal?"
Yankee: "Cheney's is in town! The vice-president."
Me: "Oh!".... "Oh, shit! We'll stay here forever!" I whispered based on the fact when Ahmedinajad visited Baghdad.
After that the exhasted yankee tried do some light aerobics.
Me: "Tough day, eh?"
Yankee *rolls eyes*: "Everday in Iraq is a tough day!"
Then the talkie he had informed him that the road would be open again in 5 minutes.
And indeed, the soldiers hurried to their Hummers and Humvees and left the sqaure. I took a taxi to cross the bridge and get back home. I witnessed from above the bridge some black armoured american made vehicles parking in rows near the house of "Abdul Aziz Al Hakim" Chairman of the Supreme Council of Islamic Revolution in Iraq.
When I got back home, the two "gentelmen", Cheney & Al Hakim, were on TV for a press conference.
I thought that Dick Cheney was visiting Iraq to celebrate with me and deliever G. W. Bush's congratulations on my birthday, but I was disappointed to know that Mr. vice-President was there in a middle-eastrn trip and he was visiting Iraq on the 5th anniversary of the war!! *sighs*
Hey, guys! Today, I'm 24! ;)

A visit to a bazaar

Yesterday, I accompanied my mother and went to the main bazaar near to our neighborhood (Ad Dora Bazaar). In fact, I haven't gone there for more than two years since it was closed and evacuated when all that shit happened.
I used to visit that bazaar a lot since I was a kid. I bought my favorite collection of comics and magazines for kids from a small corner shop. People used to go there to buy their daily life needs, i.e. food (veggies, meat, milk products.. etc), clothes & textiles, house equipments, toys, stationery supplies. You could find also some pharmacies, barbershops, and shops for selling electrical and digital devices (mobile phones, PCs, TVs, washing machines, fans.. etc) and many many more.
One of the familiar themes of that bazaar is OPEN-AIR markets where things are usually cheaper than in shops. Also People used to meet and sell things from the back of their cars which known by "car boot sales".
Ad Dora bazaar was considered one of the largest bazaars in Baghdad if it wasn't really the largest. Thursday evening was the best time for young men to stop at that bazaar as girls often used to go shopping; such as clothes, lingerie, cosmetics and other girls' stuff.
However, the sinful hand of the terrorism didn't let the life to keep going in that bazaar as the turmoil and the death chapters arise. Lives of many innocent people were taken away unjustifiably. The whole thing started with murdering certain individuals; I remember they killed two guys one was selling birds seeds and the other was an old man who was selling cigarettes and matches. I was there when these two poor men were executed, I heard the gunshots but I hadn't witnessed that bloody scene. Later, the killing rate increased, more people were falling down and markets were closed one after another day by day.
Gunfights began to take place everyday between some gunmen (rumored from Al-Qaida) and Iraqi police. The US army often intervened to curb those militias.
Anyway, plenty of procedures and actions were taken to make that bazaar under control. I mean under the control of the American & Iraqi forces to restore stability and constancy to Ad Dora neighborhood generally and to its bazaar specifically. Yesterday, I felt that the life is flowing back in the veins of that bazaar. I can't claim that it's back 100% to its normal, no, The bazaar is changed a lot and many markets and shops are closed & some of them are destroyed by fire. And now you can find some giant masses of concrete are piled together to form walls to block some entries and exits. I asked my mother about the souk and she said that it is getting better there. My mother was there to witness the final days of the ruined souk before it was closed completely. I asked her also about that middle-aged guy who used to sell magazines, newspapers and comics and she answered : "Hon! May he rest in peace! He's been killed.". I really felt sorry about that man as if he was some relative of mine. It's like I've lost another bookmark of my childhood. And what the fuck he did to take a shot to the head? Do his newspapers or comics represent any kind of threat? That's bitchy!
Anyway, one can get veggies, fruits, eggs, meat, milk and milk products from there. You can get some equipments for your house from that bazaar. I saw some clothes markets are open! Ah, girls! You still can buy your cosmetics and lingerie as well. ;)
One funny thing I'd like to tell you about is that when mom and I were walking back home. It was afternoon and the streets were calm and quite when people were having their lunch or a nap. A scary bark broke that dead silence was coming out up from no where. It was an ugly dog running towards mom and it was trying to attack her. My mother made a funny scream and soon she began to run away. The view of his drooling mouth and scary fangs was frightening. However, I grabbed mom's arm* and as a quick reaction my mom slapped the dog with her purse. The dog stepped back and cancelled the idea of terrifying that woman. My mother didn't know if she was crying or laughing. The situation was thrilling but hilarious in the same time. We couldn't stop laughing until we got home safe.

* If you saw a dog running towards you, don't run. Stay calm and steady and try not to show your fear. Dogs can smell the fear inside you! Believe me, I had experienced this in real.

Wake up! It's snowing out there!

Yesterday's morning, I woke up on my sister's voice saying "Wake up! It's snowing out there!". I heavily tried to look at the clock with half closed eyes... "Sis! It's a sick joke!" I replied. But she insisted to get me up and get outside to witness that unfamiliar event. Well, it was cloudy, therefore, I moved my bum out of my bed and grabbed a jacket and went outside. And "Hell yea, it's snowing!". It was amazing thing to watch and feel those soft white chips falling from the sky. They were melting as soon as they touch my warm hand. I've never expected to watch the snow falling on our city.
Anyway, it's cold over here in Baghdad these days. The electric power is off since the beginning of this year, the tap water is available in days unavailable in others, the mobile network coverage is very bad over my nieghborhood & the landphones are out of reach since only god knows when. But the important thing is the security stituation, which is kinda stabled. But I think as a human being, I have the right to enjoy a comortable lifestyle by providing the main civil services like (electric power, feul, water, land phones... etc.). Anyway, let's enjoy the view of snow and hope that the sex part comes later! ;)

Hi... I'm here!

On Friday 20th of September at 08:45 pm I arrived to Baghdad after staying for a year in Damascus. Lots of ideas, expectations and predictions I had formed about Baghdad all the way long. Of course, many of you (blog-mates) are accusing me by being suicidal or lunatic to head back to Iraq during these critical days. But I had explained that to some friends and I'm gonna explain it to you again. I couldn't finish my study abroad because I can't afford the costs of the scholarship there… and that part stinks.. I know!Another reason that I wasn't pleased with the unfriendly...... Let's not talk about that.
Anyway, it was a dark night when I got to Baghdad; the power was out in most of the neighborhoods. When we got down from the bus, I hurried to the luggage box to take away our bags. Later, I hired a Taxi and then zoooooooooooooooooom back home.During my ride back home, I received an SMS from Melantry telling me that she was going to call me in few minutes. Of course she knew that it is insecure if I was outside to pick up and chat along in English, therefore, I had to reject the call. But later when I got home, mel called me again and this time it was Caesar there to answer!
I live in a neighborhood was considered till a recent while as the headquarter of the Al-Qaida militants in the capital. People here told me that they had lived their worst days during those months I had spent abroad. Many (Shiite) people were compulsorily displaced, others were killed, and others were frightened to death trying helplessly to survive.In result of the forcibly mass departure, some (Sunni) people who were displaced from other neighborhoods had to inhabit those desolated houses. Anyway, as a result of the "Baghdad security plan" many of Al-Qaida members are in custody, some are killed, and others had to runaway to other unsteady areas. Thus, the situation now is relatively safer than before. Some fellas told me that couple of days before my arrival, the Iraqi police accompanied by the US forces had found a dead body in a blank pitch just behind my house. Spooky, eh?
I had a walk along through my neighborhood to check the aftermath of those terrible events, and I found some houses were partly or completely ruined. There were also giant stacks of concrete blocking the main entrances of my neighborhood, therefore, there is one way (in and out) as both entrance and exit. They were hard months on those people of Baghdad. However, there is still a bright side…By time, with the appliance of "Baghdad security plan" and formation of councils of Sahwa (= Awakening) and alliance of the free good individuals of this country, security and stability are being restored to the capital step by step. Now the violence levels in Iraq has come to its lowest degrees and , in sha Allah, security will continue and get better over time. Now people are going regularly to their workplaces, colleges, schools, markets, etc. Some families are taking their kids in Eids and weekends to "Al Zawraa Park" which is a famous park (Zoo + playing field) in Baghdad. It's improving slowly and gradually here. When I first got to college, I was worried of that the recent event might affect some fellas *** as I was affected to an a certain level by the media. But thanks god, none of this is real. I'm enjoying the college with my friends whether they were Sunnis or Shiites.
Finally, I'm so sorry for that long absence. But I'd like to defend myself and say that I was busy like hell in the recent while, besides, I have no internet connection at home. I may get Internet service soonish. I promise to keep updating my blog. And lemme say: Happy Eid and Christmas and so.

Going Back Home

It's confirmed, I'm heading back to Baghdad.... Since October 2nd I haven't seen Baghdad. A lotta thoughts and ideas I'm composing in my mind about that wounded city. Among all the bad and dangerous things that I have to avoid and take care of, I should put a new item to the list that is called by (Mrs. Cholera). Anyway, I'll do as Melantrys asked me...: "Don't drink tap water!". Ok, Mel! I won't! I'll die of thirst then :P No, I'm kiddin'! I'll boil the water in pots and then put it in the fridge. The bad thing about me going back home is that I had to cut my long hair. You know it's not safe to walk in the streets of Baghdad with a hair ends up to the shoulders. Anyway, I'll try to contact and keep in touch with each one of you!
God bless you all.

WE are the CHAMPIONS!

In my wildest dreams, I didn't imagine that Iraq could win the Asian cup. Winning such tournament requires big efforts, a great support and a hard work to build and prepare a strong team that can vie the others. Those standards are available for many big teams such as; Japan, South Korea, China, Iran, Saudi Arabia and Australia ( the Aussies have joined the AFC "Asian Football Confederation" recently). Those teams belong to countries are known by their stable security and economic situation. Before the start line of this tournament, I hoped that Iraq would show an attractive performance and try to be a tough contender. Actually, the Iraqi squad had something more to say. They became on the top of the group on Australia after the exciting victory against "All Stars" Australia (3-1). Victories continued and Iraq was through to the semi-final again since 31 years ago. They had to play against South Korea "the giants of Asia" in the semi-final. The optimism became stronger and the hope was bigger this time. The Iraqi players believed that they could make the difference there, therefore, they translated the dreams of a whole nation into a remarkable show in the ground. And after a dramatic match that made the crowd out of breath, Iraq won the match on penalties (4-3). I think all of you have seen the celebration of the Iraqi people there in Baghdad. Thousands of people were dancing and partying the big event of reaching the final for the first time ever. But the fiends of death were not pleased to see the Iraqis gathering in big crowds with no difference or discrimination between Sunni, Shiite or Kurds, so, they tried to kill the joy and turn off the flame of unity and the result was a bombed car and 50 innocent people killed. To be quite honest, I couldn't sleep that night!
One of the poor women has lost her son in that brutal blast decided not to set up the funeral because she believed that the Iraqi team would win the cup. So, the Iraqi players made a promise to do the impossible to grab the victory in the final. And they didn't disappoint that poor mother and other 25 millions of Iraqi ppl. They beat the Saudi team by (1-0) and they won the asian title for the first time. As soon as the refree ended the match. hundreds of thousands of Iraqi all over the globe were out in the street partying the joy of the victory. As for me, I couldn't control myself and I went on crying like a baby. It was a great moment not for my own life only, but for millions of Iraqis I'm sure.
Iraq has won again. And no, 13! You ain't gonna hear the end of this!

Congratulations, Iraqis!