Memorial Day at Embassy Baghdad

We had a quick yet poignant ceremony marking Memorial Day, complete with color guard and the most moving performance of Taps I've ever heard. This was the first Memorial Day at the new embassy.

Scenes from the IZ in Baghdad

One of the "Saddam heads" that was removed from a former presidential palace. They were moved near the new U.S. Embassy, but have recently vanished. Some early reconstruction officials were promised souvenir coins made from the melted-down heads.

Iraqi government building damaged in the 2003 liberation


It's as if I'm holding one of the swords! Uncanny, isn't it?

As George Packer explains in Assassins' Gate: "After the war with Iran, Saddam ordered gigantic arms to be cast and smelted from models of his own, with the hands holding enormous swords that were crossed into triumphal arches over either end of the military parade ground in the center of Baghdad. The helmets of dead Iranians, pocked with bullet holes, were embedded in the pavement under the arches, so that during the annual ceremonial parade Iraqi tanks would crush them and Iraqi soldiers would stomp on them."

This may be the most photographed spot in all of Iraq.

The parade grounds are still littered with the helmets

Swords on the other end of the parade grounds
(is that where the old Landmark casino went?)


Entrance to Camp Prosperity (a former presidential palace)

Full blogger disclosure: some of these photos aren’t mine. Except for the Saddam head, I did indeed see all this.

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Baghdad Spring Break!

“You all know this plane is going to Baghdad, right?”

We’ve all taken our “seats” on the Air Force C-130 at Amman’s Marka Civil Airport. The airman clearly enjoys doing his pre-flight announcements, after which, from the front of the cabin, he demonstrates astonishing pinpoint accuracy as he tosses feather-light boxes of earplugs to every raised hand, even those of us way back near the tail. No matter where you sit, earplugs are a good idea.

It’s a two-hour flight to Baghdad International Airport. The cool kids call it “bye-app”.

Just a week earlier, I volunteered to help Embassy Baghdad’s short-staffed consular section deal with a new load of Immigrant Visa applicants, including Iraqi translators who worked with the U.S. military.

But Baghdad is so last year now. Folks used to fight to get jobs here. Now it's amazing how quickly one’s travel orders are ready after they volunteer.

Helicopters over the Green Zone - they always fly in pairs

But the journey is quite exciting: C-130 to Baghdad Airport. Transfer to Green Zone via helicopter.

How do the Baghdad helicopters compare to the King of Jordan's?

Mints: No
Cup holders: Nope
Luggage attendants: Hah!
Guns: You betcha

Baghdad, as seen from helicopter

In minutes, we arrive at the Green Zone helipad, then it’s just a short drive to the New Embassy Compound (the “neck”).

Once arrived at the "neck", it’s so quiet (no cars, no kids, no locals), sterile, even a little boring. After I located my residence, the shopette, the laundry, and the dining facility, I mentioned to my new boss that I feel like I’m at a university again. He replied, “after a while, you’ll find it’s more like a community college.”

Residences at the new Embassy

Did I tell Mom? Yes. On Mother's Day, no less. Sorry Mom!

Full blogger disclosure: these photos aren’t mine. But I did indeed see all this stuff in my first few days here.

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Last stop Izmir

Our last stop was a night in Izmir - Turkey's second (? maybe third) largest city. In our day we saw its sites - a clock tower, this pretty tiled mosque and an old fortress on top of the hill looking into the harbor. We ended the day (and our trip) with delicious Chinese food - we all agreed that we were not up for a seventh night of kebabs.

Working at the World Economic Forum

Last night at 2:00 am I concluded literally the longest workweek of my life getting ready for and supporting the trip of a Senior Advisor from the White House to the World Economic Forum in Jordan. The WEF is a sister-conferencef to Davos (they have the big meeting in Switzerland and then similar meetings in 5 regions).

The week had some highs and lows. Watching media coverage of Davos it seems glamorous - in practice it was less so - yes there is something intriguing about getting coffee at the same time as the President of Slovakia (Slovenia - one of them) - but mostly it was just really crowded without enough seats or coffee.

I did however get to ride in King Abdullah's helicopter - which is WAY nicer than the military helicopter I had ridden in previously. It still doesn't feel natural the way a helicopter lurches off the ground but comfy seats, wood paneling, cup holders and mints made it seem nicer. Unfortunately, our trip was cut short by poor visibility from dust that covered everything and after about 10 minutes of flying south towards Petra, the pilot turned around. We had been flying next to pretty big hills and I felt like if the pilot thought it was unsafe (or that we could get caught in a worse dust storm in Petra and not be able to fly out) it was probably better not to be flying.

Over the weekend, I got to make small talk with not one but TWO princes. Stephanie had once complimented me on my ability to make small talk with nearly anyone. Princes, are well trained in diplomacy and go to a lot of receptions, so they put even my passable small talk skills to shame - and were delightful and charming.

I also had the King smile at me as he walked past me down the hallway. Or he was smiling maybe it wasn't at me but he seemed nice.

At one point I was sitting outside a hotel ballroom waiting to talk to a WEF staffer. At the same time, Their Majesties were giving a speech inside the ballroom. A journalist also waiting in the hallway came up to me and asked if I was with Her Majesty. I laughed and said no but attributed it to my really nice pink jacket (or perhaps the inexplicability of not going into the session).

Ephesus

After two years in the Levant, we have seen a lot of ruins. It takes more than a 2000 year old stadium or a Byzantine mosaic to get us excited.

Ephesus (or Efes - also name of local beer) is Turkey's best preserved (or restored) Roman city. Here is Dan in front of the library's facade.

It ad

Ephesus had a colonnaded street like other Roman cities we have visited (see photos of Jerash, Beit Sheyan)

But what we actually liked best was the renovation work they are doing on Byzantine houses. The houses are on the side of a hill and they have built a shelter and protective walkways so you are walking over the houses and can see the frescos and mosaic and marble floors.

A friend served in Turkey and said this was a must see (especially knowing that we had seen other Roman ruins). Without that recommendation we would not have gone in because it cost another $10 (or so) on top of the $15 it already cost to get into Ephesus but was one of the coolest things we say on the trip. Under the shelter you could see active restoration projects as they pieces marble wall decorations back together.

Cesme Photos

We stayed three nights at resort near Cesme on the coast. We used it as a base for drives to Bergama and Ephesus

On top of the fort in Cesme we met a bunch of Turkish students who wanted their picture taken and several of whom are now my facebook friends. They post ALL the time in Turkish - I think it is about pop music but it is hard to tell.

Bergamum photos

We flew into Izmir and then drove up to Bergamum to see some Roman ruins. We were surprised to also see turtles.

Istanbul pictures - take 2

We spent a rainy day at Topkapi Palace which was stunning - architecture - tile work and views onto the water.

We spent a sunny day on a boat ride up the Bosphorous up to the Black Sea. The river was us and a lot of persumably empty tankers heading back up to the Black Sea for re-filling. All of the boats were heading the same way which made us wonder if this was planned.

The boat trip ended at a fort where we ate more kebabs and this sort-of pizza like thing.

Photos from Istanbul - set 1

For our last trip from Jordan we met my parents in Turkey. Four days in Istanbul and then four days in southeastern Turkey near the coast.

Turkey was stunning - beautiful mountains, water and architecture so we took a lot of pictures which will slowly be added to this blog.

First stop - Istanbul

Istanbul is on the water - with a harbor full of fish stands and bridges covered with guys fishing. One side of the city has an urban, modern skyline. The other side of the city which you can see here has a skyline of minarets and domed mosques.

Nice cat at a cemetary.

Me at the same cemetary. I also found a nice sunny spot but did not take a nap.

Here is Dan next to a medusa's head carving that is under the city in a cistern.