1st Roadtrip in Kurdistan - To Sulaimaniya

Hello to all once again

This morning, Kathy and I arose early in order to travel to Sulaimaniya, Kurdistan, Iraq.  Sulaimaniya is about a three hour drive from Ankawa.  We travelled with Diane and two Chaldean Sisters -Daughters Of Mary Immaculate.  The sisters have a school there and wanted Kathy and I and Diane to go with them to assess new applicants for open teaching positions that they have at their school.

We skirted the foothills of the Zagros mountains.  The drive was on a two lane blacktop.  Lots of switchbacks, a couple of high mountain passes to traverse, and lots of traffic.  There are no railroads in Iraq, so everything- people and freight of all kinds, moves on the highway system.  I have not seen anything that looks like an interstate highway yet.  Think of Steinbeck's novel The Grapes of Wrath and the roads travelled by the Joad family as they travelled form Oklahoma to California and you got the picture.  Lots of sheep and goat herds along the way with some cattle every now and then. At one point, there was a large herd crossing the highway!    Also, we had to go through 4 army checkpoints between Erbil and Sulaimaniya, glad they like Americans!


A view of the Zagros Mountains

A view from the pass.

Looking east at the Zagros Mountains

We arrive in Sulaimaniya at about 9:30 a.m.  It is a very modern city.  I am told that it is a very secular city in comparison to Erbil.  Religion seems to be important everywhere in Iraq, but it might not be as important in Sulaimaniya as it is elsewhere.  They also have an ethnically diverse population that includes Indians, Pakistanis, Iranians, Turks, Chinese, Kurds, Arabs, etc.  You get the idea, I am sure.                                                                                                                                      

The above pictures were taken from the rooftop of the school that we visited in Sulaimaniya.  It is a fascinating city.  We all went to lunch about 3p.m. at a Turkish restaurant on the top floor of a local hotel.  I can not tell you what all I had.  Everything was delicious.  The most impressive course served was when the waiter came out with a sword pierced through many pieces of chicken suspended over a portable fire that was then placed on our table.  I thought to myself "How do we get the chicken off of that sword?"  My question was answered very shortly when the waiter grabbed the handle of the sword and held it about 8 inches from my face as he slid a piece of meat onto my plate.  Well needless to say, it was very good.  The wait staff kept bringing course after course, even after we told them that we could nor possibly eat any more.  I think the chef was actually offended that we did not eat his 2 full plates of grilled fish, and the platter of grilled ????  We would have taken it with us, but the concept of "doggy bag" just doesn't exist here.   Below is a picture of Kathy and Diane and Sister Phillipa.  The other picture is me with our driver and a staffer with the school in Sulaimaniya.

By the way, Kathy and I only had room for a banana for dinner upon our return to Ankawa at 6:30.  That's all for now.  May our Heavenly Father richly bless each of you and your loved ones.
jw