The Main Gate of the Erbil Citadel
The Kurdish flag flying in the old Erbil Citadel
Fish grilling to perfection
The finished product
Eating ice cream with a former Kurdish body builder
The Erbil Citadel
Kurdish Textile Museum
Enjoying Arguileh
Some big Kurdish Guy
Lazgin and our "ninja"What exactly did I get while I was in Iraq? Probably lung cancer, possibly some new business opportunities, definitely a desire to go back and spend more time. My time in Iraqi Kurdistan was very brief, but it was full of priceless experiences and the incredible hospitality of the Kurdish people. I have nothing but good things to say about the Kurdish people and the enormous strides they have made towards creating a stable and prosperous region in a very turbulent part of the world. The welcome I received rivaled that of my own champions of hospitality back in Lebanon, and it was one of the very few places in the world where I actually felt completely comfortable being an American.
My friends in Iraq are definitely very well-connected within the Kurdish regional government, and I had the great pleasure of meeting some of the movers and shakers of the region and learning more about the Iraqi Kurdistan. I have many interesting and entertaining stories from my short time in Iraq, but I don’t feel that it is appropriate for me to share many of the details in an internet post. I will, however, give a brief explanation of how I spent my time in Erbil.
As the guest of some successful business people in Erbil, I was lucky enough to be able to visit some of their stores and offices and to learn more about business in Kurdistan. I was able to sit in on a meeting with two Swedish Kurds that are trying to develop the film industry in the area. I enjoyed many glasses of perfect Kurdish tea that reminded me very much of the warm glasses enjoyed with Mansour out at Willow Creek Inn. Multiple times a day we would sit back and smoke some excellent Arguileh (aka Hookah or Shisha) with various fruit flavors, sometimes even with the tobacco packed into some fresh fruit. The thick sweet smoke felt icy against my face, and the Shisha we get in the states or Europe pales in comparison. The food was all excellent, although most of it was transplanted from an area I am very familiar with, Lebanon. One night, amongst some very important company, we enjoyed some local fresh-water fish, grilled to perfection by an open fire. One evening, we negotiated our way into the historic Erbil Citadel right at closing time, and wandered the ancient streets and visited the Kurdish textile museum.
The most important thing I can say about Iraqi Kurdistan is that it is a wonderful place, where I felt very safe and very welcome, and with any luck, I will be returning soon. The opportunities available in the region are innumerable, and I sincerely hope that I can find a way to take advantage of them. Next time, I hope to spend a great deal more time in the region and explore some other parts of the area, particularly the mountains. Who knows? Maybe I’ll even bring a tour group with me one day. Many thanks to the people of Kurdistan!
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