Karbala - Iraq

Middle East-Iraq-Karbala   I had given up on this card , It took 8 months to get here. Here is showing the Holy City of Karbala. An Amazing Mosque to visit and got special treatment here. You will see some of those photos on my other Iraq pages. 

Getting to mail this card was a very difficult task. I had to get a security official and the tour leader to walk me to the Post office . Went though a few security checkpoints and at last found the Post office. If was heavily guarded but unfortunately was closed. This was during a "Normal working day" according to my guide. However I found a police man who said he would look after my cards and leave them into the Post office when it opened. So 8 months later here it is. I am especially glad for the many people I sent cards from here . That was because I had to leave the Post office in Baghdad in a hurry due to a power failure and could only write my own card out in the dark. 

Two Capital Cities Tehran and Baghdad

Middle East-Iran-Tehran This is the Azadi Tower. A landmark in Tehran. During my other two visits, I had never managed to stop and see it properly. I had passed it to and from the old international Airport in Tehran. This time I was determined that I would stop and see it . During my trip to Tehran, I also visited the previous Shah Palaces, the Gold Museum and the old American Embassy. This is possible with prior arrangement . 

Not many people knew where the central Post office was. It had changed since my last visit. In fact when I got there in the end, I have to say it was very boring. No special counters to visit and no selection of stamps. I wished I had visited the old Post office as this is  now a stamp museum and also has a Philatelic counter. As you can see this large stamp which was part of a Miniature sheet takes up a lot of the back of the postcard. 

Middle East-Iraq-Baghdad  I have to say that a few years ago, if someone had told me I would visit Baghdad I would have told them they were mad. However over the years I have got very determined to visit Iraq and if possible with safety Baghdad. I in fact spend 10 days in Iraq. I was surprised how religious it was , even more so then Iran. So seen a lot in that time and on a few occasions met the locals and talked to them about how life was in Iraq. Had the services of the Iraqi Tourism board, who usually only deal with religious tourism. Still interesting to see a country in the way it is and not the way you wished it was , if you know what I mean. This postcard is from the 1970s . It was not possible to find interesting Postcards from now. Still a piece of nostalgia. 

This card was sent from the Main Post office in Baghdad during a blackout. So it was difficult writing the card. I had prewritten other cards that I had requests for and sent those. But as I could not stay in the Post office too long I had to leave due to security reasons. Interesting the Post office is opposite the Iraqi National Museum.  During my stay in Iraq I sent cards from two other Post offices. However none of them arrived at their final destination. I was disappointed but not surprised. Getting access to Post Offices was far from easy . The tourist officers did not want me to go as it was not a priority for them. It was not possible to walk anywhere without security . On one of the Post offices I was not let in and left the Post cards with the Police. I guess one postcard is better then none ! 

Iraq end of trip and Baghdad

Well this is my final set of photos from Iraq. From the Bottom up we have the Local Chief of a  village. His wife was American but they lived here in Iraq and he had perfect english. So great to talk to him and get a feel for what was going on. 

I am at a table with on my last night in Baghdad with some locals. In this restaurant you could drink, but I stayed on soft drinks. Still they were very interested to talk to a "tourist". There was a piano player from Armenia and being Irish I took to the microphone and sang a song. Fitting for my last night. It sent everyone away in good spirits. 

There is a monument in Baghdad to commemorate the revolution in 1958 .

Another monument that I am not sure , what it is , but it is in Baghdad.

And finally some of the Iraqi Army VIP service who provided security during the trip. Overall a very difficult country to travel in at present , but the people on a face to face level are great to talk to . I look forward to the day that Iraq is at peace with the world and itself.

Karbala - Iraq

As I have said getting to Post offices in Iraq proved to me difficult even for me!! Here I am in Kerbala Post office. In fact when I got here it was closed. This took 20 minutes of me pleading with security to take me. Here is one of the local Police who are stationed at the Post office. There are a number of Yellow post boxes around Post offices but I was fimerly told they are not in use. So in this case my Police man and me became best buddies and he looked after my postcards and told me he will put them into the Post office when it opened. I got here on a Thursday and they initially told me to come back on Sunday to post my cards and only I could come back. So I live in hope. But I did send postcards to many people who requested them from Baghdad and here. Some of the cards only have an address as I was under big pressure to get out of the Post office. ( Karbala and Kerbala are the same , two different spellings) 

Kerbala is a holy city and security was heavy heavy here. No cars allowed in the centre or near the mosque. 

This is a car bomb that went off in Kerbala the day I was here. No one injured. 

Life around the city 

Imam Husayn Shrine is one of the oldest mosques in the world and holy site of Shia islam. It is a very busy mosque and many millions visit from all over the world. Inside got a special VIP tour so was able to take these photos. Amazing to visit. 

On the way out of the city found this post office. A yellow box and closed.. Wish I had put a card in a box to see if it would go. 

Babylon - Iraq

I am home back in Dublin now after this trip. So at least I can put up some more of the photos and details of the trip. This is copy of the entrance Gate to Babylon. The original is in a museum in Berlin. The other photos include part of the restoration of Babylon which was done under Sadam. Finally some photos from the old nearby palace that once belonged to Sadam. It was interesting going inside . It was for a time used as a basketball court by the local soldiers in recent times. Now left in disuse. Was told by the Iraqi Tourists officials that at one stage it was looked at in recent years as a possible 5 star hotel for Babylon.

Long since gone into non use . This was the Sovenir shop and even a post box outside. Now it is a sleeping area for the local security and army. There was no post box or Post office in this area. Even if there was I would not have found it as all the contacts I had decided to deny that a Post office existed and was always directed to DHL or whatever. Very frustrating.

Baghdad Day 3

Day 3 in Baghdad. More photos of the postcards on sale. A famous cafe in Central Baghdad to sit relax and talk with the locals.  Not permitted to take photos at checkpoints but with some Irish charm , managed to talk them into the idea !! Here is the Post Office at Baghdad Central Train Station.  I did not post any postcards here, though maybe in hindsight that mind have been a good idea.  I did go to the main Post Office. It is heavenly guarded and so no photos.  It was difficult to get permission to go and I was told it was closed at the time I was going.  But I persisted and my guides and security finally agreed.  It was open and quite large.  I ended up in the sorting office first.  The Iraqi tourist board I was with did not know where to go as they had never been before.  I finally found the office itself.  There was no philatelic section I could see but did not do my normal checking. I was under extreme pressure to leave by the Iraqi tourist people. I did manage to send out postcards. In the middle of all this going on the power went and we were all in the dark.  So I could not see correctly to finish off writing. So for those who get a postcard from Baghdad it will have just your name and no writing from me on the left.  So just presume it's from me.  I have no photos either as the person taking the photos for me pressed the wrong button on the camera and no photos were taken.  Still it was an experience.  Getting to Post offices in Iraq is near impossible.  All I get told is A-no Post office, B it's closed now, C it closed last month.  I am now in Kabala , south of Baghdad.  Tomorrow I will try to find the post office.

Baghdad

Hi All.  Had a great trip to Iran and will report on that when I get home next week.  Had no access to any blogs there.  So now in Baghdad.  Here is day one with some pics of the National Museum in Baghdad. Much better then I had expected.  And some street scenes at a sweet shop and the only postcard seller I could find in Baghdad with a fab collection of postcards.  Most from the 1980s. More to follow.