Can Iraq be reborn as 'genteel' holiday spot?

Irish Independent ^ | Sat, Aug 14 04 | Gemma O'Doherty

[Happygal]

It might be the most dangerous place in the world, but that hasn't stopped a budding tour operator in Britain from launching package holidays to Iraq. Undeterred by kidnappings of foreigners, a raging insurgency and general lawlessness, former soldier Don Lucey is planning "a genteel tour" for around a dozen people at the end of September.

Under Saddam Hussein's regime, Iraq was hardly on the tourist trail, but its ancient city of Babylon - fabled home of the Hanging Gardens - and the Muslim Holy cities of Najaf and Kerbala have drawn historians and religious visitors for centuries.

A land of beautiful lakes, mountains and deserts, Iraq could one day profit from its bloody past in the same way Vietnam and Cambodia have done. The Iraqi Tourist Board said recently that infamous sites connected to the country's recent wars would also feature on the tourist map of the future, including the Abu Ghraib prison, Saddam's notorious torture chambers and the 8-by-6 foot hole in the ground south of Tikrit where he was found hiding last December.

Lucey believes tourism has to start somewhere and his trips will be the catalyst. The 10-day tour run by Bann Tours in Swindon costs about €1,500 per person.

[Happygal]

It wouldn't be my first choice for a holiday destination - but I thought this interesting nonetheless.

[Happygal]

Going on a summer holiday?

Ping! :-)

[Qatar-6]

Well, parts of Kurdistan are pretty

Babylon is faithfully reproduced out of brown mud brick and looks like a brown Lego-land. It's about the brownest thing I've ever seen

The mosque in Najaf is interesting (from the outside, never went into it)

All told they've a way to go

All the best

Qatar-6

[Happygal]

It's about the brownest thing I've ever seen

I wonder is there a tourist market for brown-ophiles? :-)

[The Scourge of Yazid]

Well, if the North Koreans can make it work I suppose that anything's possible, isn't it?

[Happygal]

North Korea...another place not high on my travel agenda. There are so many easier ways to get a tan, ye know! ;-)

[The Scourge of Yazid]

I know, but the scenery's gorgeous!

Okay, maybe the view of Kurdistan isn't so hot...

Still, how bad can it be?

I mean, it ain't Ithaca.

[Little Bill]

Join the "Gods, Graves, and Glyph's" ping list, most of us would go there in a second.

[Irish_Thatcherite]

There are beautiful marshes in southern Iraq - no, wait they've been drained.

[Irish_Thatcherite]

Can I join - pretty please - I climbed a 1500ft mountain with a severe hangover in Co. Sligo last Monday - just to see a cairn that is reputed to be grave of the legendary Queen Maeb, who was supposed to be Queen of Connacht, who features in the Ulster Cycle of ancient celtic myths - she was supposed to be an enemy of King Conor Mhac Neasa of Uladh (Ulster) - and the warrior Cu Chullain - why the hell do I want to go Iraq for - there is too much to see in Ireland.

[texasflower]

Aren't they working on refilling and rehabilitating the marshlands?

I know it will never be the same. But aren't they trying to get the marshes back for the people?

[Irish_Thatcherite]

Aren't they working on refilling and rehabilitating the marshlands?

I know it will never be the same. But aren't they trying to get the marshes back for the people?

I didn't know that, nice to see they are undoing Saddam's handy work, but your right, it will never be the same.

[texasflower]

Here are a couple of links to articles about it. Last I heard, Japan was now in charge of the project, also providing 11 million dollars in funding.

Sadly, it is going to be many, many years to get it back. The ancient marshlands are gone forever.

I'll put the links in another post, so they are clickable. I don't know why I can't put them in this post, but they aren't showing as clickable. Sorry about that.

[texasflower]

http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/library/news/iraq/2003/11/iraq-031107-rferl-171032.htm

http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_kmusn/is_200308/ai_kepm219498

[Allegra]

Don't come to Iraq in July or August.

It's freakin' HOT.

And I'm a Texan.

[null and void]

There are beautiful marshes in southern Iraq - no, wait they've been drained.

I believe Saddam's drains have been destroyed and the marshes are being restored. Not certain, but I seem to recall this tidbit from shortly after the active phase...

[null and void]

Sounds like quite a few of us remember this!

[VOA]

With the right to historical places like Babylon, Ninevah, and Abraham's hometown,
Ur of the Chaldees...

If the FREE Iraqis can get a grip and learn how to be nice to tourist (and not
be threatened by the Christian ones passing thorough)...
Iraq could make a freakin KILLIN' on tourism.

Including all the US, UK, and other military guys/gals of TWO campaigns who might
want to take their families to see the place where they lived out some very significant
chapters of their lives.

[Allegra]

I love ancient ruins, too. It's killing me that I'm here and can't go see all of that stuff...things up to 6,000 years old. It's so close and yet so far.

I've decided I'm going to have to come back here in about ten years to see those things. I'm putting my faith in it being settled down and fixed up after all of the recent wars.

[VOA]

Oh, and as I understand, a lot of archeological sites were "off limits" during
Saddam's reign.

Once world-class archeologists start going to town with their modern methods...and their
finds are added to what is already on display in Baghdad's museums...
archeology/history/museum groupies like myself will put Iraq on the "must-see" list,
while dropping a few "Old Europe" destination to the bottom of (or off) the list.