The Mesopotamian Marshes
Bfore I left Nasiriyah, I walked through the centre of town for one last look. A statue at the end of the man street, but the inscription was obscured by a poster.
The entrance to the museum, closed despite claiming to be open at 9am.
A bridge being built over the Euphrates, one of the landward ends of the bridge...
...and a view of the opposite end of the new bridge.
Looking downriver was another bridge with a line of protestors walking across. The y wanted an end to corruption, some reforms and the release of activists who had been arrested in earlier protests.
A modern building, another inspired by the nearby Ziggurat.
And another bridge, carrying a local road which has a temporary substitute for pedestrians and cyclists but has not yet been repaired for vehicles.
A look across the Euphrates where we were going to pick up our boats to take us to our Mesopotanian Marsh Arab overnight experience.
Our oats.
The mosque opposite, made out of reeds as is the tradition for all buldings in the marshes.
Our police escort.
One of the other boats...
...and then we were away.
Our local guide, Ali at the back of the boat.
Our marsh guide, Haider.
One of the many buildings en route...
...a front view...
...some of the vegetation....
...differnet types of reed...
...buffalos...
...more buffalos...
The scrfs that the men wear are traditional patterns....the main central pattern represents the fish nets that they use....
...the pattern around the edge represents the many birds that inhabit the marshes either as permanent residents or as a migratory stop over.
When to the reeds die back and dry out, they set fire to them to encourage new shoots.
Water buffalo crossing the channel.
They have ribbons tied to their horns for identification.
They are good swimmers and like the water.
The dome of a monument to the martyrs in the distance as we sped past.
Our lodgings for the evening in the community hall. It was made of reeds although the plastic sheeting is more effective and quicker to put on against wind and rain. Otherwise it is several layers of thatched reed matting.
The inside was warm with carpets and cushions.
Our evening meal, bread, fruit, dates, cheeses and yoghurts from buffalo milk, rice and locally caught fish.
Getting ready for bed, sleeping on foam mattresses on the floor.
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