Nice Bombs

I don't have much time to write...

You never forget you are living in a war zone in Iraq. The other night there were two large explosions not too far from my Uncle's house. K was in the bedroom getting ready to go to bed when it happened. My cousin Tareef and I were discussing politics when it happened. Two large booms that made the whole ground shake. My cousin did not even flinch. K 's hands were shaking. Besides the helicopters, jets and various sounds of gunshots, fireworks and such, that was the largest explosion we have heard so far. My aunt said this is what it's like everyday in Baghdad. We found out that it was a bomb, or some rocket that killed 4 Palestinians and 1 Iraqi.

The same day there was a car bomb when we went to our old neighborhood, where I grew up, University Center (Haight-Al-Jamaiya). In Mosul there was another car bomb. Iraqi police are always targeted. They are easy targets since the Americans are hiding behind the green zone.

Central Baghdad, the Liberty Mural the Double Decker Bridge, Al-Tahrir Sqaure- is still there, but various buildings are bombed out. It's crowded everywhere and traffic is anarchy with no rules. The destruction of the American bombings can be seen everywhere. There are also lots of poverty, bmany beggers and workers on the side of the road with their tools waiting to get hired.

Electricity works like this, you get 3 hours on and three hours off. Most people have generators or batteries that they can just switch when the power is cut. It's sort of sweet when the lights go off since we television is off and we light kerosene lamps and sit and tal and drink tea. Everybody has sattellite dishes and watches various gulf channels and even the Iraqi Channel (boring). We mainly watch Arab music videos (all that belly dancing makes me happy). You can get about 700 channels. The cost is only about 100 dollars to buy the dish, no monthly charge or anything like that.

Since we are in Eid weekend we eat and eat and eat and eat. We also drink tea (chai) and turkish coffee maybe 5 to 6 times a day. My Father knows everybody in this city so we keep visiting friends, famliy, who knows who? And it is always difficult to gracefully leave these situations without having Iraqi sweets (Klaycha) and more tea and candy and Cheer-Up (7-up).

The highlight, so far, was going to my Father's old neighborhood of Kadhamya where K was the center of attention as we walked down the market to the mosque where there is the holy shrine, the burial place of the 7th Iman for Shia, Mosul Kadham and the 9th Iman, Muhamad Al-Jawood. And my God, what a site! K kept on getting looks from the Iranian women, they would say: Koolish Hilwaah! She is very pretty! K would smile. She looked cute in her black Abaya and doll face. After removing our shoes, we had some trouble entering the mosque with my video camera. They wanted me to leave it in this hut and take a number. No way haji. Finally my Father's wife hid it under her Abaya (an Abaya is a black large cloth that Muslim women use to cover their body, hair and only expose hands and face. Every women in Kadhamya has to wear one). But it was okay sine we are VIP in Kadhmaya. Our Family is buried there since our tribe, our last name are the gate-keepers of the mosque of Kadhamya, we are special. After meeting the right people I was allowed to shoot anywhere I wanted. Inside was a sight to behold. Thousands of worshippers from Iran, Iraq some from Turkey all trying to touch the shrine, crying and shoving to just touch it. Men weeping and praying anywhere they can bow. After a while we were inside the arena of the mosque, sitting having tea with one our very distance relatives. One of the men kept staring and smiling at K. He told her that she has a very nice Hijab and that her Hijab and Abaya was better then most of the women that came in. He said she should be in charge of monitoring the Abayas so the women do not show any hair! After that we went back to the market and into one of the restaurants where there are pictures of Ali and Hussein (The spiritual leaders of Shia, Hussein is the first Imam of for the Shia's) everywhere. We had roasted chicken that we ate with our hands and with Khoobooz (bread). Very delicious and after that more tea. Kadhamya is totally safe and everyone was very friendly. Although someone said in a very loud voice, in Arabic to K, we know you are foreigner hiding under the Abaya! No big deal. I bought a dishdasha for myself and my brother.

We talk politics every night. My Uncle Kamel calls Bremer (jokingly) King Bremer. He says we like him as a person and that's it. We also went back to my Uncle Abdullah's house for the first day of Eid dinner and they made chicken and french fries especially for K since she does not eat red meat. Abdullah's daughter showed us a school bag that the US govt gave all the school kids in Iraq. A nice bag with pencils,a calculator, notebooks, that clearly states a GIFT FROM THE US, with a pic of a hand shaking another hand.

We are safe and sound but K has over 20 mosquito bites all over her body. Everyone is telling her because she is fair skin that they love her blood, sweet blood!

I feel at home here. Even though Baghdad is very much devasted by the war.

There is much controversy over our planned trip to south of Iraq, to Basra, to reclaim our house. Many people are advising us not to go. Basra is safe, but on the way there are many bandits, gangs and such that may rob us or kidnap K. We will see...

Did you know there are over 125 newspapers in Iraq?

I am running out of video tape!! Anyone know where I can find miniDV tapes in Baghdad?

We have more Eid celebration tonight at my cousins wife's family house. This would be the second day of Eid. And then it goes on all week until the end of the week. Lots of eating!

We are also going to the holy city of Najaf where Ali is buried and then to Kerbala where Hussein is buried. So far my documentary remains true to my original goal of discussing the history of Shia in Iraq. But of course there is so much more I am shooting.

I feel healthy and sleep deep every night. The conditions of the bathrooms and things like that are a very eastern but no big deal. We are over fed and we are in high demand to attend dinners and visit people.

I'm getting some email's from Western media folks who want to talk to me...Tribune journalists in Baghdad that are interested in our potential trip to Basra...we will see...

Everyone we meet is sincere and has a great sense of humor about the current condition. And one thing is for sure, everyone has a different opinion of what is happening. You cannot say that this person or that person represents all Iraqis, it's impossible.

Some of my views, some of my more Anti-American views are changing as well...it's difficult to explain right now since my Dad is about to pick me up. Kristie is still getting looks by some of the Iraqi men here in SKY NET. Maybe it's because she is the only woman? But nothing scary, just curious.

The call to prayer during Eid weekend wakes me up. A chorus of ALLAHU AKBAR!

I am in heaven with all the great food I am eating, ahhh! you should be here. I saw some graffiti that said FUCK METALLICA! hmmm....

It's a little colder today and rained quite a bit yesterday turning the streets into shallow rivers. But a sweater and a light jacket is all you need.

My Arabic is improving, Iraqi style, Shloonik Einee?

--Usama