Showing posts with label northern iraq. Show all posts
Showing posts with label northern iraq. Show all posts

Saturday, March 17, 2018

Bring the US to Kurdistan

Posted by Mita on March 17, 2018 in
Getting some products from the US to Iraq is becoming very easy right now. We can shop at major online stores such as amazon, ebay, and others and then ship them to Iraq. How to do that? All we can do is using Boombinere . I think this is a brilliant service  ! I have been using Boombinere and so far I am so satisfied.

We need to sign up and make an account. After that, they will give us an address in the US. Then, whenever we finished shopping and the goods were collected at the  given US address,  we only need to punch a button to ask them to ship the goods it to us. The shipment fee will be calculated based on the weight of the overall package. There are some collections points in Iraq's major cities such as Erbil, Sulaimaniya, Baghdad, and Duhok. In Sulaimaniya, the collection point  is located in Bakhtiari Khon. Boombinere will send notification about the status of our purchase and shipment. Another good news is that we don't have to pay any charges (custom) fee for our goods. Bringing products from US to Iraq is much easier and cheaper than to my own country, really!

I was wondering about the meaning of Boombinere and someone told me that it may come from a Kurdish expression "Bo Men Bena" it means "Bring (to) Me". In Kurdish, the word "Bo" is used to say for or  to. Men is used to say me or mine. Bena means bring.  They shortened it to be "Bombena" and to make it easier for an English speaking people they write it Boombinere. Interesting !
Boombinere collection point in Bakhtiari Khon, Sulaimaniya
Instruction to use the service
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Thursday, June 02, 2016

DHL in Sulaimaniya

Posted by Mita on June 02, 2016 in
Just want to update the information about DHL service in Sulaimaniya. In my previous post Going to DHL, I posted basic information about the location and contact. Recently they have print bilinguals business cards which include the map. It's very helpful, especially if you don't speak Kurdish. Just show this card to the taxi driver. They know where to go. From Bakrajo area it normally cost 5000 Iraqi Dinar (one way). A return trip costs 10,000 Iraqi Dinar.
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Monday, June 29, 2015

Ginger Jaya - Episode 3, Kurdistan Pet Passport

Posted by Mita on June 29, 2015 in
It has been 6 months Ginger staying with us, she grows into a healthy, cute,  well behave and a fat cat. She does not knock everything off from the table, does not beg for foods and does not bother us when we eat. Unfortunately, she seems trauma to go outside after she got bitten by a dog and spent the days during winter time outside (please read Ginger Jaya - Episode 1).   I really have to try hard to make her out of our apartment. However, if I take her out, she wants to get in as soon as possible. I guess she is afraid that if she goes out, she will end up to be a street cat again.  My hubby and I think that someday, if we ever leave the country we should take her with us. So, I  decided to find out the procedure to take a pet out from Iraq - Kurdistan and  how to make a pet passport for Ginger.

Luckily, our neighbour, Mrs Lora told me about a private veterinary hospital in Sulaimaniya namely Kurdistan Safari Private Veterinary Center. The hospital is able to provide the necessary document and install a microchip. It is located in Tasluja Street (from  the American University go on the direction to the Sulaimaniya airport and go straight. From the university it takes about 15 minutes by taxi to  get there. We need to make an appointment prior to the visit, their phone is: 07701550768. E-mail: kurdistan.safari@hotmail.com

The hospital is so clean, pleasant, and I would say it is equipped with a modern technology, compared to any other veterinary place that I have visited in Sulaimaniya. Although, it is a little bit messy. They provide pet supplies too such as foods, bowls, soft cases, harness, etc.
Inside the hospital
Dr Hiwa
The doctors were nice but the one who handled Ginger was a bit afraid of cat :) but it was no problem at all because Ginger was so cooperative.  I decided to take a complete package for Ginger which covers a passport, a microchip, a rabies shot, thick and parasite treatments (plus a bottle of a spray) and an internal parasite treatment (a tablet). All of them cost 90 USD.

The Passport
I feel relief because Ginger has her basic document now. I hope when the time comes we can easily take her with us.

Ginger's Passport
Treatment records
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Thursday, April 23, 2015

Sha’ab Chaikana

Posted by Mita on April 23, 2015 in
Sa'ab chaikana (people's tea house), founded in late 1940s is a famous place for men to hang out in Sulaimaniya. The tea house is located in the bazaar, on Kawa street, near Sara square.  It is a place where they like to talk about politics, daily life, smoke, or  play backgammon.  Women normally don't go to this place, except for foreign women ( I think the people tolerate a visit for a cultural experience).  This time, Edith took me to this place, lovely! I guess we were the only women inside the chaikana that time...
Chaikana Sa'ab
The entrance door is very small but once you get inside the shop is bigger than I thought.  I can feel the dynamic atmosphere inside the room. The men were busy talking to each other, old, middle age and young were mixed into one. There are different pictures and photos of important people (famous poets, Kurdish fighters),  Kurdish flag, zoroastrian symbol, etc hanging on the wall.  The tea house is also has collections of books.
Inside the Chaikana
We had cups of tea and puddings called Mahalabi (made of cornflour mixed with cinnamon, milk and rose water). It was so delicious ! I would like to visit this place again (but not alone, of course). 
Mahalabi
There were different cultural events held in this place. You can find more information about the house from the links below:
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Tuesday, April 21, 2015

Chavy Land

Posted by Mita on April 21, 2015 in
My hubby took me to Chavy Land, an amusement park in Sulaymaniya.  It takes about 25 minutes with car and costs 7000 Iraqi Dinnar with a taxi from  Bakrajo. I was so excited because I have heard a lot about the place and finally we made it there !!!
Welcome to Chavy Land
The Chavy land is located in Goizha Mount. It has been open since 2013 and is considered as the biggest entertainment project in Iraq with the area of 750,000 square meter.  There are so many facilities such as roller coaster, merry go round, sky lift, cinema, ferris wheel, and etc. It also has an open area with chairs, restaurants and small booths.
A view from Chavy Land from our sky lift
A modern system is applied for the ticketing.  If we want to get in, we need to get a magnetic card and top up the card with amount of money. It costs 1000 Iraqi Dinar (per person) for the entrance fee.
Magnetic card
They charge different tariffs for each sites, for example 3000 Iraqi Dinar to take a mini roller coaster and 7000 Iraqi Dinar to get into the sky lift, unfortunately you cannot refund the money that you have put in the card.
The view from the sky lift
The sky lift is a bit expensive but it really worth. The view from the sky is breath taking. We got off in the top of the mountain for some drinks, relaxing for a while, and then we got into the sky lift to return back.
Sky lift terminal
After getting off the sky lift, I bought a roasted corn in a small booth for 3000 Iraqi Dinar, then we decided to take a mini roller coaster  (and  I screamed a lot!!).  I think I am too old for that spinning roller coaster,  my hubby kept asking me, "Are you okay?", "Are you okay?"...LOL.. Anyway, it was a lovely afternoon, we enjoyed it very much.
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Saturday, March 01, 2014

Hanging Out in Hawler

Posted by Mita on March 01, 2014 in
This weekend, I joined a day trip to Hawler organised by AUIS. I was so excited as I have never been there before. So, on Friday at 7.30 AM the university bus picked us up in Bakrajo and then went to Pak city to picked up some staffs living there. It was around 20 people joined the trip.

Hawler known as Erbil (or Arbil), is the capital of Kurdistan Region. There are approximately 1.3 million people living in the city. Hawler is the 4th largest city in Iraq after Baghdad, Basra and Mosul. It took about 3 hours from Sulaymani to Hawler and we passed several check points along the way (so make sure that you have your residency card when you go to Hawler!). We crossed mountainous area which is so dry and full of rocks. It is so much different from the mountain areas in Indonesia which mostly look so green and full of trees. Well, every place is unique.

On the way to Hawler, view from our bus
We arrived in Hawler around 11.30 Am, we strictly went to Citadel. Citadel is an old settlement built in 6000 BC, it rises approximately 30 meters above the ground level of the lower city and located in the heart of Hawler.  Citadel has been said as the oldest continuously inhabited town in the world. 
View of Citadel from the lower part of the city

Right now, the High Commission for Erbil Citadel Revitalization (HCECR) is working on the revitalization of this historical place. When we got there, most part of the Citadel was closed and it started to rain. However, it was good to be able to see the old building and be there in a moment. I am not sure how long it will take to finish the work. It would be good to visit another time after they have done revitalised it. 
Information board regarding the revitalisation work
Some part of the Citadel's settlement
View from the top of Citadel
Since there were not so much to see in the Citadel, we went back to the lower part of the city (city centre) and heading to the Bazaar. I love to see Citadel from the Bazaar. 

Citadel and the local shops
View of Citadel from the Bazaar
We had big lunch in the Bazaar. After that,  we continued our journey to the Family mall. We did some shopping there and went back to Sulaymani around 7 pm. We arrived in Bakrajo at 11.30 pm. It was a long trip but fun. 
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Monday, December 23, 2013

Kaisary Nakieb

Posted by Mita on December 23, 2013 in
I have been to Kaisary Nakieb (Qaysary Nakieb) several times to look around and bought knitting yarns but I did not notice the historical background of this place until I read a short article about it recently. 

Kaisary Nakieb entrance
Kaisary Nakieb is a market inside Sulaymani Bazaar (close to the way to the goldsmith stores). It is such a crowded place and there are so many things that you can find there: cosmetics, sewing kits, school supplies, and etc. It was built by Mustafa al Naqib in 1900 B.C and refer to the Istambul (Turkish) market architecture. 

The ceiling
I did not notice the design and the style of the building. But then, after the last visit, I managed to see some parts that showed the style, especially the ceilings. The building had been renovated and reconstructed here and there, but somehow you can still see the original design.

Beautiful style isn't it?
Another entrance gate to get inside the Kaisary Nakieb
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Visiting Zamwa Gallery

Posted by Mita on December 23, 2013 in
It is a beautiful sunny winter day. My hubby and I decided to wander around Sulaymani Bazaar.
I have been wanting to go to Zamwa Gallery but my hubby forgot the location. Accidentally, we met one of my hubby's student, we chatted and he showed the way to the gallery (and my hubby immediately remember the way to that hidden gallery!). Very nice!
Zamwa gallery is located in the Bazaar area, not far from the Rasha Mall (sorry, I don't really know how to give you a direction but you can see a link in my blog that shows the area) .  The best time to visit the place perhaps on working days (we were there on Monday, around 1-2 pm). The gallery used to be a house of Ibrahim Ahmad, a well known Kurdish writer and politician. The house was donated by the family to be used as a gallery since 1995 and open to the public (free admission). 

Inside the gallery
The gallery has a lot of interesting collections (e.g. photos, pictures, sculptures) of Kurdish artists. They organized several exhibitions. An officer at the gallery gave us a catalogue of their last events. I hope they will get more publications.

@mita
Some of the Zamwa's collections
This painting reminds me of the  execution of Kurdish
during Saddam's regime

The name of Zamwa is actually taken from the ancient name of Sulaymani. The region used to be called as Zamwa during the Sumerians and Acadians (over 4300 years ago..wow!). The area of Zamwa covered: Ranya planes, Bazian region, Sulaymani, Pnejwen, Sharazoor, Sartak, Bamo and Zahwi region. 

Zamwa's terrace, an old tree and a missile
Zamwa's terrace is quite comfortable. There are chairs available so we can rest for a while and see interesting view such as a 140 years old tree covered by rugs and a missile installation (see the picture above). The tree was planted by Ibrahim Ahmad's father on the day when he (Ibrahim) was born. About the missile, well I guess the message is "The best use of a missile is to drop foods rather than to drop  bombs ". I enjoyed our time in the gallery. It is a simple place but the arrangement is quite good (regardless it is  lack of funding and need more space and facilities to display art works). It is worth to visit Zamwa.
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Thursday, August 08, 2013

Living in Kurdistan

Posted by Mita on August 08, 2013 in
"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." - Mark Twain-

I got married and left Big Durian (a.k.a Jakarta city) to Sulaymani, Kurdistan in Northern Iraq. It took about 8 hours flying  from Jakarta to Dubai and another 2 hours from Dubai to Sulaymani. I was prepared with the necessary documents so I didn't find any difficulties with the immigration procedure.

Some people may have a general image about Iraq for example that it is dangerous and unsafe. Well, it's not really like that in some areas. The Kurdistan region, northern part of Iraq is quite safe and peaceful. Kurdistan (meaning "Land of the Kurds") is an autonomous region of Iraq. It comprises of three governorates: Erbil (Hewler), Sulaymaniyah (Slemani), and Duhok. Kurdistan has its own parliament, language (Kurdish), flag and authority to manage the region. To some degree it is able to manage its  foreign relations independently from  Baghdad (central Government). Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) based in Erbil.

Symbol of KRG
Sulaymani is the second biggest city (after Erbil). The temperature in  summer is quite high, up to 43 degree Celcius.  However, we like it here so far. The pace of the city is much slower than Jakarta. There are very few  motor cycle riders in the street as  most of the people ride a mini bus, drive a car or take a taxi. 
Main street, mini bus, taxi and cars
My hubby and I  stay in an apartment complex which  consists of two buildings located in the Bakrajo area. You can see the buildings in the picture below..
Our apartment complex
The apartment is within walking distance to the American University of Iraq, Sulaymani. The small path in the picture leads to the University. 
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