“Oh, you’re working in Iraq? What’s it like over there?”
Back in the heady days of the Global War on Terror, that seemed to be the go-to question whenever I’d come “home” for a quick visit. It was almost like people didn’t know what to say, so they said this. But then somehow, just a decade later on my second go-around, I couldn’t help noticing that the line of interrogation had changed:
“Oh, you’re working in Iraq? Is that still a thing?”
In total, I’ve spent about 31 months of my adult life in Iraq, an absolutely fascinating country on so many levels. For one reason or another, the traveling circus that pays my bills has sponsored several field trips to the Cradle of Civilization, but every time, going back to the U.S. on breaks was an experience in its own right. As hard as I tried, I always struggled to describe a place that I hadn’t really seen. See, out of the 950 or so days that I’ve spent in Iraq, the most iconic landscape I remember was all those concrete blast walls, and you never really see those things on travel posters.
Apart from a few token outings to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier— plus one long, winding road trip to circle the ziggurat of Samarra— my impressions came in passing glimpses, looking sideways out of armored trucks or gazing down from helicopter windows. And I guess that’s why, over the years, I started to get curious about Iraq’s best-known landmarks. Places that would definitely belong on my bucket list, even if I might never actually get the chance to see them in person.
Mutannabi Street
It’s the most famous road in Iraq, and I’ve never once walked down it! Named for the 10th century poet Abu al-Tayyib al-Mutannabi, this street is a kilometer-long stretch of bookstores and cafes, a tribute to Iraq’s heritage of culture and literature. Never one to pass up a used bookstore, it nearly kills me to have missed this place. My traveling circus actually passed within a few blocks of Mutannabi Street on a couple of our excursions, but there was never any time to stop in for a quick coffee, because the show must go on…
Iraqi National Museum
In a country that’s almost a museum in its own right, it’s hardly surprising that the Iraqi National Museum would have one of the world’s most impressive collections of Assyrian artifacts. That alone makes it one of the first stops on my list, and the unsolved mystery angle only makes it more appealing. Back in 2023, during the chaos that followed the American invasion, the museum suffered widespread looting. Some of its most valuable pieces are still missing today… which, logically, must also mean that these valuable treasures could still be out there, somewhere, just waiting to be recovered…
The Ziggurat of Ur
Pyramids have been found across the world: in Thailand, Guatemala, Egypt, and yes, even in Iraq. These ancient mysteries offer countless questions— like who built them, and why? How could the same basic design possibly have been replicated in so many different places, at the same era in history, by such vastly different cultures who never interacted with each other? Even though we might never know the answers, just asking these questions is enough to spark wonder.
Babylon
It’s the holy grail on every traveler’s bucket list. A city so historic, so legendary, it’d be a sin not to stop in. From the Ishtar Gate to the Lion of Babylon statue, visiting this city would be like walking through history itself. But as close as I’ve been to the place, I’ve just never been able to make it in. Only a few miles away at times, but it might as well have been a thousand…
…but here’s a silver lining: in the course of working on this list, I discovered that tourism is actually a thing in Iraq now! Obviously, more than a few people share my fascination with this country, and the demand has to be out there if local guides are setting up package tours. Now I’m not necessarily rushing to put together my own itinerary— at least, not yet— but if you’re an adventurous soul, it’s definitely something to consider.
But then again, so is this.