And the coffee vendor kindly posing for a photo.


On the way back to Baghdad we stopped to buy some fruit.


Some fresh fish from the nearby Lake Tharthar also for sale.


On the road back to Baghdad we saw plenty of ruined buildings.


Raad said that they had been destroyed during the fight against ISIS.


He also said that many had been demolished as part of Shia retribution against Sunni owned businesses.


A spy surveillance balloon tethered above a military base.


Back in Baghdad where we continued our journey south to Salman Pak.


After arriving in Salman Pak just after 2:30pm we stopped for a late lunch.


With some tasty falafel to fill the gap until dinner.


Some of the other diners were asking for a photograph so I gladly obliged.


A passing Iraqi Army Humvee out on patrol on the main street.


After our fix of falafel we headed to the nearby Al Sahaabi Salman Al Farsi Shrine. Outside we were warmly greeted by the head cleric of the shrine.


After taking off our shoes we joined the pilgirms and headed inside.


Salman al-Farsi was a companion of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and the first Persian who converted to Islam.


Offerings of Iraqi dinar notes.


Raad explaining how the shrine was moved after it was flooded when the Tigris river changed course.


It was quite an experience to freely mingle with the worshippers paying their respects.


We were then we invited to the office of the main administrator at the shrine for a meet, greet and tea.


A short walk away from the shrine was the impressive ruins of Taq Kasra, or also often referred to as the Archway of Ctesiphon.


Ctesiphon was an ancient city located on the eastern bank of Tigris. The archway is the last remaining structure and was once a part of the royal palace in Ctesiphon and is estimated to date between the 3rd and 6th centuries AD.


The arch was in remarkably good condition considering its age. The structure was captured by the Arabs during the conquest of Persia in 637AD and then used for a while as a mosque before being gradually abandoned.


Climbing the stairs of the northern wing which was partially rebuilt by the Saddam Hussein government in the 1980's.


The late afternoon sun shining through the arch, which is also the largest single-span vault of unreinforced brickwork in the world.


A short walk from the arch was an old Baathist Party Monument.


It was quite a striking, monolithic building with no windows and almost resembled a fortress or military bunker.


Inside the ruined structure there was little left apart from concrete and brick walls.


Arabic graffiti covering one of the walls.


We climbed up the dark stairs to the roof of the building.


Looking down on a swimming pool and relaxation area for Baathist Party members.


The structure was also used as a lookout point by the Americans during the US occupation.


Looking west to the Archway of Ctesiphon as the sun begins to set on the horizon.


We then walked back through the streets of Salman Pak.


And outside Al Sahaabi Salman Al Farsi Shrine again at dusk.


Back in Baghdad we headed to a Mateam Restaurant for dinner.


Complete with the skyline of Dubai inside.


Salad and mezze to start.


Fresh lemonade.


And some tasty mixed kebab at the end of another very interesting day in Iraq.