Looking up at the once grand palace with an empty rubbish filled swimming pool below.


A relief featuring a bust of Saddam below a window.


And an almost mythical representation of Saddam above the outstretched wings of an eagle.


I had seen and heard about the palatial residences that Saddam had built across Iraq and it was very interesting to finally wander about and explore one of them. A great and memorable experience!


After spending a little too long exploring the Saddam's former palace we grabbed a few snacks for lunch before continuing on in the minibus.


Refuelling in the nearby city of Hillah.


And stopping for an afternoon tea fix.


We then continued on towards the city of Karbala.


After passing through Karbala we then headed down Al Hajj Road for ~50 kilometres to Al-Ukhaidir Fortress. The area just to the west of here was previously ISIS territory and there was numerous Iraqi military outposts about.


Al-Ukhaidir Fortress was constructed during the 8th century and was an important stop on regional trade routes.


The fortress was in remarkably good condition and well restored.


The high perimeter walls of the fort built for defense were also a very interesting and elegant example of early Islamic architecture.