Nearby we ventured into the Ottoman-era souk.


Enjoying a second round of sugary tea.


It was also a good opportunity to meet some of the locals.


Charlie discussing with some local gentlemen the wonderful hospitality and friendliness we have encountered on our trip.


And enjoying a tasty Iraqi meat dumpling.


At the entrance to our next stop, the Great Mosque of Kufa, where I noticed an Iraqi policeman 'scanning' our minibus with a fake bomb detector!


Sold by British fraudster James McCormick for $40,000 each to the Iraqi government many years ago, the ADE 651 has been described as a "glorified dowsing rod". In 2016, Cormick was jailed for 10 years and ordered to forfeit cash and assets worth £8m for his role in the sale of the devices.

It was quite amusing as well as disconcerting to see these fake devices still being used to screen for explosives.