The very recognizable ISIS flag.
Not exactly a stamp I'd be looking to add to my passport...
Land mines.
After the museum, I walked through the nearby Azadi Park, the largest in Sulaymaniyah. Locals call the city Slemani and Sulay, hence the name on the side of a nearby mountain.
Statue in Azadi Park.
Lunch in Sulaymaniyah.
I also walked through a local market and did some more souvenir shopping.
I also gandered at the Great Mosque, though I couldn't get in at the time.
Back at the garage in Sulaymaniyah getting ready to head back to Erbil. I bought out two seats this time for more space, which cost $30.
I'm not entirely sure what these trucks were carrying (or escorting?) but they definitely had cell signal jammers on them.
One final kebab dinner once I arrived back in Erbil around sunset.
Delicious dessert.
Day 6
My flight out of Erbil was departing around 3 PM, so I spent the first half of the day exploring some places I hadn't visited when I was first in Erbil. I started with the Jalil Khayat Mosque, though I couldn't get inside.
Jalil Khayat Mosque in Erbil.
I revisited the bazaar as I had some more shopping to do, plus I needed lunch.
I grabbed myself a tasty snack.
I picked up a sandwich for lunch.
Some cleverly trimmed bushes.
Shanidar Park, which was within walking distance of my hotel. I imagine this is pretty nice at night if the cable cars run.
Shanidar Park.
Shanidar Park.
Back at the Erbil Airport for my flight to Vienna. Wow, was security taken seriously here. First, the cab had to stop at a bomb detection/car inspection point about 2-miles from the terminal. They had us get out, went through the car, patted us down, had bomb-sniffing dogs around and even removed the floor mats from the car. About halfway to the terminal was where the dropoff was, in which there was a bag scan and passport check. After that, you take a bus to the actual terminal (pictured below) where I checked in. Following that was an EU bound passport/security question check, border control then another round of standard airport security.
A rather quiet terminal.
And with that, the six-day trip in Iraq is over.
I had a great time in Iraqi Kurdistan as it not only met but greatly exceeded my expectations and I'm glad I decided to go.
Next up: Vienna