A Holiday in Southern Iraq:

As close to the fabled Garden of Eden as you can get

Let’s hope Iraq will regain its former reputation for hospitality and its zesty and exquisite food? If efforts to institute a steady democracy of sorts does take root in Iraq then it bodes well for an increased proliferation of four-star restaurants, luxury hotels and exciting boat tours along the legendary rivers of ancient times:

the Euphrates, the Tigris and the Shatt-al-Arab,

All these activities will be especially enhanced if current attempts to bring the legendary marshlands of southern Iraq back into the ecological and economical balance for which they were so highly valued—before being evilly destroyed by a revengeful Saddam Hussein in 1991— are successful. For ever since the birth of our western civilization in this fabled region of Babylon and Ur, the extensive lake and marsh areas have played a major role in providing a variety of wonderful foodstuffs for the country’s culinary gurus and displaying a continuously unfolding panorama of fascinating waterfowl and other bird life.

Thanks to El Rooka, maybe not all is lost.

Because if only the Iraqis can get their act together, southern Iraq may well prove to be THE NEW DECADE’S potential tourist Hot Spot

For here, where the rich, nutrient laden-waters of the combined Euphrates, Tigris and Karun rivers flow swiftly and strongly into the deep blue salt waters at the head of the Persian Gulf, there is a treasure trove of sea food and water bird life.

Shrimp Galore

and

Much, Much More

Such as—-B-B-Q’d gazelle, duck samoosas, curries, monster-sized meat pies, fresh dates, chapatis, whole lambs-stuffed with whole chickens stuffed with spice-stuffed eggs, charcoal-broiled beef quarters, delicate fish, robust fish, curried fish, deep-fried locusts, wonderful shrimps and a variety of truly neanderthal-style, super-organic vegetables.

Exciting Things to see and do:

• Sinbad the Sailor’s Birthplace

• Biblical sites of Genesis

• Original Garden of Eden

• Old Turkish Empire Fortifications

• Search Basra’s Ancient Suq for Delicate Amara Silver Work,

Gold Slave-Girl bracelets and Jask Carpets

• Dine on Splendid and Exotic Foods

AND FOR THE CONSERVATIVE, CREATIVE AND ADVENTUROUS GOLFER:

A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO PLAY OVER AN ORGANICALLY NATURAL SPORTING WONDER OF THE WORLD ON WHAT MAY BE CONSIDERED THE:

GLOBE’S MOST EXTENSIVE GOLF COURSE

WHICH PRESENTS THE TRULY-AVID GOLFER WITH A CHANCE TO PLAY A MILLION HOLES INSTALLED WITHIN AN UNCROWDED AREA EXTENDING OVER 12,386 SQUARE MILES OF CHALLENGING SAND TRAPS, ALL ON YOUR OWN PERSONALLY-DESIGNED ETHEREAL PRIVATE GOLF COURSE.

IT’S SIMPLICITY ITSELF — YOU SIMPLY BRING AS MANY HOLES AS YOU MAY REQUIRE WITH YOU AND JUST INSERT THEM INTO THE SAND WHEREVER YOU WANT TO PLAY THEM. (This can realistically be done as the desert surface in southern Iraq is firm and not so mushy and loose as are such sands as the Saharah).

SO, EQUIPPED WITH A 4X4 VEHICLE TOWING A FULLY-EQUIPPED CAMPING TRAILER, YOUR MARATHON SESSIONS OF GOLF CAN EXTEND OVER DAYS, WEEKS, MONTHS — OR FOR ANY LENGTH OF VACATION HOLIDAY YOU MAY DESIRE.

A CHANGE OF PACE AND SCENERY

If after some time, for some inexplicable reason, this ultimate golfing opportunity should pall then your Iraqi Dream Travel Vacation may take you close to the coastal waters of El Rooka. Here, one change of activity that may entice you is to set out for some fabulous salt water fishing. For in these waters of mixed fresh and salt one can catch four and five-feet-long, wonderfully-flavoured, Zubaidy fish, which are so named from the Arabic word, ‘zibid’, for butter. Because this prized specimen, one of the succulent pomfret family, not only has delicate yellow-tinged flesh but is imbued with the delightful taste of high-quality butter. In fact much smaller versons of this fish are sold for high prices around the world as ‘butterfish’.