Month: November 2013

This morning I wake to check the BBC regional news and read that 41 Shia Muslims have been killed in Iraq during Ashura, targeted by Sunni militants who have bombed religious processions. The festival marks the death of Hussein, the Prophet Muhammad’s grandson and is observed very strictly by Shias. It’s grim to think that… Continue reading Soran, 15 November 2013

Another beautiful day. I breakfast alone, then walk through the bazaar to take some photographs. When I get back to the hotel Muli tells me that out interview has been cancelled because today is Ashura, a religious festival and fasting day. Hopefully we’ll connect tomorrow. We make arrangements to join a picnic party instead. Just… Continue reading Soran, 14 November 2013

The call to prayer wakes me at 5.00am, so I catch up with a few emails before trying to sleep again since the traffic hasn’t yet started to move. When the day comes it’s a brilliant one, lit by mild autumn sun. I watch a group of children play outside as I wait for breakfast,… Continue reading Soran, 13 November 2013

I’m woken by cockerels calling across the city at five am, then the call to prayer, then the steady surge of traffic and voices in the street below. The two Yazidi boys who provide the catering have been given a wake-up call, so we breakfast on fried eggs, then yoghurt, instead of naan and jam.… Continue reading Soran, 12 November 2013

Sunday morning and a working day at the University. I must have slept for at least ten hours and wake feeling much more prepared for things. No rain and light cloud is lit, pale saffron, above the circle of hills. After breakfast, we walk past shops, vegetable stalls and bakeries to Soran University where I… Continue reading Soran, 10 November 2013

I wake at about 11.00 o’clock after a brief rest. The hotel has been taken over by Soran University and Muli is now resident here. It’s mostly empty and pretty basic. After some running repairs to the plumbing, we drink more tea, test her new wi-fi setup, then begin to go through our plans. The… Continue reading Soran, 9 November 2013

The first leg of my trip to Soran begins in Manchester, the city I grew up in. The plane takes me to Istanbul where East and West seem to meet and compete before bringing me to the Kurdish city of Erbil at 4.30am. It seems strange to move from memories of my past to such… Continue reading Soran, 8 November 2013