Entry #4

I was walking to Al Faw palace as I closed my last entry. As I came upon the grand entry area, I stepped onto the green marble floors that lead to the huge doors. More Tonga Marines stood guard in the foyer, and beyond them was the grand rotunda which is the heart of the palace. Impressive does not begin to describe this lavish structure with exotic marble floors and white marble walls. The gigantic black marble columns that encircle the rotunda hold up the upper tiers. The center of the rotunda is open to the very top of the dome that caps it about 70 or 80 feet above. And from this dome hangs the largest chandelier I have ever seen. Two great spiral stairways rise to the upper levels on each side of the great entryway. These are also impressive structures lined with white marble handrails. On one stairway, it takes 70 stairs to get to the third floor, but only 69 on the other. I found my desk on the third floor, much of which has been converted to office spaces.
My job deals with the budget that is devoted to the reconstruction of Iraq, and urgent humanitarian projects to assist the Iraqi people. I receive packages for all major projects throughout Iraq. I make sure that all the required documents are comply with current laws and policies, also ensuring there are enough funds before they go to the generals for approval or disapproval.
We work late hours six days a week, which can wear on one after a while. Even though I get a half day off on Sunday (that means I get to leave work after working about six to eight hours), it is not quite enough to recharge.
In fact, I had given up coffee the day I left home. However, I gave in after two months here, and I started drinking one cup of coffee in the morning to help me through the day. The present work tempo sure makes time fly, but I would still like a few hours here and there to read a book, and write some letters or emails. For sure, I would really like to travel to so many sites throughout Iraq.
I am intrigued by the history that surrounds me, so it really bothers me not to be able to walk on these historic sites, many of which are mentioned in the Bible. The Euphrates is very close but outside the wire. If I recall correctly, the Euphrates is called Perath in Hebrew (means to spring forth or something along those lines) flowing from the Garden of Eden. Bible scripture tells it was the fourth river in creation. There are several prophesies that mention the beginning of Armageddon will be marked by the drying up of the Euphrates, which will reveal a vast treasure. Muslims are warned not to touch it and are also told that nations shall go to war over this finding. I am not sure about treasure, but the droughts in this area coupled with any dams built in Syria and Turkey on the tributaries that feed the Euphrates would certainly strain the region potentially giving rise to a greater war later on (over water… real treasure in the desert).
There are many other places of great interest. The Province of Babil is just to the south of Baghdad and the city of Al Hillah is just 62 miles from here. This city is where ancient Babylon was located, and it is where King Nebuchadnezzar built The Hanging Gardens of Babylon about 600 BC. I know it's nothing but ruins, but I would so much love to see them. Less than 300 years later (323 BC) Alexander the Great died in Nebuchadnezzar’s Palace on his way back from conquering India.
The oldest city known to date existed near Ur (also south of here) well over 7,000 years ago... mind boggling. Not far from there is Ziggurat to Marduk (built approximately 610 BC) believed to be the structure (what little rubble remains of it) associated with the Tower of Babel. Although the Old Testament does not provide dates or an easy way to establish them, it seems to me that the tower in the Bible would have been much earlier than that. However, one could counter that it is consistent with the Bible story, in that it was a tower built to unite the people, but somehow these folks walked away confused. The ruble serves as proof that the tower came tumbling down at some point. And to clinch this story, if you ever tried to learn Arabic, you would understand why the builders would have left so confused. I am just being silly in the last two sentences. ;-)
Until next time…