Train Station (Fixed)

On the way back from a government office, dad and I toured the main train station that was built in the fifties. They have a line running down to Basra. It's an impressive building compared to more recent constructions. It's nice to imagine it what it would've been like back then. Something's wrong with the light meter in my mobile's camera.

(The following was appended later in the day)

I just spotted this article in the International Herald Tribune, and it talks about a new service running through Baghdad starting from the station I went to today. While my dad and I were there, my dad asked a couple of guys strolling past the platforms (neither were officials or of the sort) what services were running, one didn't know anything and the other mentioned the Baghdad - Basra line that includes bunkers but didn't mention the Baghdad service mentioned in the article. You'd think there ought to be some kind of big sign alerting people of a new route. But then again, with my poor Arabic skills, I only read things if I focus really hard.

Train Station

On the way back from a government office, dad and I toured the main train station that was built in the fifties. They have a line running down to Basra. It's an impressive building compared to more recent constructions. It's nice to imagine it what it would've been like back then.

Morning Jam

Drunk on the River

At a restaurant, literally sitting on the river with Od and my dad's friend who hasn't been in iraq for half a century. The old man had me drink nearly half a bottle of whiskey earlier, way more than my low tolerence to alcohol can handle.

Birthday Dinner

And that's going to be our dinner tonight.

Shopped for Booze

I just escaped from home, bought some 70 bucks worth of booze, and arrived at Od's house. We're going to drink the Smirnoff Black. It's not often Od would drink. But first we got to go shop for stuff.

Happy Birthday Me

First thing I'm going to do is take a look at some previous birthday posts. Last year I was boozeless. I've got a glass of tequila next to me now. Cheers. I got the new laptop and car that I was moaning about last year too. Three years ago I was whining about not having K here to do the barbecue and no he's not here damn it. I also spoke of frozen Orange juice and amazingly enough I've got frozen juice in the freezer. But I've now learned to just put the frozen stuff in a bowl and to eat it.

Here's a creepy looking thing I spotted outside the plantation house.

Test

I got a new Sony Ericsson phone (K800i) and it's got this mobile blogging feature and amazingly it works!

Must Sleep Earlier

It's been a long time since I've posted hasn't it. These days, I don't get much to myself. My dad came for a visit a couple of weeks ago and he's been doing my head in. Every few minutes he'd call me either to fix something up for him or to have me listen to one of his lectures. Some of his lecture are however quite useful. He talks to me about how I should run the farm and how I should act in front of others. The most recent note was to not suck my own blood in front of the people at the plantation because it's considered filthy and religiously forbidden.

I've been watching how he deals with farmers that don't do as they're supposed to. He uses a technique that involves gathering a bunch of farmers together intimidating the one at fault, having the others agree he is wrong and then have that one admit he is. And then dad would take some kind of decision that could involve receiving assurances from the elder farmers or forgiveness in light that the one has admitted he is at fault.

Some things don't change, even though I'm waking up at around eight in the morning my dad still complains that I wake up too late.