Cruising in Kurdistan

Yesterday in the pool I was helping a Kurd, Dana, with his swimming and he started talking about his car, saying he owned a 1968 Cadillac. Between my limited Kurdish and his bad English, I just assuming I was getting it wrong as I have never seen an old classic car here - just rubbish old wrecks driven by Iranians. Besides he was very young and a digger driver, so I found it hard to believe he could afford a car like that.

 However, he was determined to show me the car and to my complete surprise it was a 1968 Cadillac and in amazing condition. All the trim was still there and the original upholstery was in incredibly condition.

Dana said he had bought it in Kirkuk but it had originally come from Faluja and insisted on taking me for a  ride back to my motel down the main street. So off we set in this huge old car driving down Salim Street feeling very cool. Just as well petrol here is only .50c a litre.

Remember that song where the lyrics lament: "at the age of 37 she realised that she would never  never drive through Paris in sport car...." Driving through Slemani in a 1968 Cadillac was way better than that!

My phone takes very good pictures during the day, but very bad photos at night.