Scary Iraq!

So.

Welcome to our humble war zone holiday.

We can't manage hot water on a regular basis...but hell if we'll miss an oportunity to throw a party!!

Starts slow... me being in the spirit..

Then more join

Then the quiet transform

Decorations appear from, well, I have no freakin clue!!!

HOW?? (Paper towels are hard to get!?!?)

Then the truely spirited arrive

Our little palace transforms

More party monsters

Stars of the film and stage

Let me guess... Forest Gump??

The night ended with a brilliantly planned sneak attack on your's truely:

Before...my 'monster' enters through the back door....

Sadly, we didn't catch the actual moment.

I would of caught on...I'd like to think!

However, by my reaction...you get the idea!!

Finally...

The truely, most horrifying space in Iraq!

Smiles. Happy Halloween from far, far away!

Random, crappy camera photos

Victory Arch

"N" in the hand of Saddam (see him?)

The parade grounds

You'll have to look it up :) I shouldn't say

"CNN Hotel" Where all the news media stayed during the bombings on Baghdad

Joe the Stinkin plumber on FOX (Yuck) at a FOB Mayor's Cell

My view at a Mayor's Cell

What I'm looking at now

A few weeks back..

Love this....From a few weeks ago in the narrows. Max even got in! Thanks dad for an awesome trip. Say hi to Hungwo (Spelling???)

Miss you tons J! You looked amazing...as usual!!!

Who's your Baghdaddy?

"The colossal Hands of Victory monument has dominated Baghdad's skyline since the end of the Iran-Iraq war. Built in duplicate, it marks the entrances to a large new parade ground in central Baghdad, towering 140 feet above the highway. The triumphal arch is shaped as two pairs of crossed swords, made from the guns of dead Iraqi soldiers that were melted and recast as the 24-ton blades of the swords. Captured Iranian helmets are in a net held between the swords. And surrounding the base of the arms are another 5,000 Iranian helmets taken from the battle field. The fists that hold the swords aloft are replicas of Saddam Hussein's own hands. The German company that built the monument, H+H Metalform, said it was given a photograph of Saddam's own forearms to use as a model. "

I'm staying at an amazing location in the IZ...but like all amazing well known locations, it's seen it's fair share of motars! From the roof you can see most of the IZ, watch the helicopters take off, hear prayer, and see amazing desert sunsets.

Sorry this is just a short shout-out...I'm off on a convoy tomorrow to a new FOB.

Whoda thought?