al Iraq al Emir

This weekend, my teacher, Dil, and decided to visit Wadi as-Seer and al Iraq al Emir and invited any students who wanted to go to come along. Wadi Seer is just a sub urb area with more trees where you can catch a bus to Al Iraq al Emir. (If my variation in spelling and capitalizing Arabic place names bugs you, just know that transliteration is not a correct science. Gaddafi's name used to be Qadafi :)  that blip was for Nancy). We started in these caves from before Christ where Isrealites had carved out the room and even sections that looked like crown molding. There were ancient Hebrew inscriptions in the walls too.

This is the countryside all this was set in. We were surrounded by pomegranite, olive, and fig trees. Figs are surprisingly delicious. Nothing like fig newtons.

This is the group. Notice Dil, our professor and resident legend with us. Andrew, you would love him. We love him, strictness and everything.

We visited a women's co-op where they made crafts and selling them supported their families. It was cool and hearing Dil translate obscure words only added to his mystique.

You can see the animals on the top frieze from here.  The corner is supposed to be an eagle.

The ruin at Iraq al Emir was a 1^st and 2^nd century villa or fortified palace. We scrambled around, ate lunch, and climbed them. There were large animal friezes on top that looked like the Babylonian ruins.