I went to Kurdistan in December of 2019. Here are photos and videos from my trip.

Packing for the trip to Kurdistan. I left in late November during Summer in Queensland, Australia. Where I was going the weather would be quite chilly. It was Autumn in Kurdistan and by the time I would leave it would be Winter. (December, 2019)
I managed to keep to the black neat clothes that I am use to. On the top right of my collar is a lapel of the Kurdish flag, or “Alaya rengin”. (December, 2019)
The plane that I took was an A380 plane. One of Emirates’ largest aircrafts that I flew for over ten hours on into Dubai international airport. (December, 2019)
Emirates’ A380 in Dubai. It had flown me over ten hours from Sydney to the UAE. (December, 2019)
Another view of the airport. I was to board Emirates’ subsidiary Fly Dubai’s Boeing 737 MAX to Erbil. (December, 2019)
The flight was quite compacted but the overall journey to Erbil airport was nice. (December, 2019)
The flight trajectory into Erbil from Dubai international airport. It takes around three hours to fly in from Dubai. Weather was relatively calm, as I flew over the oil fields of Kuwait and over Basrah province. (December, 2019)
The weather upon arrival was cold and raining. At the time I had landed, it was just sunset. By the time I had gone out, it was night. Yet, the streets of Erbil were full of life. (December, 2019)
A view from Altin Saray Hotel in Erbil’s, Saidawa district. (December, 2019)
Breakfast at the hotel was nice. It is simple but it does its job. (December, 2019)
The one thing that becomes abundantly clear in Erbil is the amount of large family malls there are. Most of these malls belong to the Barzani family, which is a prominent family that governs the Kurdistan Regional Government. (December, 2019)
The family mall is huge. There are various shops, restaurants and places families gather for special events. The security is tight not just in the entry to these malls but also around the whole of the city. (December, 2019)
The vast escalators! (December, 2019)
Since it was nearing Christmas time, there were large Christmas trees that were erected within most malls across Southern Kurdistan. Kurds recognise Christmas, a Christian holiday, as a public holiday. There are a large contingent of Chaldeans, Syriacs and Assyrians that live in Ainkawa that celebrate the festivities. (December, 2019)
This is just one example of the stores within the mall. You can purchase tourist items from the store. (December, 2019)
A close up of some of the more rare ornaments. (December, 2019)
Some of the items displayed at the store. Very beautiful. (December, 2019)
Another set of impressive items on display. (December, 2019)
A lovely number of items I was able to get as souvenirs for my adventure. (December, 2019)
My hotel room was simple but well kept. The service in Kurdish hotels is excellent. (December, 2019)
The taxi dropped me off in the heart of Erbil. (December, 2019)
There are a lot of taxis that wait for people outside the local bazaar in the heart of Erbil near its ancient citadel. (December, 2019)
The flag of Kurdistan hangs proudly on many buildings and monuments in Southern Kurdistan. After decades of persecution, from the Ottomans to Saddam’s gas attacks, the Kurds have the right to celebrate autonomy and their culture. (December, 2019)
The Bazaars were decorated for the festivities. (December, 2019)
The hustling Bazaars are alive with people of different faiths, ethnicities and cultures. (December, 2019)
Always amazing how much diverse options there are at a Bazaar. (December, 2019)
A monument in the centre of the park near the citadel in Erbil. (December, 2019)
Pigeons and people walk around the fountain in Shar Park. Sitting, chatting and drinking chai. (December, 2019)
Another monument in Erbil’s heart. (December, 2019)
The ancient citadel is nearly several millenia old. Its walls remain still strong after all this time. (December, 2019)
Shar Park in the heart of Erbil is also the sight of a clock tower. This tower oversees the hustling center at the base of the citadel. (December, 2019)
There is a large stall at the base of the citadel. The seller sells handmade Kurdish rugs with tradition patterns, as well as political and religious imagery. (December, 2019)
The variety of Kurdish rugs is very interesting. (December, 2019)
A rug that I bought from the seller is of Mustafa Barzani. One of the founders of the Kurdish Democratic Party and a heavy figure in the Kurdish nationalist movement back in the 1960s. (December, 2019)
There is a road that runs from the main road in Shar Park to the citadel. (December, 2019)
The citadel’s walls are ancient. (December, 2019)
The sheer size of the walls and arches are impressive. (December, 2019)
A view of Shar Park with the bazaars, cars and fountains is truly a sight to behold. (December, 2019)
I decided to take a selfie from the most elevated point at entrance of the Citadel. (December, 2019)
The arches have history in them. (December, 2019)
There are a series of stalls and monuments in the Citadel itself. (December, 2019)
Some of these places I decide to explore. (December, 2019)
Another store has dolls and figurines dressed up in tradition Kurdish dress. (December, 2019)
There is a beautiful store with artwork and rugs, as well as other items in one of the buildings in the Citadel. (December, 2019)
A beautiful handmade Kurdish rug shows various important figures in the nation’s history. Each has a story to tell. Each has their place in the large tapestry of history. (December, 2019)
Kurdistan is occupied by many different colonial states, from Iraq, Syria to Turkey and Iran. Each colonial project is responsible for its own unique brand of oppression against the Kurdish people. However, Kurds are resilient and their very existence is an act of defiance for many of these states. (December, 2019)
The citadel antiques is a small little building in the heart of the citadel. It has a proud Kurdish owner who is very friendly. (December, 2019)
The generosity and hospitality of Kurds is not just a mere myth. It is a reality and part of the wider culture. I much appreciate it. (December, 2019)
I had some chai at one of the buildings. It was very kind of the seller to offer some to me. (December, 2019)
There is a flag pole in the center of the Citadel. A defiant symbol expressing clearly that the Kurds are here and will remain. (December, 2019)
It was always a dream of mine to visit Kurdistan. I still remember when I was small and looking through National Geographic magazine. I never thought I would visit but I did. (December, 2019)
I met up with my friend, Beeza Asim. She took me around Erbil. A very nice lady. (December, 2019)
The architecture is interesting to say the least. Erbil’s streets are filled with taxis and chevrolettes. There are security checkpoints that litter the city, ensuring the level of high safety in the area. (December, 2019)
There are large flags that are scattered around the whole of Southern Kurdistan including Erbil. Alaya Rengîn is the name given to the flag of Kurdistan, which is proudly displayed along with party affiliate flags across the area. (December, 2019)
The lovely meal that I had with Beeza Asim. Adana Kebabs are always delicious. (December, 2019)
I took a photo of her posed. (December, 2019)
The streets were bustling even at night in the Eskan district of Erbil. (December, 2019)
I met a dear friend of mine. His name is Mohammed Rawanduzy. He worked for Radaw at the time. He took time out to come and greet me. (December, 2019)
I had to honour the occassion with a selfie before we went out to collect some sunflower seeds and drink chai. (December, 2019)
The long conversations about local Kurdish politics were absolutely great. I truly appreciated the conversation and laughs. (December, 2019)
An amazing and inspiring individual whose contributions to kurdology and war reporting in the region are truly unmatched. It was an honour. (December, 2019)
Another person that I managed to meet the same night I met Mohammed Rawanduzy is the legendary journalist, Wladimir van Wilgenburg. His reporting for K24 on the frontlines in Rojava during the height of Daesh and his love of Kurdistan are truly amazing. Yet, his demeanour was calm and relaxed nature interesting. (December, 2019)
The lobby room of Altin Saray is quiet. I was mistaken for being a Russian while waiting by other guests. It was interesting. (December, 2019)
I was wearing this when the guests commented on whether I was Russian. I leave the interpretation up to you. (December, 2019)
Hiwa was my driver for most of the trip across Southern Kurdistan. (December, 2019)
I posed in front of the mountains near Dukan lake. Rolling mountains are very common in Southern Kurdistan. (December, 2019)
Here is a better look at the mountains in Dukan. (December, 2019)
I decided to a pose in front of the Dukan mountain range. (December, 2019)
Hiwa and me posing in front of Dukan lake. (December, 2019)
The towering figure of Jalal Talabani. He is a legendary figure in Kurdish nationalist politics, especially as he was Iraq’s first post-Saddam president and co-founder of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK). PUK are a major party within Southern Kurdistan that controls the south east of the region. Most Kurds refer affectionately to Jalal as “mam talabani”. (December, 2019)
Here Jalal Talabani posters, portraits and flags are everywhere in Slemani. Slemani is the capital of the PUK’s control over the region. Jalal sees all. (December, 2019)
The roundabout that is on Baban street just outside of Slemani Public Park. It has various portraits around it. (December, 2019)
One of the portraits outside Slemani Public Park on Baban street is the legendary founder of the modern Kurdish nationalist movement in Rojhelat, Qazi Muhammed. He was the founder of the Republic of Kurdistan in 1946 in the west of Iran or eastern Kurdistan. He is also the co-founder of the Kurdish Democratic Party of Iran (PDKI), which is the route of modern Kurdish political parties in Southern Kurdistan. Although he was hung for his project by the Shah of Iran, his memory still lives on in the nationalism of Kurds across Kurdistan. (December, 2019)
The flags of Kurdistan, Iraq and Khan Saray Hotel welcome guests to the Hotel. (December, 2019)
Khan Saray hotel christmas decrations in Slemani. (December, 2019)
This is what one of the rooms in Khan Saray looks like. They are quite nice and the service is good too. (December, 2019)
One of the large hall ways that connects Khan Saray to the neighbouring Damascus restaurant. (December, 2019)
There are many statue busts of various Kurdish leaders in Slemani Public Park. The park was founded in 1937. (December, 2019)
Another statue in Slemani’s Public Park. (December, 2019)
A tree house structure in Slemani Public Park (December, 2019)
Here is another statue in Slemani Public Park. (December, 2019)
There are many monuments dedicated to early pioneers in the Kurdish movement. Each did their part and their memory is immortalised in these monuments. (December, 2019)
Amna Suraka (Red Museum) was formerly a prison under the Saddam Hussein regime, which would torture dissidents. Since the collapse of Saddam, the prison has been altered and transformed into a Museum. Not only to demonstrate the horrors of the former regime but also to highlight to the youth what was accomplished in his removal. (December, 2019)
The walls of the exterior are deliberately left unmaintained to show the impact of war on the area. (December, 2019)
These are munitions that have since rusted over the decades. It was these weapons that were used long time ago to persecute Kurds. (December, 2019)
There are a series of T54 tanks that are inoperable and have been turned into displays outside the Red Museum. (December, 2019)
Kids from a school trip play on old Saddam tanks at the infamous Amna Suraka Museum in Slemani. (December, 2019)
The Youth are energetic and naturally defiant. It is their spirit that will carry their parents strength into the future. (December, 2019)
There is a restaurant near the Red Museum. It makes fresh juice. Quite lovely. (December, 2019)
A closer look at a T54 tank that sits outside Red Museum. (December, 2019)
Along with tanks and APCs there are some artillery pieces that are left rusted outside the Red Museum. (December, 2019)
More artillery pieces! (December, 2019)
The hall of mirrors at Amna Suraka in Slemani. (December, 2019)
There is a display for Kuridsh rugs and traditional wear inside the Hall of Mirrors. (December, 2019)
There are soviet-esque apartment complexes that just are far in the background. I wonder if people live in them? (December, 2019)
The large family malls that are scattered across Southern Kurdistan are owned by the major families and are the focal points for family gatherings, activities or just general shopping. (December, 2019)
The exterior of Majidi Mall in Slemani is massive. (December, 2019)
The mall, like most malls in Southern Kurdistan, has armed security outside its exteriors. This is very common across the region. The threat of terrorism and need to ensure security in the area is why the local government makes it an imperative for security to be tightened. (December, 2019)
There were lots of christmas trees out ready for the festive season. Despite Southern Kurdistan (Iraqi Kurdistan) being an Islamic nation, there are a significant amount of christians within it in places like Ainkawa. Chaldeans, Assyrians, etc. Also, the KRG recognises Christmas as an important holiday that most Kurds engage in, even if only on the consumerist level. (December, 2019)
A small display of Yazidi art and other handmade craft. (December, 2019)
There was a nice display of the craftmanship of Kurds within the mall. (December, 2019)
Here there are musical instruments on display. (December, 2019)
A much more pronounced display of craftmanship that is common in the mall and across Kurdistan. (December, 2019)
This is what meal I recieved from the local restaurant in the Majidi mall. The owner kindly allowed me to eat for free, since I was wearing a Kurdish flag lapel on my left collar. The service, kindness and generosity is just an example of the hospitality of Kurds. (December, 2019)
A wide shot of Slemani and the various buildings within it. (December, 2019)
A common sight across Kurdistan are portraits that show those who have fallen in the struggle against enemies of the Kurds. This is a portrait of a Peshmerga fighter who fell while defending Kurdistan from Daesh. Kurdistan has a deep martyr culture that goes back centuries. Its people are use to struggle and honour their martyrs who fight and die for the struggle. (December, 2019)
Now usually I could have taken a taxi to Halabja but I wanted to experience the local transport by myself. So, despite my better judgement (what I initially thought), I took a chance and took a public bus. It was worth it and I do not regret doing it. (December, 2019)
The bus was cramped for the hour or so that I was in it. (December, 2019)
The road to Halabja from Slemani took us further south in Southern Kurdistan. We past some of the beautiful mountain ranges of the region. (December, 2019)
The youth will inherit the Earth. (December, 2019)
One of the reasons I came to Halabja was not for its Pomegranates nor for the scenery of the area. I came to Halabja to visit the memorial to the victims of Saddam Hussein’s al-Anfal campaign. (December, 2019)
During the Iran-Iraq war, Saddam Hussein sent orders to eliminate Kurdish fighters in the north of the country. Many of these fighters had taken up arms against Saddam, who had already through arabisation of areas like Kirkuk decided to go to war with the Kurds. (December, 2019)
In a series of military attacks on Halabja, Saddam Hussein’s regime sought to through chemical weapons destroy the Kurdish people living in places like Halabja. (December, 2019)
The al-anfal campaign saw Saddam Hussein’s military target Halabja with Chemical Weapons, such as Sarin gas. These weapons were used indiscriminately on the Kurdish people. (December, 2019)
Thousands of Kurds perished from toxic chemicals dropped on them by Saddam Hussein’s airforce. Many died while trying to protect their loved ones.
The attacks were taped by local journalists, some of whom perished to the gas. (December, 2019)
The monument that is left is meant to remind the world what happened here in the late 1980s. A genocide was committed by an Arab supremacist dictator in Baghdad who aimed to destroy the Kurdish people and their struggle. (December, 2019)
Outside the Halabja memorial in the small town is a monument that shows explicitly the bombs used by Saddam’s military during the al-anfal campaign. (December, 2019)
Kurds that still reside in Halabja and those who have had family members be victims of the gas attacks will always remember the tyranny of Saddam Hussein. The butcher of Baghdad. (December, 2019)
Flags dedicated to Kurdistan now wave outside the memorial. Saddam might have aimed to destroy the Kurdish people, but their continued existence remains as an eternal act of defiance against his objective. (December, 2019)
I took a selfie
This is what my room looked like when I was staying in Kristel Hotel in Duhok. (December, 2019)
Cloth for making wishes in Lalish.
Under the bridge in the Yazidi holy city of Lalish.
On the road to Amedi just outside of Duhok.
Amedi in the distance. A city upon a mountain.
The journey to the top of Rawanduz from the entry point.
Posing upon a rock on the road to Korek.
The rocks of a mountain gorge.
The road to Gali Ali Beg waterfall.
The beautiful waterfall of Gali Ali Beg.
Standing in front of the Geli Ali Beg Waterfall.
Posing and about to get bumped by some very polite Kurds.
On the way to Korek, the canyons of the mountanous rawanduz and its sister mountains truly show why the mountains have protected Kurds for centuries.
A view of the Rawanduz canyon that winds in between the mighty mountains of Southern Kurdistan.
Posing at the mouth of the canyon that runs between the mountains of Southern Kurdistan at the foot of Rawanduz.
Bekhal waterfall.
Another pose.
Posing in front of Bekhal waterfall.
I stopped by Bekhal waterfall, just north of Erbil. (December, 2019)
The mountains of kurdistan.
The mountains that are over Korek.
The city upon a mountain, might Rawanduz.
Rawanduz has a good number of relics and statues from the past.
Posing in front of an old ottoman canon in Rawanduz.
The beauty of such a place. The monuments of leaders of past centuries. Their ghosts forever lingering in the monuments of those that now live.
Xarand in Rawanduz. This is where Kurdish women through themselves off in the 16th century when the ottoman empire invaded.
Posing
Another statue in Rawanduz.
I pose just at the foot of Xarand under the city of Rawanduz.
The beautiful christmas tree that stands outside the Family mall in Erbil.
Christmas trees are abundant in Erbil.
Peshmerga uniforms for sale.
A store in Erbil that sells military wear and patches.
The Syriac Heritage Museum in Erbil’s Ankawa district.
The en
A lovely christmas tree!
Beautiful displays of Syriacs.
A lovely display of the materials dress displays in the Syriac Heritage museum.
Traditional Kurdish shephard.
Abd al-Karim Qasim on a plate in the Syriac heritage museum in Erbil.
The Syriac heritage museum is a lovely hidden away place.
Aramaic writing in Syriac Heritage museum in Erbil.
Syriac newspaper.
Beautiful illustration.
Zoroastrian iconography.
Ancient relics of a now dead empire.
Another interesting relic from the past in the Syriac Heritage museum.
The artifacts of the Syriac Heritage Museum in Erbil.
A minature display of an ancient Ankawa district in Erbil.
I love this miniature of Ankawa.
My journalist friend Wehbe Romi from Western Kurdistan.
Wehbe Romi. A long time friend and journalist of mine from Western Kurdistan.
More statues from Erbil Civilisation Museum.
Another artifact from the Erbil Civilisation museum.
Another artifact from the Erbil Civilisation museum.
Precious artifacts from an era long gone at the Erbil Civilisation Museum. (December, 2019)
The entrance to Shanadar Park.
The dragon statue out of Shanadar Park.
The fields of Shanadar park are beautiful.
Children statues in Shanadar park.
Another view of the art gallery in Shanadar Park’s art gallery.
More art displays from the art gallery in the centre of Shanadar Park.
Lovely l
Peshmerga painting from the art gallery in Shanadar Park in Erbil.
A beautiful painting from the art gallery in the centre of Shanadar Park in Erbil.
Beautiful statues atop Shanadar Park’s art gallery centre.
I do love these statues.
Beautiful view of Shanadar Park.
These statues are beautiful.
Outside Shanadar park.
Outside the massive gate to Minare Park.
A minature of Erbil’s ancient citadel.
A miniature of an obelisk in Minare park. in
I do love the statues of Sami Abdulrahman Park.
Waterfalls in Minare Park.
A giant Korek advertisement on an inflatable ball in Sami Abdulrahman Park in Erbil.
A minerat in the Sami Abdulrahman Park in Erbil.
Stray cat at in Sami Abdulrahman Park in Erbil.
The beautiful statues in the Sami Abdulrahman Park in Erbil.
The statues overcast by various military and civilian aircraft flying overhead. Just another day in Erbil.
The statues of kurdish leaders of the past litter the Sami Abdulrahman Park.
Mubarek Ahmed statue in Erbil.
I stand in front of the great statue of mubarek ahmed in Sami Abdulrahman Park just in the heart of Ebil.
Wehbe Romi and her nephew. We were exploring the streets of Erbil.
A beautiful resturant called Mali Daykm. I sat and ate in authentic Kurdish rooms. I chose Halabja. A lovely evening indeed.
Beautiful artwork.
Beautiful artwork.
Dalma meal.
Trouska Sadeghi and her baby. Trouska is a Kurd from Eastern Kurdistan.
Trouska Sadeghi’s husband and beautiful little girl in Malli Daikm in Erbil.
Trouska Sadeghi teaching me the history of Eastern Kurdistan.
The lovely miss Trouska Sadeghi and her family eating dinner with me at Malli Daikm.
Trouska Sadeghi’s beautiful child.
Posing in an awkward but satisfactoraly defiant pose in Malli Daikm. (December, 2019)