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Watch your step

(Sulaymaniyah, Iraq.)
I saw a man walk into a turning mini-truck this morning. Everyone on the busy sidewalk froze. The man picked himself up from under the truck bumper, shook it off and spoke into the open window of the truck, "Sorry for getting in your way." The driver looked relieved. The hit man disappeared into the crowd.

This is not the first time I have seen this culture-of-hazard. When I rented a motorcycle in Saigon, Viet Nam - city of six million or so - my wife Heide asked the rental guy what the insurance would cost? I and the man just smiled and I held my crossed fingers up to show Heide the insurance we would be using on the busy streets.

There are wires hanging everywhere above the streets and sidewalks here. Often you "could" touch them if you like - I would not recommend it. But then again you could hope for the frequent power outage if you find yourself inadvertently pushing a hanging wire aside. Feeling lucky today?

They are rebuilding the busy street next to my street here. They are digging for storm sewer pipes. Cones? What's a cone? Watch your step man. If you fall in a hole you will be looked at as if to say, "Can't you see where you are going sir? While you are at it, please get out of the way of the backing cement truck."

When I turn on the TV in my room the sparks jet from the wall socket on to the rotten carpet. No need to change the smoke alarm batteries. You really need a smoke alarm to do that.

Before traveling to this part of Iraq, I reassured my family and friends not to really worry about me getting shot. That remains true. If anything I warned them, I might come home with a bump on my head because of falling into an open manhole in the middle of a busy side walk. Since my last visit here, that risk has gone up exponentially.

Bob Keith
Sulaymaniyah, Iraq

View more pictures from Bob's travels.