Green Zone - week two

Well, I have finally gotten my bearings about where things are located, where we are in Baghdad, where the Tigris River is, and of course, which way is north. Getting around is a bit easy since there are a few shuttle routes. We use mostly one to get to and from work. The embassy is located in the Presidential Palace. This was one of Saddam's newest palaces and it's quite large and grandiose. It has been fitted with offices, partitions, meeting rooms, lounges, and small deli shop, computer lab, etc. But mostly there are tons of offices here. Most of the large rooms have been partitioned and modified with sheet rock and plywood to accommodate the state dept. THere is marble everywhere and grand murals, some showing rockets which is just odd.

There is less military here and many civilians. Lots of state dept workers and other contractors. It's a little surreal since I am used to mostly military but people are dressed in suits, pantsuits for women, and then I see some jogging in regular shorts and T-shirts around the palace grounds. The palace grounds is another fortified location that can be hard to get into if you don't have the right credentials.

The job is good, I'm learning. Hopefully some experience I can take with me.

I have been told that it gets really hot in the summer like 140 degrees. We'll see. I have a hard time believe it gets that hot. It is dusty though and low, if any humidity....kind of like Arizona.

I've been around to see a few sites but more on that later.