Downtown Baghdad

After a really long day I was finally able to get some sleep and feel rested enough to do some catch up on my online chores.  I am really excited though because yesterday I got to go to the International Zone, formerly the Green Zone, in downtown Baghdad.  It was a cool trip for us first timers and we felt more like tourists than soldiers on a combat patrol.  We got to see all the buildings and monuments that everyone sees on the news when they talk about Iraq.  I recognized a few buildings from when they showed live on cable news the aerial bombardment that started this war.  And for my Julie and the boys, who will know what I am talking about, I got to drive on what used to be called the most dangerous road in the world: the freeway between the Baghdad International Airport and downtown. It isn't dangerous like it used to be and is actually one of the nicest roads we have driven on.  It even has lanes painted on it!  I wish I could have gotten some better pictures but it was dark after all.  That is one of the drawbacks of working at night.  After getting back really late from our mission, we had to stay awake until about the equivalent of 4 am to go to some briefings that we have to hear before coming home on leave.  A long mission and then no sleep!  I should get to catch up tonight though!