If I made a Bucket List....

I have yet to make a Bucket List. If I do, I think I might have some difficulty coming up with a list. Some of the things I have done and places I have gone are things I never would have thought up on my own. Yesterday was one example! It was Sunday and we took the day off of surgeries. Two of the ICU staff went in for a few hours in the morning to check on our kids and then we had the whole day to do....whatever we wanted. Although, when you're sitting in a guest house heavily guarded by soldiers, you don't really feel like you can go do whatever you want on your day off. After a lazy morning and breakfast around 9, the general consensus was that we wanted to go to Babylon - since it is only an hour (ish) from where we were staying. About 12pm, we went outside to soak up some sunshine and pose for pictures with a few of the guards while we waited for the van to be ready. A few minutes later, we were told we were not going to Babylon, a lunch had been arranged somewhere else instead. An hour after that, we were told we could skip the lunch and still go to Babylon. A few minutes after that we were told, no, there will be no going to Babylon because no transportation or security had been arranged. I'll spare you the rest of the schedule changes - around 4pm - we were on our way to Babylon!

 Pulling into the front gate of Babylon - we had made it through 4 police check points and were a little uncertain they were going to let us in the gate of Babylon after 5pm, with darkness quickly approaching. Our amazing driver convinced them it was still a good plan, and we were let through!

 The main gate to Babylon! This is a replica, the actual gate was apparently abducted by some Turkish archaeologists and now lives in Germany.

 Me, standing by the gate! At this point we were told we could not go in because there was no time to tour the city and everything was closed anyway. We rushed around, trying to take photos before all the sunlight faded. Then suddenly, they decided we could go inside for 10 minutes! 

 Some sort of map of the city that I took a photo of while we ran through the entryway. Seriously did not look at it at all, just snapped a picture and ran after the rest of the group. =)

 I'm not sure what this is. But there is an information sign next to it, in Arabic, and our guide was speaking very quickly about its significance as we ran by. We had the coolest guide ever, he was so excited to give us a speed tour of Babylon and was animatedly rushing us from point to point, trying to give us as much of an experience as he could! Many times he said, "You must come back, you must come back. I give you nice tour - you need three hours!" He was awesome. Unfortunately, I was so enamored with the fact that we were walking through an ancient city at dusk, and too distracted by his awesome accent, that I can't remember half of what he said. So these pictures will all have fictitious descriptions, because I have no idea what I took pictures of!!

 This is one of the original streets, complete with the original broken and eroded stone underlay. It used to have stone pavers, with sanscrit writing on them. Apparently, these stones were also stolen by the Germans. (It was actually Turkish archaeologists that stole everything, but we had quite the joke with one of our team members who was German, because many times during the tour our guide said "Germany! Germany!" to indicate that the Germans had also abducted the original of whatever it was he was showing us.)

 A piece of one sanscrit inscribed stone the Germans accidentally left behind.

This is the entrance to King Nebuchadnezzar courtyard, which had 5 squares. The first square was for security purposes - anyone who entered without first visiting the Ministry of Papers and getting the correct clearance before visiting the Ministry of Stamps to verify the correctness of their approval papers, was immediately shot dead on sight. The other 4 squares were for various other important royal business, like building fiery furnaces.

 This is the top of one of the original gates into the city. Where you see the bricks change color is all new construction restoring the city. Over time, dirt/sand have built up and covered the original gates. (I was listening during this part of the tour, so I think all that's actually true...)

 Babylon! 

 Babylon at sunset. 

City wall decorations they used as landmarks when giving people directions. (Turn left at the second mythical animal and the bathrooms are straight ahead on your right.)

  An interior room in Nebuchadnezzar's palace that was mainly used as grain storage until the roof fell in. Then it was used as a temporary holding chamber for the lions when their regular enclosure was being cleaned.

This was the royal laundry chute.

 Babylon just before dark.

 Pausing to hear our guide repeat what he said about the roads through Babylon. He had SUCH an amazing accent! (Seek us honor red and fife busy: 605 B.C) 

 One of the last photos I could get before dark. 

 This is an archway they built as a cool backdrop for tourists to take photos in front of.

 The lion. (Want to see Leon? Half time? Horrie Horrie! These why!) Want to see lion? Have time? Hurry hurry this way!

This is the lion's view of Babylon. Such a cool experience!!