Saddamland, Featuring Flintstoneworld and Rustedtankistan

After lunch and a quick stop at the PX -- where I bought a patch that says U.S. Attorney/Operation Iraqi Freedom and another that has "Baghdad" scripted as the Coca-Cola logo -- our guide, a young navy JAG lieutenant, took us to a place where four old rusted-out hulks of Iraqi tanks lie semi-buried in the sands/ground. It reminded me of this Monument Park outside of Budapest where all the city's old Communist statuary had been towed for a final burial in a sort of kitsch amusement park. Ah, Iraqi -- nee Soviet/French -- technology...

Then we proceeded to what is known as "Flintstone Village," an elaborate stucco construction that looks kinda like caves, if Antonio Gaudi designed caves that is. Now graffitied by visiting troops of soldiers -- interesting to see Polish, Georgian, and Aussie interspersed among the usual American "X wuz here" -- nobody knows its original purpose.

The leading guess is that it was a sort of party grotto for Uday and Qusay. "Hey, baby, what's your sect?"

"Do you really love me or are you just saying that because if you don't I'll have you tortured and left to die and excriciating death?"

Eventually we went home, past sniper alley and more bleached out palm trees, buildings, and... well, pretty much everything is bleached out around here. After a quick nap at the JVB, we somehow managed to miss our Rhino (aromored RV convoy) back to the IZ and ended up hurry-up-and-waiting for a Blackhawk to take us back under cover of night.

A fruitful 24 hours.