点评:I’ve travelled a fair bit at this point and while I can admittedly find ways to praise any new location, visiting Mosul with Moomen was genuinely something quite special. I’ll preface by saying I’ve never felt this inclined to return somewhere after merely spending a day there.
I’d communicated with Moomen in advance regarding what I wanted out of a potential tour. Mosul and Hatra were my key points, doable as a day trip from Erbil where I was staying. I met Moomen and his friend Haitham (also a legend!!) in the morning, and from the get go felt at ease. From this point onward, it felt more like hanging out with friends in the best way possible as opposed to plodding along with a mere tour guide.
We started with Mosul’s old city, which is currently part damaged post-2017 and part reconstructed. I expected this part to be depressing but it was unexpectedly uplifting - reconstruction efforts in the old city spearheaded by UNESCO and other international NGOs are remarkable. You’d almost think you were in an unnamed Mediterranean seaside town at certain points. It’s beautiful.
Afterwards, we moved on to Mosul’s lively fish and spice markets. It’s quite an overwhelming atmosphere to find yourself in and I was quite grateful for Moomen’s company at this point. Good time to stock up on Aleppo soap and/or sweets, so bring cash!!
We drove out to the Temple of Hatra afterwards, a hugely impressive site out in the desert that Moomen gave thorough historic background on. There’s a number of checkpoints along the way that I’d recommend relying on Moomen for - they would be stressful handling solo and he keeps you at ease. Afterwards, we headed back to Mosul for some lovely local cuisine and to check out a museum which was super interesting.
All in all, I can’t recommend Moomen enough. He’s a lovely guy and I hope to see him again in the near future in Mosul. Reach out to him and you’ll quickly find out for yourself!!
翻译:我已经去过不少地方了,虽然我承认自己总能找到赞美新地方的理由,但和穆门一起游览摩苏尔的经历确实非常特别。首先要说明的是,我从未在仅仅待了一天之后就如此渴望重返一个地方。
我事先和穆门沟通过我对这次旅行的期望。摩苏尔和哈特拉是我的重点目的地,从我住的埃尔比勒出发,可以当天往返。早上我见到了穆门和他的朋友海瑟姆(他也是个传奇人物!),从一开始就感觉很自在。从那时起,感觉更像是和朋友们一起愉快地闲逛,而不是跟着导游走。
我们首先游览了摩苏尔老城,这座城市在2017年之后一部分遭到破坏,一部分正在重建。我原以为这部分会很压抑,但出乎意料地令人振奋——由联合国教科文组织和其他国际非政府组织牵头的古城重建工作令人瞩目。某些地方,你几乎会觉得自己置身于某个不知名的地中海海滨小镇。这里美极了。
之后,我们前往摩苏尔热闹的鱼市和香料市场。置身其中,你会感到有些不知所措,这时我很庆幸有穆门的陪伴。这是购买阿勒颇香皂和/或糖果的好时机,所以记得带现金!
随后,我们驱车前往哈特拉神庙,这是沙漠中一个令人印象深刻的遗址,穆门详细地讲解了它的历史背景。沿途有好几个检查站,我建议最好让穆门陪同——独自一人应对会很紧张,而他能让你安心。之后,我们返回摩苏尔,品尝了美味的当地美食,并参观了一家非常有趣的博物馆。
总而言之,我强烈推荐穆门。他是个很可爱的人,我希望不久的将来能在摩苏尔再次见到他。联系他,你很快就会明白我的意思!