Iraqi PILGRIMAGE FOOD in Ancient Babylon! FREE FOOD on the Road to Karbala!

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With my time in Baghdad at an end, at least for now, I headed off to explore the ancient city of Babylon! Come with me as I take to Babylon and to have some more incredible Iraqi food!

Babylon is located only 90 minutes from Baghdad by car. But first, we’d get a free breakfast! Roughly 1400 years ago, there was a battle in Karbala, and people were starving. So now, Iraqi people make a pilgrimage from Baghdad to Karbala to commemorate the battle, and free food is given out along the route!

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Vendors along the road offered a lentil stew (which was gone by the time I got there), as well as a fava-bean-and-lamb stew called fasolia. It was delicious and came with some delicious khubz tannour, which is a flatbread made in a tanoor oven. The chucks of lamb were excellent. It was nice and fatty, and the beans were nice and al dente.

Next was some Iraqi chai, which was also very nice. I loved it! What a great way to experience a cultural and culinary tradition. They give out free food for 20 million people for three weeks every year! Finally, we got back in the car and rode toward Babylon.

After 90 minutes, we arrived in Babylon! Our first stop was the Palace of Saddam Hussein, which he built to resemble the famous Hanging Gardens. Just beyond the palace is the ancient city. It’s 4,300 years old and is also the place Alexander the Great died. It dates back to 3000 BC!

We’d have a local guide named Mekki show us around Babylon. Its name translates to “Gate of God.” It consists of three cities built on top of one another. Alexander the Great died in the second version of the city. We also saw where it’s thought the Hanging Gardens once stood.

The inside of Saddam’s palace was huge. He built the palace at this height to be on the same level of the Kings of Babylon. Carved into the outer walls are patterns of the Arabic letters for “SH.” There’s lots of great acoustics inside!

Then, because we had VIP access, we headed through the kitchens and up to the master bedroom. It was massive but very dusty, as it’s been abandoned since 2003. Up on the roof, we could see all of Babylon, including the Euphrates River.

Then, we drove to the Ishtar Gate, the most famous symbol of Babylon. It’s a bright blue gate named after the goddess of love. But it’s actually a replica! The original gate is currently in a German museum.

Through the gate is a map of Iraq, as well as old foundations, the Street of Procession, and the Southern Palace. The palace has 600 rooms and was the administrative center and was also built for defensive purposes.

Then, we got exclusive access to a part of the city that’s off-limits to most visitors. On the walls are the same dragon animals on the Ishtar Gate. They all face north, which is the direction the king comes from. We also saw Ninmakh Temple, which is made of mud, and the Lion of Babylon statue, which symbolizes the greatness of Babylon. It was discovered in 1776. Next, we saw the Throne Hall where Alexander the Great died!

Ten minutes later, we arrived at a restaurant that specializes in a rice dish called quzi. Then, we tried some pomegranate yogurt, hummus, baytinijan, turshi, and olives before visiting the kitchen where they were making kebabs, beef & chicken shawarma, and chicken! The shawarma was so juicy and fatty!

The quzi was amazing. I loved the biryani rice and the tender lamb. It was perfect! Eating it with the bread and pickled vegetables was unreal. We also had fasiola yabsa (white bean stew), bamia (okra stew), and tepsi baytinijan (eggplant/tomato stew).

I loved eating it with my hands! Finally, we finished with some Iraqi chai with cardamom and sugar!



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About Me:

My name is David Hoffmann. Since starting David’s Been Here in 2008, I have traveled to over 1,300 destinations in 94 countries to experience and document unique cultures on my YouTube channel, travel blog, and social media.
 
I highlight culture and historical sites, but my passion is food! I love to experience and showcase the different flavors each destination has to offer, from casual street food to gourmet restaurant dining.

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