The difference a day can make...

Today has been much more sucessful. Sinan Al Shabibi, who's the new Governor of the Central Bank, returned to Baghdad after a few weeks in Geneva and we managed to meet up. He was very gracious to give me an hour of his time on the second day of the new currency when he's very busy. He told me it was actually easier to do his job when he was in Geneva because of between access to internet and phones, than it is when he's in the Central Bank office in Baghdad! This is the same story I've heard in many of the ministries and ties in with my own frustrating experiences - hopefully in a few months the communications will be better, then Iraqis will really be able to get down to the hard work or rebuilding their country - not just the physical infrastructure, but the institutional and social infrastructure (skills etc.) as well, which Sinan explained had been ravaged by twenty five years of Saddam's reign of terror.

I also met a representative of Muqtada Al Sadr. I'd hoped to meet his Shadow Finance Minister, but apparently he hasn't been appointed yet. Sadr City (the poor Shia slums to the North East of Baghdad) was crawling with US soldiers in expectation of trouble in the run up to Muqtada's big rally in Najaf tomorrow.

The other good news is that I finally managed to meet up with my Iraqi friend Jamil, it was sooo wonderful to see him after two and a half years. We went to the British Council to apply for a job I saw they had on offer, but annoyingly it was closed when we arrive - hoping to try again on saturday. He needs a job so he can get a flat for his family - currently he is living with his parents (he's mid-40s) his wife and children are living with their relatives at the other end of Baghdad, because there is no room for them to live together. If anyone reading this is in contact with NGOs working in Baghdad who might need a translator / guide / office manager then Jamil would be perfect, one of the most genuine and reliable people I know.

I arrived back this evening to find grass outside my hotel. Well, a patio of bright green fake grass. Mauyed, the lovely proprietor of the Al Fanar Hotel where I stay (anyone coming to Iraq please stay here, its only $25 a night, half the price of most hotels, and so friendly - more like a family than a hotel) had an idea to create a little garden area since the security zone around the neighbouring Palastine hotel was extended, blocking the Fanar carpark with concrete barriers and razor wire. I'll try and post a photo later, its quite surreal! Mauyed explained that before the war at least 50 of his 96 rooms were continually rented, now its down to a maximum of 18 - and he as 70, yes 70, staff on the payroll, none of which he has the heart to fire, so he's just hemoraging his savings. So come and stay here, a great place for a holiday with some winter sun right on the bank of the Tigris. Actually I'm serious, Iraq is a great place for streetwise backpackers, particularly if you bother to learn a few words of Arabic - you'll recieve a warm welcome and many free meals, and the danger is not so great so long as you are obviously not a soldier and treat the people you meet with respect.

I've had one of my random ideas - to create an "Iraqi Voices" blog - a group blog involving dozens of Iraqis, so that there would be a varied commentary updated hourly rather than daily or weekly like most blogs and newspapers. If you know any Iraqis you use the net and have good english who would be interested in this (or are such a person yourself!) then please drop me an email!