So, I was on my way to the CPA for breakfast and had decided to take the shuttle bus for a change when there was a big BANG! At first I thought maybe we had a big backfire or something but the way the bus driver reacted it was clear it was a bomb/missle/mortar/whatever.
So, since we weren't 100% sure we kept on to the CPA. When we got there they had the sirens going so it was clear that we weren't going to have breakfast. So we turned around and came back.
Cell phone rumors say it was a missle or mortar that hit the hospital. E-mail rumors say it was a car bomb outside the North gate by the Police Station.
Anyway, within the hour I leave for BIAP, down the shooting gallery, which apparently now they only do with military escort. I think I'll be in one of these new armored buses that I see driving around, they look like something from a futuristic Stallone movie, but I don't know yet.
Then it's a quick hop to Jordon. I'm going to spend the day at the Dead Sea (first time for me on the Jordan side) and the night in Amman. Next I've got a 3am flight to Frankfurt, so I won't bother with a hotel in Jordan, and then I'm going to spend a full day in Frankfurt practicing German on Fraulines and generally playing Ugly American Tourist (or not). Finally it's Frankfurt direct to SFO, back on Wed.
I'll try to post something from Amman but don't know that I'll have the opportunity, it might have to wait until Frankfurt.
I'm really going to miss this place, the overt insanity is refreshingly engaging. When's the last time you wore body armor to work accompanied by armed escort, had sandbags piled around your office, got used to helicopters buzzing 50' overhead, were surrounded by tanks and armed Humvees/soldiers/civilians on a regular basis, spent some time thinking about which way the bombs were falling so you could plan your meals, and spent your off days visiting bomed out buildings and palaces?
For me the last time was June 14, 2004. I'm looking forward to the next one.
Posted by rick at June 13, 2004 09:42 PM