Tigris River Honeymoon Island In Baghdad

Tigris River Honeymoon Island In Baghdad? A news story on the internet this past week caught my attention. All we ever hear about is war and destruction so i was very surprised to hear that people actually wanted to travel there on their honeymoons prior to the war.

A honeymoon resort is being planned on al-A'arass Island. It will be a multi-billion dollar resort, complete with spas, golf courses and a six star hotel! Can you imagine?

Back in the 1980's, apparently al-A'arass Island was the place to go for honeymooners. Right now, al-A'arass Island is covered in wreckage from destroyed buildings. Iraqis still like to go there to sit and look at the water but there is nothing on the island right now except broken boards and concrete. Yet, Iraqis still pay 40 cents to travel over to the island to sit and watch the water flow by.

This island is only 1.32 miles long in the Tigris River. Interestingly, the name of this island means wedding. Developers are hoping to have this project completed within five years. Pretty amazing when we are in the middle of a war right now and Al Qaeda is hell-bent on destroying everything, including their own fellow Iraqis.

Ahmed Ridha, head of Iraq's National Investment Commission thinks tourism should be the number one moneymaker in Iraq instead of oil. He says, "We want to put oil in the second place and tourism as the first source of revenue for people in Iraq. We have two great rivers, deserts, marshes and over 10,000 historic sites."

He is also hoping to develop ports to the Gulf in Basra, to refurbish Baghdad International Airport, and rebuilding the cities of Najaf and Kut.

Do you think there is a chance that Americans will one day honeymoon in Iraq on this island? Interesting thought...

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