View from the Iraqi Villa

I really did live in a villa in Iraq, several in fact, in different areas of Baghdad. Sorting through old photos the other day I found the answer to the question, 'what did you do in the war, daddy?' which was drink, mostly. It also reminded me that I did a fair bit of sunbathing too.

Having a swarthy complexion and a moustache had its disadvantages. At that time, during the Iran - Iraq war, when all able bodied men should have been at the front line, I was continually stopped at military roadblocks on the look out for dodgers and deserters. I soon got the hang of steering with my knees with my hands high in the air clutching my passport.

That's me with a bottle of liquid gold, Farida brand beer, which because we worked on top military projects governed by Law 157, we were able to buy at cost price direct from the brewery. We sent a pick-up down every week, full of empties, to exchange for more of the delicious amber nectar.