Circuit Issue 13 - Autumn 2017

Autumn 2017

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Circuit Magazine

Letter From

H

The Editor

ello Circuit Readers!

This summer was quite the lesson, but now that it’s Autumn school is starting and I think we’ll all be getting quite the education. And that’s one of the themes for this issue.

First up, in our Community section, we’re highlighting People of Kurdistan. Dr. Hemin is one of my favorite people in the world because he has saved the lives of both of my dogs at one point or another plus countless other fur babies. Anybody who loves furries is a great person in my book.

Then there’s Hanna Jaff. This is a lovely lady who has made a name for herself worldwide with her work, both philanthropic and political in nature. She really pushes for everyone to get the best education they possibly can and that’s something that I also think is hugely important in this world.

Our Culture section has a little bit of American culture thrown in this time, highlighting a great space in Kurdistan that promotes cross-cultural awareness as well as education opportunities. We’ve also taken a first stab at creating a list of books we think could be interesting for anyone traveling to or living in Kurdistan.

In our Health & Beauty section, we’re learning a bit about the use of oxygen in the beauty world. Obviously oxygen is great for you, but it’s apparently really great for your skin. We’re also learning a bit about detox diets and how to do them safely and effectively, if you’re into that kind of thing.

I also had the opportunity to take a luxious spa day at the Divan. It was probably one of the better days of my summer and you can read all about my experience there.

In our Business section, we talked to the creative women behind The Book Cafe as well as another really cool business which has just started, HeliExcel. (There’s really something for everyone in this issue. ) Our Food & Drink section is filled with recipes that will stick to your bones and keep you warm in the upcoming Autumn.

The Travel & Leisure section is absolutely packed out with beautiful pictures of fantastic places both in Kurdistan an far away.

Finally, our Nightlife section takes an inside look at Loft and Sunset, the new restaurant and bar set atop the Erbil International Hotel.

Drop us a line, come by the office to see us, or give us a call to meet up somewhere out on the Circuit these coming months.

Jimmie Collins Editor-in-Chief

An American living in the Kurdistan Region for nearly five years, Jimmie Collins leads a vibrant social life among expats and locals in Erbil. She now calls Erbil home, settling into the city with her husband (Sabah), two massive dogs, a feisty cat, and an infant daughter.

She complains of never having nearly enough free time to do all the things she loves, however, she always makes time for food and friends.

Circuit Magazine, which she started with her business partners three years ago, is a hobby turned obsession meant to help others get to know Kurdistan's social scene and enjoy themselves as much as she does.

Enjoy the Circuit!

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In This Issue Community Page 14 - People of Kurdistan Page 17 - Hanna Jaff

Culture Page 23 - American Corners Page 27 - 5 Books on Kurdistan

Health & Beauty Page 29 - Senses Salon: Hyperbaric Oxygen Treatments Page 31 - Divan Spa Day Page 36 - Detox Done Right

Business Page 39 - The Book Cafe Page 46 - Heli Excel

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Circuit Magazine

Autumn 2017 Summer 2017

Food & Drink Page 49 - Local Recipe: Tepsi Baytinijan Page 51 - Foreign Recipe: Eggplant Parmeson Page 53 - Tang Chinese Page 55 - Hot Toddy

Destination Kurdistan:

Amedi Top

Outdoor

6 Restaurants Sonia Beytoushi

From Beauty Queen to Fashion Empire

Issue 13: Autumn 2017 Editor-in-Chief Jimmie Collins

Travel & Leisure Page 59 - Deralok Page 61 - Destination Kurdistan: Barzan

Page 67 - Rock Your Bones:

Camping Page 73 - 7 Luxury Spots in Malaysia: with

Nightlife Page 80 - The Real EPIC Page 81 - Loft & Sunset Page 87 - Out on the Circuit

Publisher Lana Yaqo Oliver Writers Shaza Abdulsamad Jimmie Collins Patricia Collins Antigoni Kalaitzi Jeremy Oliver Photographers Karam Al-Sinjarae Sabah Makki Adam Mirani Rekan Rasool Designers Jimmie Collins Antigoni Kalaitzi Ali Netheer Marketing Department Jeremy Oliver Saif al-Taea Muhanad Ali Contact: info@party-circuit.net 0750 633 7700 Circuit Magazine is a subsidiary of BWFW Services Company

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Community

People of

KURDISTAN

Photo by Adam Mirani

Dr. Hemin Providing Needed Care to Furry Friends

By Jimmie Collins

Dr. Hemin Huhammed Ahmed, 37, is a kind and gentle soul. He’s also the number one person we call whenever there is an animal in need, whether it’s our own pet, a stray cat or dog, or a wild animal.

Dr. Hemin graduated from the University of Dohuk with a degree in Veterinary Medicine and has been practicing ever since. His 14

Issue 13 - Autumn 2017

Photo by Adam Mirani

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Photo by Adam Mirani

Photo by Adam Mirani

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years of experience comes in handy whenever an animal needs tending to. “We really need to enhance the medicine and car available for animals, both for agriculture and for the benefit of nature,” he says.

He started Areous Veterinary Clinic, his practice which is located on 60M Road, in 2008 and over the years the place has grown from a teeny tiny room where you could barely fit one dog into a hall with walls filled with pet products from abroad.

He offers high quality food and products at reasonable prices. In fact, all of his services are reasonably priced. Dr. Hemin is actually just a nice guy who really loves animals and wants to help them, sometimes even for free in the case of a badly injured stray.

He provides preventative care, including vaccinations and deworming, grooming services, as well as surgical care.

He has helped care for many of our own pets for years, even as far as saving my dog’s life in the middle of the night after a 4 a.m. phone call.

He has even helped to give spay

Circuit Magazine

and neuter surgeries to stray animals who could not be rehomed in an effort to create a sort of “Catch, Spay/Neuter, Release” program. He is currently working with a team to supervise the care for wild animals protected in Halgurd-Sakran National Park. Dr. Hemin and many of his colleagues are leading the way in terms of teaching people about proper animal care and animal rights, because for him it’s important and says a lot about the people.

“If you want to see if a nation is well-educated and friendly, see how they treat the animals.”

To contact Dr. Hemin about veterinary services call Areous Vet Clinic at: 0750 447 8549

Photo by Adam Mirani

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Hanna Jaff 17

Circuit Magazine

Community

Emphasizing the Importance in Education

By Jimmie Collins

At first glance, Hanna Jaff Bosdet is an unimposing young woman. Slight of frame, attractive, well-dressed.

Some may look at her and see a Kurd, or a Mexican, or an American. Some may see a woman. But she says these words are not what define her.

What makes her Hanna Jaff Bosdet is her education.

“Education gives you confidence to be the person that you are,” she told a crowd of listeners at the TedX Nishtiman conference earlier this year in Erbil.

As an adult, Hanna is careful to embrace all the parts of her identity. She grew up in America as a second-generation immigrant and, for that matter, a second-generation refugee.

“Growing up in the States with a Mexican mom and Kurdish dad, I was always around a lot of different people. There were Kurdish people speaking Kurdish and then a lot of Mexicans speaking Spanish,” she explained. “But it wasn’t until I finally started reading about the history of those cultures, especially about my father’s history, that I became proud of who I was and started to become confident in my identity.”

At only 26 years old, she started her career in politics in Mexico, and now, turning 31 this year, she is Deputy Secretary of Immigrants working in the ruling party of the country.

“This was the first job I got out of university,” she said. “I didn’t know anyone in my field.”

It wasn’t luck or connections that got her, someone with honestly very little experience, the job though.

She claims it was her education and probably a little bit of perseverance and an unwillingness to be told, “No.” “My mother always told me to live where the people need you the most,” she explained. “I studied International Relations always thinking I wouldn’t end up working in the United States. I didn’t think the U.S. needed me as much as Mexico did. Forty percent of people in Mexico live in Poverty, 10% in extreme poverty. Those numbers alone helped to make the decision to work in Mexico.”

Armed with a master’s degree from Harvard University in International Relations, Hanna went to all the parties, secretariats, everywhere she could think of and left her resume.

“At last, the president of the ruling party called and

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said I have 100 resumes, but you’re getting this job because of your higher education even though all these other people have so much more work experience,” she said.

“A lot of people didn’t understand why I got the job, but the last 4 years I think I’ve proven myself.”

“I made friends and got my job because of my education,” she said. And this is what she has been telling anyone who will listen, at conferences, in forums, or even over coffee, for years. Her very international background and personal experience are also invaluable in her position.

“There are educated people from every where in the world, and I think they all deserve respect, no matter where they’re from, no matter their background,” she argues.

This premise is what she has based her philanthropic work on ever since. In 2013, she started the Jaff Foundation for Education, an NGO that has offices in 20 states

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in Mexico as well as one in Jaff Towers in Sulaimania, Kurdistan.

She also passes on advice she learned from her mother. “No matter what, with your education, you should also always have charity in your heart and with you,” she advises.

The Jaff Foundation provides educational English-language texts, which Hanna wrote herself, mostly aimed toward immigrants and now refugees.

She also gives speeches at conferences and in schools encouraging young people everywhere to seek education as it’s the key out of poverty and toward success.

The Jaff Foundation also seeks to create cross-cultural awareness, using Hanna’s background as both a Kurd and a Mexican as a jumping off point. She has put together a Kurdish festival in Mexico, helped bring attention international to the Halabja genocide, and is working to bring a bit of Mexican culture to Kurdistan hoping to bring a band of musicians for a cultural festival soon.

“Education breaks barriers,” she said. “Educuation is power. Education is a tool. Everywhere you go – learn something.”

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Community

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Culture

American Corners Promoting Cultural Exchange

There’s a place in Erbil where you can go to learn and discuss and engage with other people. It’s a place with rows of book cases filled to the brim with books, iPads loaded with interesting and informative programs, comfortable chairs and cubby holes to read in, and ample tables and chairs for those who wish to get into a discussion or a debate.

It’s a place built literally for the purpose of building relationships between the people of Kurdistan and the United States of America.

It’s called the American Corner.

American Spaces are local physical locations for foreign residents to connect – with people, with ideas and with the United States through collaboration and self-discovery.

As guardians of free speech and enemies of censorship, libraries embody the principles of democracy and civil society, and they constitute a major theme running

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through the history of American Spaces. Kurdistan is host to three American Corners, one at the University of Sulaimania Central Library, one at the University of Dohuk Central Library, and one inside the Central Library of the University of Kurdistan HewlĂŞr.

The American Corner in Erbil is a comfortable and cozy space to learn and engage. It’s objective is to connect and build relationships between the American people with the people of Kurdistan through a range of materials, events and readily available information on the United States of America, its heritage, culture, arts, language and study opportunities.

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American Spaces have existed around the world for the last century. They are, and have always been, places where people meet people, talk to people and listen to people. These are the places where people learn and share ideas, express their thoughts or cordially debate a sensitive topic—often all while learning English.

The organizers offer activities to raise awareness, not only on America and its people, but also the world, including discussing topics like environmentalism or humanitarianism.

While they are all based on the same principle, each American Space is individually organized and tailored to the local population in atmosphere as well as the content of the materials and programs.

Although they are located on university campuses, the American Corners are not limited to only students, but in fact, are open to the public. So that everyone in Kurdistan can seek these opportunities and engage with one another.

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y a d y r e v

e

S T R O P S VE

LI

In the Erbil Grand Hotel Ainkawa Rd. and Gulan St. Intersection

07504071926 Issue 13 - Autumn 2017

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Culture

5 Books on Kurdistan

I love books. And I love reading. When I travel, I really enjoy reading books about the places I’m going. Not just travel guides that tell you where to go or what to eat. I like to read memoirs or even historical fictional novels based on the location I plan to go.

I never really found that for Kurdistan before I came here. Partly, I just didn’t know where to look or what I

was looking for.

Now, there are guide books and loads of other books out there about all parts of Kurdistan. Many of them are historical texts written by foreigners, some are travel memoirs written by foreigners. But for this particular guide, I wanted to include books written by Kurds about their own experiences in Kurdistan.

My Father’s Paradise Ariel Sabar

In a remote corner of the world, forgotten for nearly three thousand years, lived an enclave of Kurdish Jews so isolated that they still spoke Aramaic, the language of Jesus. Mostly illiterate, they were self-made mystics and gifted storytellers and humble peddlers who dwelt in harmony with their Muslim and Christian neighbors in the mountains of northern Iraq. To these descendants of the Lost Tribes of Israel, Yona Sabar was born. Yona’s son Ariel grew up in Los Angeles, where Yona had become an esteemed professor, dedicating his career to preserving his people’s traditions. Ariel wanted nothing to do with his father’s strange immigrant heritage―until he had a son of his own. Ariel Sabar brings to life the ancient town of Zakho, discovering his family’s place in the sweeping saga of Middle-Eastern history. This powerful book is an improbable story of tolerance and hope set in what today is the very center of the world’s attention.

A Journey to Kurdistan Ruwayda Mustafa

Journey to Kurdistan is more than a memoir: it is a call to action, a polemic that rejects gender-based oppression and unapologetically promotes a worldview where men and women share power and opportunity in a society organised primarily by cooperation rather than coercion.

My Father’s Rifle Hineer Saleem

This beautiful, spare, autobiographical narrative tells of the life of a Kurd named Azad as he grows to manhood in Iraq during the 1960s and 1970s.

Azad is born into a vibrant village culture that hopes for a free Kurdish future. He loves his mother’s orchard, his cousin’s stunt pigeons, his father’s old Czech rifle, his brother who is fighting in the mountains. But before he is even of school age, Azad has seen friends and neighbors assassinated, and his own family driven to starvation.

After being forced into a refugee camp in Iran for years, his family realizes, on their return, that the Baathist regime is destroying the autonomy it had promised their people. My Father’s Rifle ends with Azad›s heartbreaking departure from his parents and flight across the Syrian border to freedom.

Stunning in its unadorned intensity, My Father’s Rifle is a moving portrait of a boy who embraces the land and culture he loves, even as he leaves them.

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I Stared at the Night of the City Bakhtiyar Ali

Translated from the Kurdish by Kareem Abdulrahman Iraqi Kurdistan at the turn of the twenty-first century is a territory ruled by strongmen, revolutionaries, fixers, bureaucrats and the “Barons” who control everything from livestock and land to Kurdish cultural life.

Defying the absolute power wielded by the Barons, a band of friends led by a poet embarks on an odyssey to find the bodies of two lovers killed unjustly by the authorities. The Barons respond by attempting to crush these would-be avengers, though their real war is waged against the imagination itself – a prized, elusive commodity for which intellectuals, merchants, political elites and humble workers all search in one way or another.

My Nest in Kurdistan Sazan M. Mandalawi

My Nest In Kurdistan is a reflection of the current state of Kurdish youth, their thoughts as the semi-autonomous region progresses and their aspirations. It provides a persuasive argument for Kurds in diaspora to return, especially those who immigrated due to the prosecution they faced under the Baath regime. Sazan Mandalawi talks about her childhood, Kurdish identity, culture, and the people that she has fallen in love with after returning back to her beloved land. For decades Saddam Hussein suppressed Kurdish voices, but immediately after his fall, a new generation of youth actively interconnected through social networking and have been vocal about their identity and culture.

What makes Mandalawi’s memoirs special is her considerate young age -- and female outlook on Kurdistan. Sazan Mandalawi is one of the many Kurdish women with bright ideas towards a prosperous region. Her voice, thoughts, musings are all an indicator of contemporary Kurdish youth, as they attempt to shape Kurdistan socially and politically.

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Hyperbaric Oxygen Treatments Hollywood’s Best-Kept Secret for Skin Therapy Now Available at Senses Beauty Clinic

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Oxygen is essential to any healing process. Through Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT), the concentration of oxygen dissolved in the bloodstream is raised many times above normal (up to 2000%). Because of this high concentration of oxygen, Hyperbaric Oxygen is used to accelerate the healing process after operations and incidents such as plastic surgery, non healing wound care, burn victims, smoke inhalation victims, many neurological, orthopedic as well as emergency conditions and degenerative diseases.

In addition to the blood, all body fluids including the lymph and cerebral-spinal fluids are infused with the healing benefits of this molecular oxygen. It can reach bones and tissues, which are not accessible to the red blood cells, enhance white blood cell function, and promote the formation of new capillary and peripheral blood vessels.

This results in an increased control of infections and faster healing of a wide range of conditions. With HBOT many patients have remained free of opportunistic infections, experiencing relief from fatigue and even maintaining their body weight in the process.

Other uses for HBOT are the treatment of certain cardiovascular conditions.

HBOT is also being increasingly used very successfully by sports teams to improve the healing process of injured athletes such as when Beckham and Rooney suffered broken bones in their feet prior to the 2002 and 2006 World Cup, not to mention the usage of Hy-

Circuit Magazine

Health & Beauty

perbaric Oxygen and Oxygen Tents by many teams for acclimatization and also injury healing in the recent 2010 world cup series.

It is important to emphasize, that in addition to the medical benefits HBOT is also used in the field of cosmetics and, of course, for its original purpose for the treatment of Decompression Illness in Scuba Diving HBOT has been shown to be particularly effective in cosmetic and spa treatments such as skin and tissue rejuvenation, anti-aging, weight loss, skin toning, cellulite, wrinkle reduction, fast nail grow, stress, and stimulation of the immune system among many other benefits.

There are numerous patient reports of increased clarity of thoughts, more vivid dreams, renewed energy and reduced fatigue following the HBOT treatments. Top Executives such as board members of leading Oil Companies and also many Parliamentary and Government Ministers in prominent daily politics regularly use HBOT to enhance their clarity of thought process and reduce their stress levels.

The high concentration of oxygen used in HBOT treatments accelerates the production of nutrients and amino acids deep inside tissues, repairing damaged skin. HBOT can therefore be used as a very effective adjunctive therapy for rapid recovery after cosmetic related treatments. It is highly recommended after any type of cosmetic, surgical or reconstructive surgery.

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Oxygen in the body tissues accelerates the formation of new capillary and peripheral blood vessels. This results in an effective and accelerated post-operative healing with better aesthetic results. It also greatly reduces any edema (tissue swelling). Post-operative recovery in conjunction with HBOT may be in days instead of weeks with less tissue trauma, a reduction of swelling and a substantial control over possible infections. The key to slowing down the aging process is exfoliation and oxygen.

For more information or to book your treatments contact: Senses Beauty Clinic and Medi Spa 0750 529 8787 0750 529 8484

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Health & Beauty

Divan Spa Day

One of the first things I noticed when walking into Divan’s Spa and Fitness Center was how peaceful it was. I’m honestly not one to frequent the gym, but I was surprised how relaxed the atmosphere was.

Usually gyms are full of people sweating and grunting and loudly pushing themselves to (or probably passed) their limits. But at Divan, people seemed to be quietly enjoying their activities. Don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t clinical, it just wasn’t stressful. This is the sort of gym atmosphere I could get used to if given the opportunity.

The locker rooms were quiet and clean with someone standing by to clean up immediately as members came and went. The lockers,

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equipped with digital keypad locks, were ample and there was no worry about whether or not there would be enough room for everyone to put their belongings away safely.

The showers were private, clean, and (most importantly) had amazing water pressure. There was even shampoo and shower gel already in the showers for those who may not have brought their own (me… always unprepared) and big, fluffy towels were available.

But before you even get to the showers, you should probably go work up a sweat. The gym at the Divan is not huge, but not small either. It’s got all the necessary equipment for a typical workout and several cardio machines so that

multiple members can make use at the same time and to cut down the wait. They offer yoga classes among others and personal trainers are also available.

From the cardio machines in the gym, you can look through a window out onto the opulently decorated indoor pool. Surrounded with gold and marble décor and tiled with turquoise mosaic, the pool doesn’t disappoint. It’s a standard length for a lap pool, providing both a shallow and deep end. And for those who wish to get a bit of sun in between dips in the pool, there is a sun terrace.

Outside, the lounge chairs lined up in the sun are surrounded by high walls for privacy for those who

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Health & Beauty

wish to soak up the rays and get a bit of a sun-kissed look. Users can order mocktails and trays of fruit or other food and beverages to make their stay as comfortable as they wish.

Back inside, pool-goers suited up and wearing their swimming caps are doing laps back and forth from one end to the other.

Meanwhile, all I can think about is the massage I’m about to get.

The Divan Spa is very well equipped and offers a number of different services to help relax your weary muscles, whether they’re tired from cranking it out in the gym or from a long, hard day at work.

When I met Janet, the massage therapist assigned to me on my visit, I knew I’d be ok. She went through the different massage options with me including Swedish, Thai, Balinese, Stone, and Aromatherapy just to name a few. Overwhelmed with all of the options, we decided on the Divan Spa Fusion, a 60-90 minute massage that combines several techniques in order to cater best to your ailments.

I told Janet about my shoulder in-

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jury and about how my lower back has been in exceptional pain since I’d had a baby and then let her take over from there.

The set up in the room was gorgeous and candlelit. Janet let me choose an oil fragrance that I preferred and then she started in on my back and shoulders, checking along the way that the pressure was good. I think at one point I fell asleep, feeling relaxed at Janet’s more than 10 years of experience in massage therapy around the world.

After a massage like that you don’t want to get back to the real world too soon, and apparently at Divan they know that and are willing to indulge. I was taken to a private sitting room with comfy lounge chairs, given a nice hot cup of soothing ginger tea, and told I could sit there as long as I liked.

For an escape from reality and into indulgence, Divan Spa and Fitness Center are surely the place to go.

For more information or to schedule an appointment, contact Divan Spa & Fitness Center at 066-210-5040.

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Health & Beauty

DETOX DONE RIGHT

By Shaza Abdulsamad

After long summer vacation, consuming a lot of junk food, and following an unhealthy diet, some people consider following a detoxification program to keep their body healthy.

What is detoxification?

“Detoxification is a normal bodily function of neutralizing and eliminating toxins via the colon, liver, kidneys, and skin.

Did you eat a lot of unhealthy food recently? Do you feel fatigue? Are you relying on medications to feel well? A detox could help you to restore the chemical balance in your body.

In the last few years, various detox regimens have become very popular and many different groups of nutrition experts claimed that their method was the best one. Actually there is no certain regimen proven to be more effective than the others.

Most detox regimens suggest avoiding processed food. Short-Term Detoxification programs are usually safe for most people (but you should discuss with your doctor if it’s right for you). These programs suggest consuming raw vegetables, fruits, and plenty of clear liquids, after following these programs people usually will notice restoration of normal bowel movements, heightened levels of energy, and weight loss.

We won’t discuss any specific detox programs here, instead we’ll go over some common principals of all different methods. This will allow you to choose what is suitable and more beneficial for you.

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Let’s start with basics: Detoxification regimen usually lasts between 5 to 7 days. It is recommended that you do it once every year During detoxing days you should eat only the recommended types of food.

What should I Eat? 1. Fresh, unsalted and uncooked vegetables All kinds of your favorite salads and mixes are available not only the usual vegetables. You can add cabbage, beetroot, celery, kale, avocados and don’t forget about broccoli. Most of the above contain few calories and a large amount of fiber and vitamins necessary for the body.

2. Natural fruits, not dried The most important ones are the grapefruit, pomegranate, cranberries 3. Unrefined fruit and vegetable juices Avoid the sugary fruit juices from the store and instead focus on freshly squeezed juice. These fruit juices are full of antioxidants and natural nutrients that aid your detox.

4. All kinds of fresh and natural smoothies Try strawberries and wheatgrass smoothies. These drinks will help your liver function properly as a result of its alkaline nature. It also reduces your blood sugar and helps kick your immune system into gear.

5. Detoxing water is served with your favorite flavors Add lemon, orange, or lime juice to your water throughout the day. These fruits contain citric acid,

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Health & Beauty

which helps your body cut down fat. Plus, adding flavor to your water can make it a lot easier to get through the recommended 8 daily cups.

6. Green tea and all kinds of natural herbs Switch your high-caffeine, sugary hot drinks for natural green tea – an antioxidant-rich tea that seeks out free radicals and destroys them before they can cause serious damage to your health.

How to do it correctly: You should eat five meals a day of the above-mentioned items.

There is no specific quantity or time for these meals.

Keep your portions reasonable.

Modify your meals and add your favorite herbs and spices to make your food enjoyable. Detoxing doesn’t have to be bland.

Diversify your meals daily so you do not get bored and to ensure you get all the nutrients you need.

Drink plenty of fluids in general, but at least 2-to-3 liters of water per day.

Walk 20 - 30min a day for added benefits.

Things you should to avoid during your detox days: Processed, packaged foods Coffee Dairy Products Artificial Sweeteners Alcohol Red Meat and Chicken Trans Fats Starches and Refined Carbs Added sugars and salts Painkillers

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Business

The Book Cafe A Dream Come True for Two Imaginative Women

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By Antigoni Kalaitzi

Once upon a time, just a breath away from Kurdistan’s conflict zone, amidst one of the biggest socio-economic crises in the Middle East, there was a small, colorful cafe, full of words and fragrances of coffee and freshly cut paper, a nest for all the book-lovers and every kind of art. It sounds like a fairy tale, but, fortunately, it is not!

Last March, The Book Cafe opened its pages to the public and since then, has been a meeting point for Erbil’s “Science club”, students completing their dissertations along with a cup of coffee, children climbing on the bookshelves looking for stories to fill their imaginations, local groups of women who create their small personal book clubs, and the list goes on.

Logically, someone would probably wonder how this, admittedly bold, idea for the Kurdish society was born and especially in a time period where the political background of the country is in turmoil, the debates on the forthcoming Kurdish independence referendum are on and wages in the public sector are either decreasing or not paid at all, while at the same time the Kurdish government is called upon to manage the large wave of immigration of Syrians and displaced Iraqis. And all this, under the threats of the Islamic State! Yet, despite his, Ravan Al – Taie and Shaween Othman Faraj, two female entrepreneurs took the risk and the responsibility of their decision and made their passion a reality.

Ravan says that The Book Cafe is a project she was planning for 3 years before its implementation. When

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questioned about the place and time that she chose to proceed, she responded disarmingly simply: “If not now, then when?” or “Why not?” She explained that in any situation, someone should be brave enough to make the start. People will easily follow an idea that already exists instead of taking the risk to be the first one. “When the things around you go wrong then you have two choices: Either you are a bystander and you sink at the bottom with them or you do absolutely the opposite of what they force you to. So I thought if it will not succeed now, if it will not succeed here, then it will never happen,” she says.

As nature goes, the first people with whom she shared the idea or, rather her vision, were her family and friends, but without receiving the response she expected. While everyone offered their full support because they believed she is an able businesswoman, it was hard for them to believe the same thing about her idea. “Nobody reads here, what are you going to do?” was everyone’s first reaction. Without being overwhelmed by any kind of negative comments, she began researching the possibilities.

Someone could say that it is not so difficult to open a coffee shop and fill it up with books, but let me convince you for the exact opposite. Let’s start from the fact that the heads behind this business are women. Correction: Women born, raised and living in the Middle East. Female entrepreneurs with willingness to change and evolve, personally and socially. Ravan says that 90% of the obstacles she had to deal with had to

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do with being a woman. The business world did not take her plan seriously.

“Even if you work harder than 10 men together, you do not cease to be a woman for them,” she said. Continuing, she explains that even now that the project has become reality and it has been loved by the local and global community with the most important news agencies asking for interviews, while journalists from around the world, have overwhelmed the internet with articles about The Book Café in various languages, continues to face daily, here and there, some small or greater difficulties here and there that arise from the fact that she is a woman.

One of the first and main obstacles for the implementation of the project was the lack of financial resources. Having only her salary as an engineer, she needed money to rent the place, shape it accordingly, and anything else that the creation of a new business requires. So she tried to find investors. Some were interested but could not resist the temptation to modify the idea in order to be more suitable for them.

Even though she really needed someone to invest on the idea, she chose not to make any discount on the thoughts she already had in her mind. She had faith in herself and was sure that if it would be executed the way she wanted to, then it would succeed! And that’s how she returned back to the market trying to find resources.

She tried international organizations that support women but without any effect. “What we can do for you is to fund the purchase of a sewing machine!” was

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the disappointing answer she received after presenting the whole project with details.

Next stop: Banks! Full of anger she talks about the sad finding that the credit system of the country is simply nonexistent. Desperate, unwilling to give up, she played her last card, which, as it turned out, was also the decisive one. Throughout this effort, Ravan shared all the ongoing obstacles, step by step with her best friend, Shaween. Finally, Ravan proposed, “We’ll do it together, or the idea will enter the dustbin of history.”

And somehow like that, after a long and difficult journey, she found the partner who shared her vision, starting their happily ever after together.

Combining her love of reading, coffee, quotes and “of course, chocolate,” as she always says laughingly, she created a small, colorful oasis of culture in the middle of nowhere. With exuberant pride and remarkable flame in her eyes, she spoke of how she personally manipulated every corner of the shop. There was special construction for the ladder that joins the ground floor with the first floor, with its stairs being covered with famous book spines. Huge shelves from the ceiling to the floor full of books and discreet ornaments. A collection of coffee mugs, a hand-crafted wall clock with book covers to represent its numbers, and comfortable armchairs and sofas with little, overstuffed cushions, make up the magical scenery.

“It’s really unfair for books to always be combined with blurry personalities in impersonal libraries with heavy, dusty desks, dim lighting and frayed seats.

Issue 13 - Autumn 2017

Reading offers joy, smells, colors, creates feelings,” she says passionately.

For Ravan and Shaween, their main purpose is to promote the culture of reading in Kurdish society and especially in the local youth. With more than 3,500 English, Kurdish and Arabic books adorning their shelves, (a continuously enriching list), they note that they want to teach people how to love books and appreciate the beauty in small things. “If even a single person who does not read comes to The Book Café, grabs a book and turns the first page, then we can say for sure that we did it!”, they both say almost in one voice.

Apart from the thousands of words that can be found in The Book Café, visitors can partake of various types of art that appear from time to time. Painters inspired by their favorite books are painting live the stamp that the words left on their soul. Musicians, led by Karim Wasfi, one of the most important musicians in the country, enchant café-goers with his cello.

“The Book Café is a place that embraces art. A place where everyone is welcome regardless of their origin or religion. It doesn’t matter if they read or not.” Even Malala Yousafzai chose The Book Cafe during her visit to Kurdistan as her meeting place with girls who escaped from being hostages of ISIS. The ladies’ next goal is to create their own brand with professional accessories and tools for book lovers. At the same time, they are thinking of opening branches in other Kurdistan cities, after receiving many encourages messages.

As our conversation comes to an end, I realize that

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even though thousands of words were spoken or printed for the two ladies of The Book Café, I haven’t read anything anywhere about their favorite books!

“I love romantic novels. They help me get away from reality. This is anyway the reason I read,” says Shaween, who during the conversation was almost silent only making small interjections to agree with Ravan or to laugh at her exaggerated enthusiasm as she explained their progress toward success.

As for the book that holds a special place in Ravan’s library, “I have favorite books from each category. Of course, I cannot just choose one. But, the books I enjoy word by word are the Harry Potter and the Game of Thrones collections.”

Though she spent most of our meeting nearly silent, it was Shaween’s voice at the end of our meeting that made me stop. “The scattered words that fill the walls of The Book Cafe are not accidental,” she said “If I was a word, I would be the ‘Dream’. Ravan has a strong preference for ‘Believe.’”

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Business

HeliExcel

The Next Step in Medical Evacuation Arrives in Kurdistan

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Plus: Elliot’s First Helicopter Ride

By Jeremy Oliver

Every day when we go outside we can hear the pounding engines of military helicopters overhead. It’s something you get used to when you live in a country that has so many military bases. My son Elliot is 2 ½ years old. Every time he sees or hears a helicopter he screams.....

“Daddaaaa Heleeeeecopteerrrrrr”.

In the last decade, military helicopters, and the occasional test helicopters or police helicopters have been the only ones in the sky.

That is, until now. Last month, HeliExcel announced cooperation with LST and RMS to begin private tour flights, corporate air taxi, and medical evacuation services, led by the team of professionals at HeliExcel.

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As a new service provider, and a new idea completely to the region, HeliExcel is an innovation that has always been just out of grasp here.

I know very few people here who have been on helicopter flights. I, however, have been on hundreds of military flights, and have to state that each time is an absolutely exhilarating experience.

With that in mind, my wife and son have never been on a helicopter flight, and my son loves helicopters so much that it was a no-brainer for me to book a Friday tour flight. We arrived Friday morning to the RMS yard 3, and confirmed our flight with security at the gate. After a of couple min-

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utes, they let us drive in, and park.

We walked from the car around the corner just as the yellow HeliExcel helicopter was powering down. My son Elliot was like, “Mommmma! Dadddaaa wooook heleeeeeecopterrrrrr!” Obviously this was going to be good.

Once the aircraft had stopped the engines, and the previous group had disembarked we cut Elliot loose. He ran like crazy toward the aircraft, hugged the leg of Captain Jeff, and said “Let’s go ride the Heleeeeecopterrrrrr.” After a few moments he was crawling all around it and just in complete awe of being inside a real helicopter.

Shortly after his initial excitement, Captain Jeff and Todd, the President of HeliExcel, gave a short safety briefing, and showed us how to use the seatbelts and headsets.

Moments later, we were taking off.

It was only a 15-20 minute flight around the city, but it was amazing seeing all the places we know and love from a different perspective.

Elliot was speechless. He didn’t say a word the entire trip, he just stared out the window.

When we arrived back, it was like

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trying to remove a 2 year old from a helicopter, literally. He didn’t want to get out. “No momma, lets go ride helicopter one more time.” We didn’t go one more time, but the experience is burned into his memory for a lifetime. Now, every time I want him to do something, I’m like “Elliot, let’s go ride helicopter,” and he quickly gives me his hand and lets me lead him to whatever chore I have for him.

While the HeliExcel guys are offering tour flights, medical evacuation is their prime purpose and they’ve already had a couple of chances to save lives as a helicopter ambulance working along with the medical team from LST. I cannot express how much of a blessing this exciting flight was for our little family, and though I hope we never have to have a medical evacuation, I’m really glad that these services are now available in Erbil.

If you want to inquire about HeliExcel services, call 07503818881.

Pinkandbluedaycare@outlook.com

009647512096701 @PinkAndBlueDaycare

Daycare

Pinkandbluedaycare

"The all in one educational and fun Daycare for the little ones in Erbil" From the ages of 08 months to 05 years English Curriculum Part and full time schedule, we open on Saturdays!

Indoor and outdoor activities: Art and crafts, Music, Gym, Theatre, Outdoor trips, Summer Camp and many more!

Section for kids with special needs Lots of Care, Love and Fun!

Issue 13 - Autumn 2017

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Food & Drink

Tepsi Baytinijan

I’ve had tepsi a lot since I’ve been living here and what I’ll tell you is it’s never been the same each time, even when one person has made it twice. So, I took my favorite elements and cooked up this recipe giving a little bit of a presentational flair. Hope you enjoy it.

Ingredients: 500 grams ground beef or lamb 1/2 teaspoon curry powder 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus extra 1/2 teaspoon pepper 3 tablespoons flour 2 onions, 1 diced, 1 sliced in rounds 1 green chili 1 pepper (color of your choice), cored and sliced in rounds 3 medium sized potatoes (or 2 large ones), peeled and thinly sliced 3 medium sized eggplant, sliced lengthways 1/2 bunch parsley Vegetable or sunflower oil The Sauce 3 tablespoons tomato paste juice of 1 lemon 2 1/2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses 1 teaspoon salt

In a frying pan, on medium-high, heat about two tablespoons of oil and place 2-3 eggplant slices, and flip over after a few seconds - eggplants soak up a lot of oil, so beware. Fry the eggplant slices until both sides are golden brown, transfer to a plate covered with kitchen towel. You may need to add more oil and repeat until you have fried all the slices. Then fry the sliced potatoes until they are also golden brown on both sides, but they don’t need to be cooked all the way through. You can also quickly sautee the onions and peppers, but this is up to you.

In the same frying pan (using the same pan and any leftover oil is key for flavor!), fry the meatballs until they are a nice, crisp golden brown color on all sides.

They won’t be cooked through, but that’s ok because they continue to cook in the oven. Transfer to a plate covered with kitchen towel.

Making the parcels: Lay an eggplant slice and place a meatball in it with a few parsley leaves. Roll the eggplant until the meatball is covered and tie it up with a parsley stalk (you don’t need to tie it up with a parsley stalk, but it looks prettier).

Instructions: Preheat the to 180°C (350°F). Grease a deep baking dish and set aside.

Making the sauce: Put all the sauce ingredients in a bowl. Add 300ml of boiling water and mix until well combined

Lay the eggplant slices on a flat surface and sprinkle with salt, then let settle for a bit. Finally, absorb the moisture with a couple of kitchen towels.

Assembling the dish: layer the potato slices in the baking dish, then layer the peppers, then the onions.

Tightly pack the parcels, and try not to leave any gaps between them. If you have any extra meatballs, place them under the parcels. Decorate the dish with tomato slices, then pour the sauce evenly all over the dish.

Mix together the curry powder, cumin, turmeric, coriander, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, pepper, the diced onion and chili, until well combined. In a medium bowl, mix together your choice of ground meat with the mixture.

Add the flour to make the mixture less wet and more manageable (you may need to add more flour). Using your hands, make oblong meatballs and set aside.

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Cover the dish tightly with foil, and put in the oven to cook for 35-40 minutes. Remove the foil and let it brown a bit more, about 10 minutes longer. Serve immediately with rice.

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Food & Drink

Eggplant Parmesan I don’t know if Italians actually eat eggplant parmesan or if it’s just a thing someone else made uput after eating this recipe in which the eggplant is buttery, melt in your mouth, yet somehow slightly crisp, I don’t think I care.

Ingredients 2 large eggplants (about 1 kg) 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1 cup dry, fine breadcrumbs 1 1/2 cups finely grated Parmesan cheese, divided 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 3 large eggs 1/4 cup olive oil 3 cups tomato sauce, divided 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (about 12 ounces), divided Instructions Slice and salt eggplant: Trim the stems from the eggplants and slice into 1/2-inch-thick rounds. Lay the rounds out on a wire rack set over a baking sheet and sprinkle both sides with the salt. Let the rounds sit for 1 hour. Stories tell us this should help combat the bitter taste of eggplant, but also just to season the eggplant itself before getting on with the rest of the job.

Meanwhile, set up the dredging station: Combine the breadcrumbs and 1 cup of the Parmesan cheese in a small bowl. Place the flour in second small bowl.

Whisk the eggs in a third small bowl. Arrange the bowls assembly line style in this order: flour, egg, breadcrumb mixture.

Heat the oven: Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 350°F. Bread the eggplant: Rinse the salt from the eggplant slices and pat dry with paper towels. Dip each eggplant slice completely in the flour, followed by the egg, and finally the breadcrumb mixture. Place the breaded slices back on the rack.

Fry the eggplant: Heat the oil in a large straight-sided skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Fry the slices 4 at a time (to avoid crowding the pan) until golden-brown, 3-to-5 minutes per side. Place each batch of cooked eggplant back on the rack.

Layer the casserole: Pour 1/2 cup of the sauce into an 8x8-inch baking dish and spread into an even layer. Place 1/3 of the eggplant slices in an even layer on top of the tomato sauce. Sprinkle with mozzarella. Top with more sauce in an even layer. Repeat these layers two more times with the remaining eggplant, mozzarella, and sauce. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup of Parmesan.

Bake: Bake until the eggplant is tender and the cheese is melted and bubbly, about 35 minutes.

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Food & Drink

Tang Chinese Restaurant It’s been a little bit more than a year since Tang Chinese restaurant opened its door and made Chinese cuisine a local favorite. Jonalyne Villanueva, the restaurant’s manager, has created a welcoming environment where the friendly staff presents dishes with diversified color, aromatic flavor and excellent taste. Besides arousing your palate, Tang is also famous for creating a memorable atmosphere for social gatherings and special occasions such as birthdays and giving their customers the royal treatment.

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Hot pot

in action!

Braised green beans! A healthy, flavorful side dish, versatile enough for your everyday lunch.

The famous Chinese hot pot! Cook on your own the raw ingredients that you like in a flavorful broth.

If you’re a fan of Asian noodles, be sure to give these fried beef noodles a try!

The ideal place for a family lunch or dinner.

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Food & Drink

Hot Toddy This is what you drink when you feel absolutely awful. You’re cold. You’re congested. You’ve got a cough or a sore throat. Maybe it’s a miracle cure, maybe it’s not. We’ll let you decide for yourselves.

Ingredients 1 oz (2 tablespoons) bourbon 1 tablespoon mild honey 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice 1/4 cup boiling-hot water Instructions If you can’t figure it out you might be worse off thanwe initially thought. No, but really, mix the ingredients in a coffee mug. Drink and forget all your ailments.

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DUBAI Enjoy Dubai with the whole family for an unforgettable holiday

Book at holidaysiraq@dnata.travel call +964 75101 00501 or visit our dnata travel outlet at 40 Meter Street, Erbil 57

holidaysiraq ‫ أو‬+964 ‫سفريات‬ Circuit Magazine

‫دبـ ــي‬ ‫اذهبوا يف رحلة عائلية‬ ‫ال تنسى إىل ديب‬

‫‪58‬‬

‫احجزوا عبر ‪q@dnata.travel‬‬ ‫اتصلوا على ‪75101 00501‬‬ ‫تفضلوا بزيارة أقرب فرع لدناتا للس‬ ‫‪Issue 13 - Autumn 2017‬‬

Travel & Leisure

Deralok Normally we would tell you how amazingly beautiful Kurdistan is and how you’re totally missing out if you never leave the city.

We would normally tell you that you should make the effort to go hiking and camping and picnicking.

We would normally tell you that only the lucky few are the ones who get to see places as beautiful as the one pictured here.

But honestly, all we want to tell you this time is to please, please, please, clean up after yourself when you venture into Kurdistan’s nature.

This is a massively beautiful place. It is wonderful to

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go for picnics and hiking and camping. But it won’t be for long if everyone keeps littering and refusing to pick up after themselves.

Just a week after this photo was taken, this very same location was destroyed by people who went to enjoy it and left behind all of their trash. Garbage was strewn across the banks and filled the pools of water.

It’s despicable.

So please, clean up after yourselves. In fact, next time you go, don’t just pick up after yourself, but also pick up after the jerks who left stuff before you got there.

Keep Kurdistan Clean.

Circuit Magazine

Photo By Rock Your Bones

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Travel & Leisure

BARZAN

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Ancient History and Breath-taking Views in Kurdistan’s Nature

By Kurdistan Iraq Tours

Are you looking to escape the city? Want to get in touch with nature, in the mountains? Do you like lush greenery and running rivers and streams? If so, then the Barzan region is the place for you to visit.

Barzan town is 152km north of Erbil – roughly a two-hour drive – at the northern reaches of Erbil Governorate. The town is between Amedi to the west and Mergasur to the east. Barzan town is part of the greater Barzan region, which is bisected by the Great Zab River. The Barzan region is home to the Barzani clan, to include legendary Kurdish leaders: Sheikh Ahmed Barzani; Mullah Mustafa Barzani; and, current Kurdistan Regional Government President Masoud Barzani.

The Barzan region is truly one of the more beautiful areas in Kurdistan, filled with an array of wildlife and plant life not present anywhere else in Kurdistan. This is partly due to the extensive conservation efforts that have been exerted in the area, which include prohibitions against hunting and clear cutting of trees. Those efforts have paid dividends as the region now is a wonderful place to hike and explore.

Located in Barzan is the Mullah Mustafa Barzani memorial complex. At the heart of the location is the grave site of Mullah Mustafa Barzani, as well as his son Idris (father of Kurdistan Regional Government Prime Min-

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ister Nechirvan Barzani). They are traditional simple graves, which draw thousands and thousands of visitors every year paying their respects to these Kurdish leaders.

Also at the memorial complex is the nearly completed museum and conference center. The museum is expected to tell the story of the Kurdistani struggle for survival and self-determination through the years, as well as the tolerance of the people of the region. Nearby to the museum complex is the site of a memorial to the martyrs of the Barzani Anfal. This memorial honors the 8,000 men and boys of the Barzani clan who were murdered in 1983 by the regime of former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein.

Aside from historical and cultural markers, there are plenty of opportunities to enjoy the outdoors. Enjoy spelunking? Then Barzan is the place for you. Kurdistan’s most famous cave – Shanidar Cave – is located not far from Barzan town, in the Bradost Mountains. The cave has one of the largest main openings of any in Iraq. Its tallest point is 18m high, with a width of 27m, and depth of 40m. There are 300 steps on a gently rising path to the entrance of the cave. It was not that long ago, that shepherd families lived in the cave with their flocks during the winter months, as ancestors have done before them for thousands and thousands of years.

Shanidar Cave is most famous, however, for a 1957 discovery by Columbia University archaeologist Ralph Solecki. During several years of excavations, Solecki discovered burials at various layers of both Cro-Magnon and Neanderthal humans. Most famous of the remains were the bodies of ten Neanderthals estimated to be from as far back as 60,000 BCE. One of the bodies was that of a man who had survived and been nurtured through recovery from several injuries. He lived to be approximately 40 years of

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Travel & Leisure

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age – an old man by today’s standards. Another of the famous remains was surrounded by the remnants of flower seeds, leading Solecki to conclude that body had received some sort of ritual burial and care; the oldest such example in the world. Today one of the sets of Neanderthal remains lies in the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C.; and the other sets are in the Baghdad Museum.

But wait, there’s another cave to checkout as well! Bestoon Cave was re-discovered in 1951, and rests in the Bradost Mountains as well, in the Barzan region. There is also evidence in Bestoon Cave of Stone Age and Neanderthal presence, however, until now there has been no excavation of the cave. The cave is much larger than Shanidar, with a very deep cavern extending at least 500m underground. The cave contains very impressive stalactites and stalagmites. The lower reaches of the cave can be quite chilly year-round. Be prepared with good flashlights or headlamps when visiting as well, as you are plunged into complete darkness not far from the entrance. To prevent looting and damage to the cave, the entrance is closed, and one must seek permission to enter from an onsite guard.

Barzan is a great escape to nature. While hiking, or driving in breath-taking scenery you can see some of Kurdistan’s wonderful wildlife.

You can experience some of the connection to Kurdistan’s more recent revolutionary history. And while cave exploring, you can be taken back to the place of some of our ancient humanoid ancestors. What a great adventure!

For more information about touring Barzan, please visit http://kurdistaniraqtours.com/. For more info about Barzan, or other places in Kurdistan, check out: http://www.kurdistantourguide.com/. To schedule a tour, contact Kurdistan Iraq Tours at: 0750 301 0001.

Deutscher Hof

Erbil/ I-Kurdistan

German Restaurant & Beer Garden Add: Ainkawa , Kurdistan Erbil, Iraq Tel : +964 750 316 2369 Issue 13 - Autumn 2017

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Camping Travel & Leisure

In Kurdistan With

A group of campers set up under the stars of the Milky Way in Kurdistan’s northern mountains.

Camping has become a more popular pastime in the recent years, with groups like Rock Your Bones showing newcomers and foreigners the ropes of getting around Kurdistan safely.

Photo by Karam Sinjarae

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Travel & Leisure

Photo by Sabah Makki

There’s no place like Kurdistan.

Truly it’s a perplexing place. Highrise buildings being constructed as fast as the winds change, traffic congested throughout every inch of the city, meanwhile, you get just a few kilometers away from the cities and all that dissipates.

Unsurprisingly during a camping experience with Rock Your Bones, you’ll find leaders with good heads on their shoulders telling you what you need, what you don’t need (which is almost more important), how to behave and where to step or not to step (which is definitely

Photo by Sabah Makki

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Photo by Sabah Makki

more important given the recent history of this region).

Surprisingly, you can see the vast sky full of millions of stars that you could almost forget were there if you stay in the city long enough.

You can hear the grasshoppers chirping you to sleep with the music of their wings, and the birds singing you awake the next morning as the sun rises.

Apparently if you go to a certain little watering hole set far and away from the roads that you must take an hours hike first, you’ll find crabs.

We don’t know how. You just do. In the mountains, you’ll find what we like to refer to as serenity.

Circuit Magazine

Photo by Karam Sinjarae

Photo provided by Rekan Rasool

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We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again, Kurdistan is not all it appears to be. You just have to take a chance, use your imagination, and explore.

Photo by Karam Sinjarae

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SKY BAR NOBLE HOTEL

Issue 13 - Autumn 2017 NOBLE HOTEL ERBIL-100 M STREET

72 +964 750 161 6530 | +964 750 796 1207

Travel & Leisure

7Malaysia Unique Experiences in

Presented by

Malaysia is already well-known for its affordable family resorts, no-frills city accommodations and cheap beachfront chalets, but when it comes to splurging that little bit more on an escapade to treat and pamper you and your loved ones, Malaysia doesn’t disappoint either.

Escape the city for that deluxe experience in Malaysia and choose from an island retreat with your

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own private beach, or dwellings by ancient caves and hotsprings. Alternatively, book a night at a UNESCO World Heritage site and enjoy fantastic views of the legendary Mount Kinabalu. You can also sleep among the rainforest trees and be one with nature. Or, do absolutely nothing and let experienced hands ease those stresses away with a retreat at a French-styled spa sanctuary up in the mountains.

Circuit Magazine

1.

The Estates at Pangkor Laut (pangkorlautestates.com) offers total privacy and luxury in the exclusive estates situated in a small cove on the private island of Pangkor Laut. Accessible only by private vehicle, the eight secluded estates offer guests total escape and privacy, if they so wish. Whether it is a waterfront estate, allowing guests the pleasure of a private beach, or an estate nestled on the hillside within the two million year old rainforest, the experience of staying at The Estates offers a luxurious getaway far from the crowd. Your every desire and fancy will be met by a team of dedicated butlers, maids and personal chefs. Pangkor Laut was listed in global hotel booking site Agoda.com’s list of Fresh Destinations 2012, noting its “stellar beaches…tracts of untouched rainforests (and) fresh seafood” as reasons to visit.

2.

We’re not suggesting you get up to something naughty over in Tambun, but inadvertently, a spa treatment at The Banjaran Hotsprings Retreat (thebanjaran.com), a Conde Nast Johansen recommended venue and 2011 winner of FIABCI awards for Best Spa Resort, will definitely put you into some hot water – natural geothermal hotspring water (over 3 million litres from the ground every day!). Here, you can dip into geothermal hotspring pools, meditate in 280-year-old natural caves, improve a stagnant chi

Issue 13 - Autumn 2017

or revitalize a tired chakra at the Spa and Wellness Centre – surrounded by natural limestone hills and an equatorial rainforest at a property that has earned its place as the Best Sustainable Hotel in Malaysia and Asia Pacific 2012-2013 by International Hotel Awards.

Even if you’d rather do nothing, holing up at one of its private villas wouldn’t be such a bad idea – there’s a private plunge pool and hotspring Jacuzzi where you can embark on your own personal healing!

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3.

Alternatively, checking in at Sutera Sanctuary Lodges (suteraharbour.com) situated right at the foot of Malaysia’s highest peak, Mount Kinabalu, would be the perfect chill-out idea. Snuggle up by the fireplace on those chilly nights, or simply admire the lush greenery of Malaysia’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site from your very doorstep. Never mind the uphill task of conquering the mountain, there’s always the window view of the granite mountain to write home about!

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4.

If hiding away is your ideal, then The Datai (dataihotels.com) on Langkawi Island will keep you well-concealed within its forested embrace and beautiful dwellings hidden far from the noise and lights of the city. Standalone villas built from local timber ensure total privacy, and the discreet service is never lacking. Relish in the thought of being in the heart of a tropical rainforest that has been around for many million years, while nearby the waters of the Andaman Sea await you with it gleaming white shores.

Tucked away from the rest of the island in its own private cove, The Datai offers guests the ultimate luxury to escape to. The only problem is, you’ll never want to come out from hiding!

5.

Also in Langkawi, on the shores of the Andaman Sea and nearby the mangroves of the Kilim Karst Geoforest Park, is the Four Seasons Resort (fourseasons.com/langkawi). Its traditional Malay village layout of beach villas amid 48 acres of beachfront gardens allows guests the freedom to reflect and reconnect with each other and the surrounding nature. A Geo Spa pampers adults with wellness treatments based on local traditions, while children are made to feel special with the Kids For All Seasons programme. With Langkawi’s rich natural environment conveniently at its doorstep, be prepared to explore the outdoors with a resident naturalist, or on your own at the Geopark Discovery Centre where Langkawi’s diverse ecosystems and natural attributes are showcased. Or, simply pull up a deck chair and lounge lazily on the 1.5 km stretch of white, sandy beach.

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Travel & Leisure

6.

Meanwhile, Gaya Island Resort (gayaislandresort. com) in Sabah, Borneo, welcomes guests looking for a private island escape. Just 20-minutes’ boat-ride from bustling Kota Kinabalu city, the resort is set against breathtaking rocky coastal outcrops and surrounded by coral reefs in Gaya Island. The PURE activities programme here immerses guests in the surrounding natural and cultural environment that Sabah is famous for. Sign up for the Borneo culinary programme, PADI diving, or crafting session with the locals.

Or indulge in a massage that incorporates Sabah’s healing traditions and where guests work with the inhouse perfumer to make a custom oil blend for their spa experience.

Its great location combines a relaxing holiday at the resort with the extreme and soft adventure activities that Kota Kinabalu and the rest of Sabah is so famous for!

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7.

The world’s first organic spa and wellness resort located in the cool mountains of Malaysia, The Chateau (thechateau.com.my) is modeled after an 18th-century medieval castle in France, and offers a European spa experience with impeccable Asian hospitality.

Indulge in unique spa treatments like the herbal infused sauna chamber, salt grotto and Aquaveda heated bed, then enjoy exquisite tea service at the Belle Vue tea room, before winding down the evening at its award-winning fine-dining French restaurant L’assiette. Located at 3,000 feet above sea level, but only 45 minutes from Kuala Lumpur, The Chateau’s French highlands atmosphere is enhanced by the peaceful surrounds of lush rainforest and cool climates. Nearby, horse riding trails, a beautiful golf course and a thrilling outdoor adventure park (with rock climbing, flying fox and jungle paintball activities) deliver the fun factor after a blissful day of spa treatments.

For more information or to book your travel, contact dnataTravel at 0751 010 0501 or holidaysiraq@dnata.travel

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Sunset ENJOY YOUR NIGHT WITH OUR DJS AT SUNSET

..AND HAVE A DELIGHTFUL DINNER AT LOFT

FOR MORE Info and Reservations 0750 535 2222 79

Loft Erbil

Circuit Magazine

Nightlife

Summer is beginning to fade, and Fall (or as Jimmie likes to call it, “Autumn”) is setting in over Kurdistan. I think we all are ready for a change of weather, but with the change, comes a rift in the party scene. Sometimes it’s a good thing, and sometimes it’s bad.

The Kurdistan referendum for independence is also coming up on the 25th of September and that’s really got some of the expats worried about what will come to pass. If I’ve learned anything in my decade long stay here, it’s that the Peshmerga will hold the line and the cities will be safe.

Several new places have opened, and more are opening every week.

There is a new joint that opened called AJ’s at the top of Assennapar Hotel, then Taverna Greek Restaurant across from KurdNeft on 100 Meter Road, and Masaya Hotel has opened their pool bar, called Lot 9. All in all, there are tons of places to grab a drink these days and hang out with your friends.

I’ve come to the realization that EPIC is a great way to meet people, and after having my 39th Birthday party on August 9th, I was able to get back to the roots. It’s really hot outside, but it’s about 10 degrees cooler at the Deutscher Hof Beer Garden. They are open from 11am, so it’s the only place open at 4pm when my son gets out of school. You can find me there almost daily to have a quick after work drink. There on my birthday, I ran into a group of Americans who were just recently deployed here by their company. We started at the German and ended up at Bella Ranicia for the end of the night. Everyone that came with us went home, with exception of the American guys. They crashed on the benches at Bella. That’s pretty much the definition of an EPIC night.

I’m still out and about, although I’m trying to reduce my garbage intake, I’m happy to meet up for beers or to talk business. Just give me a shout.

Jeremy Oliver Creator of EPIC A Texan living in the Kurdistan Region for 8 years, Jeremy Oliver is the "Original EPIC." He lives a crazy life, day and night, in Erbil hosting a variety of social events all throughout town, while juggling his time with his lovely wife Lana, his beautiful son Elliot, his doggy Poopa, and his close friends. He never has free time and Pat keeps his schedule full with appointments with companies interested in advertising with Circuit and EPIC. Circuit Magazine and "The Real EPIC" group on Facebook are the warm chocolate center of his existence though he and his wife Lana actually are involved in 11 companies ranging from security consulting to engineering, construction, and waste management. He is always open to a good time and if you spend time in Erbil it is only a matter of time before you see his gleaming smile from across the bar!

--- Jeremy

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Loft & Sunset

Bringing New Luxury to Nightlife From Spass Group, the founders of Onyx and Lotus, come Loft and Sunset a spectacular hidden gem sitting atop the famous Erbil International Hotel.

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Nightlife

Most people forget that even when you leave Ainkawa you can find a few decent nighlife spots.

And ever since Loft and Sunset opened, it’s that place that people run across and are happy they decided to take the trip.

Inside Loft offers a luscious atmosphere. The furniture and lighting represent comfortable luxury, fit for a nice family dinner, a date night, or even a business dinner where you really want to impress the clients. We even noticed someone enjoying their birthday dinner inside the Loft and then they carried it outside to Sunset.

Sunset is the outdoor portion of The Loft and this is where I got to enjoy a date night with my wife Lana. We don’t get a lot of date nights these days, so it was nice to go somewhere comfortable, not loud, and where we were taken care of. We arrived around 8 p.m., and we were the only guests. (Note: Erbil nightlife is just getting later and later these days, right?)

The service staff came to us with tablets setup with their menu. The

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menu was very simple, with a few choices for each course. My wife and I are serious steak lovers, so we had to go with the filet mignon. We started with the Armenian Meatballs, which are served with this amazing sauce that you just sort of want to drink all on its own. We also had these spicy little potatoes.

They were absolutely awesome.

We truly enjoyed the food and drinks and definitely will visit again to try some of the other items on the menu.

Due to the elevation and mist machines, the temperature was pleasant although the outside air in the summer is usually like a hair dryer.

Apparently at Sunset, it’s always fall. And it’s not called Sunset for

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Nightlife

nothing. We saw the most beautiful sunset and rise of an orange full moon over the city.

Around 10 p.m. as we finished up the last of our food, the DJ came and started to play lounge music at a volume where we could still have a conversation but not be overheard. Then people started to arrive and the place filled up quickly. We were able to see so many friendly faces and people that we’ve met around town, that have discovered the same gem as us.

If you’re looking for the “diamond in the rough” in this historic city, or just want to have a pleasurable evening out with friends and family we highly recommend you check this place out.

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Nightlife

Enjoy a few photos of who we spotted “Out on the Circuit” last quarter at different special events throughout Kurdistan. Maybe you’ll even find yourself. Make sure to find us and strike a pose at parties this season to end up in next issue!

Dictator Day aka Jeremy’s Birthday

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EPIC Water Party Hosted by T-bar

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EMERGENCY NUMBERS

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Across Across

Heat Temperature Figurative Language andand Literary Terms

2. The metric place, system measurement 2. A person, or of object that has meaning itself but suggests 4.The measure we use to quantify the other meanings as well; such as sensations of ishot andbut cold the color red a color can also represent love, anger, or blood 6. A form of heat transfer that uses 5. The relationship between the liquid or gas for heating in the form of narrator and the characters and accurrents tion in the story; ex: 1st or 3rd person 6. Words usedoftoheat imitate 7.The transfer bythe direct sound of a thing contact of given particles matter 7. A hint to theofreader of what will occur later in the story 9. The sum of kinetic and potential 8. An author’s attitude toward the energy subject of a literary work or toward theMoving reader Energy 10.

10. A form or type of literary work 11.

Something that prevents the flow such as sci-fi, mystery, or romance of heat 11. A figure of speech in which

Complet e t he crossword below

1 2

3

4 5 6

7

8

human characteristics are given to Down non-human things 9 12. A English comparison in which the 1.word The System of Measure‘like’ or ‘as’ is used to point ment out similarities between two unlike 3.things The Property of a substance 14. A figure of speech that involves that tells uscomparison how muchbetween the an implied 10 two unlike things temperature changes when heat 15. An exaggerated statement not ismeant added. to be taken literally 5. Something that creates and 16. The atmosphere or feeling 11 3. Language expanded beyond its within a work of art conducts heat ordinary literal meaning 8. Heat Downtransfer by electromagnet- 4. A saying or phrase that if taken literally it would lose its intended 1. A story, literature about imagic radiation meaning ined people and events 9. Literature about real people 2. The time, place, and general and events rather than imagined environment in which a literary ones work takes place

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11. A series of events in a literary work 13. The underlying meaning of a literary work that the writer wants the reader to get out of their writing

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SMB Group is a privately owned Kurdish company incorporated and based in Erbil the capital of the Kurdish Autonomous Region of Iraq. It specialises in the provision of bespoke customer orientated solutions for Civil Works, Construction, Project Logistic, Waste Management, Catering and Oil Field Technical Services.

SMB Group is committed to contributing to the economic development of the communities it operates in, through social investment, education and skills development, local sourcing of equipment, and employing local workers - in Kurdistan approximately 98% of their workforce are Kurdish/Iraqi nationals. The company have a demonstrable track record of working with local communities and their leadership to achieve mutually beneficial outcomes and to ensure there is no adverse impact on its client’s operational activities.

HASA Security is a Kurdish owned company that provides a bespoke security solution, to give organisations that peace of mind when working in complex environments. Using locally sourced people, equipment and materials ensures communities benefit from projects but also improves Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) goals for clients. Current client sectors include Oil and Gas, NGOs, Local Government, Banking, Hospitality from Static Guards to Embedded Security Consultants.

All projects are monitored by a highly experienced management team from the Security Operations Centre based in Erbil, acting as a hub for standard operational functions such as vehicle tracking but also available as an Emergency Control Centre.

HASA Security involves their clients from the very beginning of the business relationships to ensure that their needs are met in a manner that is relevant, thorough and cost effective. From start to finish, planning to deployment, HASA treats organisations and individuals with discretion, loyalty, confidentiality and acting always within the framework of national and international laws.

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International Experience Local Presence

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