Carp split open like books lean toward wood fires along Abu Nuwas Street, and beyond them the Tigris swings through the city in wide brown loops. Bridges tie its two banks together, and in the evening families walk the riverside gardens while masgouf smoke drifts over the water.
Away from the river, Mutanabbi Street fills with book stalls on Fridays, and talk carries on over tea at the Shabandar Café. Nearby, a few coppersmiths still hammer trays in Souk al-Safafeer. Summers are long, very hot and dry, while short winters bring mild days and light rain. A Local Friend can pull up a chair at a riverside grill or a back-street tea house you would never find alone.
