Sunday, July 17, 2005

The Village of UR at Tallil in An Nasariyah!


[U]
Originally uploaded by ErikHoltan.
Just got back from an all night bender coming home from down south in An Nasariyah! We went to Tallil Air Base to train the Combat Support Hospital down there, and it was pretty decent I will say! We arrived on Friday morning after leaving Victory via Blackhawk, arriving in Balad at Anaconda at 0300, then finding out our Sherpa(plane) flight down to Tallil was canceled. We then prceeded to the PAX(passenger) terminal to fnd a C130 flight, and got o the manifest for that. Went back to the Sherpa terminal to get our stuff and THAT flight was back on! Cool! So we got to Tallil and got our rooms, and took a nap. Yesterday we did our training, and in the afternoon we went to this huge temple by the ruins of the village called UR. This is where Abraham(not Lincoln) started his teachings, so it was VERY cool to go to this temple that looks cool, but used to be 80 ft. taller! Anyways, in my pictures you can see some of the ruins and where the king and queens tombs are(were). But people don't realize a lot more of the biblical references take place in the present Iraq than you would realize, and also, how often are yu going to be able to go to these things again? And how many people you know will see them in person? Not a lot! So I feel blessed to be able to even see these places from ANY distance in person!
Alright, so last night we arrived at the PAX terminal at Tallil at midnight, and took off at 0400 back to Balad to catch an 0840 flight to Victory! We did it in very good time, but these dangs nights are taking a toll. 2 out of the last 3 nights we have not slept so we are going to get some rest!
Aside from that Tallil was in the 130's and that was the HOTTEST I have EVER felt. If I told you when you opened an oven and felt the heat on your hands that is what it felt like! An experience to be felt in person! I don't mind these things because they are all once in a lifetime experiences that not a lot of others will get!
So thanks for everyone leaving comments while I was gone. I love it! And I see tons more people have found my site and I hope they get an insight as to what I do!
I will post more tommorrow, as this post is getting longer and played out!
Oh yeah! The gun thing on Friday, if anyone was offended about the coffee and the gun! Relax!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And if it looks like I am having fun?
Well, within the context of my situation, I AM!!! A little!!!!
I miss my family a whole lot though!
Later,
Erik

85 Comments:

Blogger Christie E. Little said...

Ok..so when you start to miss the heat...and just need to feel it again, you'll need to take little trips to the desert in AZ. LOL..YOu'll feel so much better.

Seriously...I remember being in college with 121 heat (univ of az.)

I told the hubby to just tap into the memories of that. The only problem, he told me, was we had kick ass Air Conditioning. LOL. :)

Be well and Safe.
XOXO
Christie

July 17, 2005 5:51 AM  
Blogger Call Me Grandma said...

Glad you made it back safe.
I heard from Dan. He made it to hell.

July 17, 2005 6:27 AM  
Blogger Jody said...

It actually suprised me when I learned how many biblical sites were in Iraq. Funny, isn't it, to realize that Christianity had its beginnings in what is now so thoroughly Muslim.

July 17, 2005 6:45 AM  
Blogger Jennifer said...

Wow that's amazing!

July 17, 2005 7:33 AM  
Blogger Stacy said...

Erik,

So glad that you made it back to your camp safely. Don't know how you guys/gals take that heat. I can't even imagine, but from what my son tells me, it is a very dry heat also. Erik Keep having fun with the Friday pictures. You have more guts than I do. Again, glad ya'll made it back safely.

July 17, 2005 11:06 AM  
Blogger Unknown said...

Yeah, you *love* the heat... I am sure that is what I heard him proclaiming as we hiked up and around the temple. I also don't remember his but-tocks (said in the Forest Gump accent) getting blisters from sitting on the 170 degree seats!! BUT - we did love our little adventure to the temple!

July 17, 2005 1:19 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Dear Mr. Holtan,
I am writing in response to a comment you left on a certain blog maintained by a person claiming to be communist, socialist, and anarchist. I must first let you know that I appreciate everything you and all the other members of our armed forces are doing in serving our country. You are all brave soldiers and no one should speak ill of you or your profession. However, having said that, I would like to express my disappointment in the fact that you sank to the level of said communist and became a zealot for the government. no matter how much one may say it is untrue, there are economic and political reasons for this war in Iraq, and it is not justifiable as a war on terror. we in this country are a great deal less free than our founding fathers would have had it. and while I appreciate your efforts to preserve the freedoms we already posess, I think you need to open your eyes and fight for the freedoms we as americans are denied.

I appologize for having to post this annonymously, but I'd rather not have to deal with a very angry soldier when you return, just in case you take this letter the wrong way.

again, thank you for your continued efforts,

E.S.O.

July 17, 2005 9:15 PM  
Blogger Erik Holtan said...

Well whatever!
How am I suppose to respond to this post when I don't even know what your talking about?
You have your right to believe in what you do, as do I!
If I wanted to leave a comment on an Al Quieda site, I would, and would you call me a terrorist, or a zealot for terrorism? I like a band called Motley Crue! They were big into drugs, I never have touched drugs! But if I left a comment on their message board would I be generalized and be someone who promotes drugs? Either way I could give a crap, because I am able to think for myself. I believe that I am over here and see firsthand what is happening, and you are relying on the press to give you your facts! Well, do some more research, and take a trip over here and then get back to me! I don't care that posted anonymously, I just have no idea what your side is, or what you exactly were refering to!
I would not come home and be mad, because like I always say, you can believe whatever you want, but don't tell me my OPINION is wrong! I might not agree with you but I love you as an American!
Have a great American day!
Erik

July 17, 2005 11:19 PM  
Blogger Call Me Grandma said...

Erik, was the temple, that Abraham preached near, was it there when Abraham preached? That is so cool. Your feet have probably touched ground, that Jesus roamed on at one time. I would say that is so cool.
If anything good has come out of this whole thing it is that you guys are really seeing the real world...and oh yea, you have given the Iraqis the freedom of choice.
Glad you are back safe and sound.

July 18, 2005 4:24 AM  
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