Tourists Return to Iraq

The first package tourists since the days of Saddam Hussein have arrived in Baghdad, the Guardian reports. The group—four Brits, two Americans, a Russian, and a Canadian—are on a 17-day tour of the country, taking in the sights of ancient Mesopotamia in a journey that would have been impossible less than a year ago.

The Iraqi government hopes the visitors, who found it impossibe to get travel insurance, will be the first of many. The tourists say they're enjoying the chance to see sights like the ancient city of Ur despite the ravaged state of most hotels, the red tape, and the security holdups—including no less than 40 checkpoints on the road from Basra to Baghdad. (More tourism stories.)