Well, then you too can relax and enjoy the fun and sun on the beautiful beaches of Basra, Iraq!
Yes, that's right friends, now you too can join the well-oiled, scantily-clad masses on the chrystalline sands and in the sparkling waters of Iraq. And the friendly, sanguine gents at the
Basra Tourism Office
are ready to help you plan your dream vacation.
And that's not all, no. While you're there, you'll be able to tour the very selfsame city where Sinbad the Sailor began his famous voyages - although it's not yet possible to visit the historical sites, there are beautiful wetlands and marshes close by for the nature lover.
The city's first class hotels, like the Sheraton, have all been destroyed, but rest assured that the remaining hotels all employ armed guards around the clock, and most even have concrete barriers. But these things are but "sensible precautions", according to Mr Abdul Hussein Majeed al-Malik, Manager of Tourism, Basra. Indeed, they're organizing "a big advertising campaign" to counter the the violent and dangerous image.