The Old Town of Mosul lies on the west bank of the Tigris, opposite the ruins of the ancient Assyrian city of Nineveh. It's on the Tigris' upper stream. Mosul used to be one of the most culturally-rich and economically-prosperous cities in Iraq. However, the situation there deteriorated rapidly after the Iraq War broke out in 2003. In 2014, an extremist group occupied Mosul, and much of the thousand-year-old city was destroyed.

In Mosul Old Town, the rubble is marked by numerous red-and-white bricks. People can walk on the white side, but the red side has yet to be cleared of landmines and unexploded bombs. Only cats, it seems, are safe to wander the area.