Of Bamyan

Your correspondent went to Bamyan, home of the famous giant Buddha sculptures that the Taliban destroyed (empty Buddha-niche seen above). We took a bunch of pictures. But then we went on vacation without really dealing with them. So, we'll probably be going dark for a couple weeks, and then we'll be back with pictures of Bamyan... or vacation... or something else. Until then!

Kabul Pedestrian

We're off on our final leave of the year, as of tomorrow. We'll see if we manage to get anything else organized for posting... but if not, we'll be back in 20 days.

Brrrrr

Beards of Kabul

Not a great picture... but a great beard, to be sure. (Sorry all, we'll be in pure photoblog mode for the next few weeks.)

Seen in Kabul

As with most pictures, presented in Junior Hollavision -- i.e., shot out of a the window of a moving armored SUV rather than a full-on MRAP.

Chicken-Related Capitalism in Kabul, 2 of 2

(Ok, the guy in the foreground is selling radishes, although he doesn't seem to be trying all that hard. But in the background? Live chickens for sale. (Yes, we're stretching at this point for any appearance that we're not just posting totally random and not-that-great pictures from Kabul.))

Chicken-Related Capitalism in Kabul, 1 of 2

Another Wedding Hall

Seen in Kabul. The wedding hall thing here is sort of like a relatively cheap version of Vegas. They couldn't afford the pirate ship or the volcano but in a city that is 95% single-story mud-walled houses, a big building with a shiny blue glass facade stands out, and this crazy crescent moon sculpture is a clear attempt to take it to the next level. One of these days, when they lift the travel restrictions, The Lovely Katherine and I will certainly be renewing our vows at the City Star Hall.

Of Kunduz: Literacy Classes

Adult men learning to read and write at a mosque in Kunduz.

Of Kunduz: The Chickens

Sometimes, when you're in Kunduz, you see a truck brimming with chickens, and yet you're in the back seat of the car, but how can you not take a picture and publish it on the internet anyway? Or so I hear...

Somewhere in Kunduz

Of Kunduz: The University of Kunduz

...and their ferocious guard dog.

Of Kunduz

Coming this week: A bunch of pictures from Kunduz, in the tranquil and ever-peaceful North of Afghanistan. No promises that there will be intriguing anecdotes.

From Above

Outskirts of Kabul

Driver

We actually have kind of a backlog of nice pictures to show you. But we're also really dragging because we're busy at work and trying to spend our time outside of work with all the fantastic people we share our little compound with here in Kabul. So, anyway, here's a picture of a guy who works as a driver for someone who was at the Farmer Day event in Logar. I don't remember who he works for. Wish I'd had the real camera and some fast glass along for this one, but when you're working the day job you have to deal with the point-and-shoot sometimes.

In any case, don't give up on us. We'll try to pop more pictures up as we can.

Third of Three Nawruzes

A couple days after actual Nawruz, your correspondent attended a lunch event marking Nawruz at Bagram Airfield with a number of notable Afghan government officials, and a couple notable Americans. I wasn't actually sitting next to General Petraeus, but I was sitting next to the guy assigned to hold his cap while he's at a lunch. It's pretty glamorous over here.

P.s. no endorsement of "Standing Rock Energy Drink" implied or intended.

One More Picture from Farmer Day

I suppose these guys are the District Governor's guards or helpers or something. They were standing behind the group of distinguished speakers, mostly looking not that interested in what was happening. Of course the crowd of gathered farmers didn't look all that interested either.