Almost a New Year!

All quiet here in the big city. So, as we transition to the New Year, here are some more street shots and a couple nicer scenery shots. I'll let the pictures speak about the yucky inversions that occur in Kabul this time of year. Most people heat their homes by burning wood and old tires. They use wood and charcoal for cooking. This can have some bad effects. Lung ailments are common here.

On clear day the views can be spectacular.
Old ruins on the south end of Kabul.
The Hindu Kush (literally the Indian Killer) to the west.

This fortress south of the zoo is home to the noon gun.
In better times the cannon fired at noon.
This is similar to the one o'clock gun in Edinburgh, Scotland.

If you look closely, you might see the mountains in the distance.
They are not obscured by fog or dust, but by smoke.
A disadvantage of relying on wood and old tires for heat,
is the pollution. Remember that Kabul is in a "bowl."
While the surrounding mountains shield from the worst weather,
they also trap the smoke during inversions.

It's usually worse earlier in the morning.

On a really bad day it reaches up to Darulaman Palace.
I took this shot at a distance of about 200 meters.
The smoke almost totally obscures the palace.

On a better day, a bad immitation of Micky Mouse
advertises for an ice cream shop.

Afghanistan has a literacy rate of only about 20%.
And yet there is hunger for books. In some households,
the parents buy the books for the more literate
children to read outloud at home.

This book vendor has two carts, the one in the previous picture
and this one. The most common titles are English/Dari dictionaries
and English phrase books.
Only a handful the books on these carts are fiction.

A white ninja!
Supposedly nicer than a black ninja.
She does have incredible eyes!

I Love Kabul!
Me too!
Gotta get me one of them stickers!

Merry Christmas All!

Or, Happy Feast of Helios, or Happy Hanukkah, Chanukah, Hannukah, Hannukha (pick your favorite spelling) or choose any other greeting you desire. I'm sticking with Christmas.

My Afghan translators wished me Merry Christmas yesterday as I departed work. We wish them Eid Mubarak (Happy Eid), so they reciprocate. See? It isn't really very hard to get along.

My thanks to all who've visted here for the past several months (whether or not you post comments). I hope this blog as given you a different perspective of Afghanistan than that perpetuated in the mainstream media.

My Christmas wish is that this long-suffering country somehow finds peace so that the wonderful people who live here can finally have something like a normal life. I'm suspecting that it is a wish that will take years to achieve and I hope the countries who've made commitments here have the courage to see it through.

So I guess a secondary wish is that the West develop a spine to see through a very tough job. Believe me, it's worth it!

We've had threatening skys and promises of snow.
It always seems to hit the mountains surrounding Kabul.

So our white Christmas is a bit distant, but at least visible.

Ironic symbol in an Islamic country.
Cross on an old guard tower near the Afghan Army base.

Is that what I think it is?

Yes! An Afghan florist selling Christmas Trees!
His shop is conveniently located near the Western Embassies.

My tree is a bit smaller.
Perfect fit for the wee room.

Visiting Afghan Schools

Another week without much going on in terms of violence. School is currently out except for the teacher's college and the University. Most schools have no heat or electricity, so the vacation that our kids get in the summer, happens in the winter here.

Schools in Kabul are well-attended and crowded. Don't think for one minute that the Afghans have no desire to learn and have their children, including girls, go to school. Over 6 million children are currently enrolled in school -- about 2 million are girls.

In spite of some acid-throwing incidents in Khandahar province a few weeks ago (girls going to school were targeted by thugs on motorcycles), attendance is way up across the country. Villagers apprehended the acid-throwing thugs and turned most over to the police (they were "roughed up a bit"). A few recieved summary and terminal justice at the hands of angry fathers. The Taliban, suffering a bit from poor PR at the moment, denied all responsibility for the attacks.

A typical elementary school in a poorer neighborhood.

Always curious kids swarm around the strange visitors.

School officials and children pose with a British visitor.
All the NATO forces do this sort of good will visit.

Teacher overcome with emotion as kids get new notebooks.

Posing with their new "Gringo" friend.
We jokingly refer to all Westerners as "Gringos."
Guns are nothing new with these kids.
Their fathers probably have AK's at home.
They were more amazed with his communication system.

Warm welcome to a girl's classroom.
Note the lack of desks. Nor is there electricity.
The only light is what comes through the window.

Girls getting new notebooks from a friendly Brit.
This room was large enough that two classes occupied the same space.

This room was roughly 15x12 and held 35 girls plus the teacher.

Passing out backpacks.

Headmaster accepting some teaching supplies.
An Afghan Major does the honors.

A BIG supply of colored chalk.

Posing with new backpacks.