Happy New Year!

Let me explain. Tomorrow is the start of Solar Year 1388, the New Year for Afghans and Iranians. The Persian calendar uses a Solar year that starts on the Equinox. Many other Muslim countries use the Hijri calendar calculated on lunar cycles beginning with the Hijra, Mohammed's emmigration to Medina (16 July 622 CE on the Gregorian calendar).

Since a lunar-based year is 11 to 12 days shorter than a solar-based year, the Islamic New Year moves in relation to the Gregorian calendar. The Islamic New Year began on 29 December 2008. So we are in 1430 AH if following the Islamic calendar.

This all causes some difficulties in this part of the world. However, more and more many of these countries are using the Gregorian calendar for business and government, while reserving the Islamic calendar for religious observance. In Afghanistan, they use the Solar Year for offical purposes. It can get confusing at times.

Hey, but it's cool to say you've lived in the 14th, 15th, 20th, and 21st centuries.

Sorta nice having the New Year coincide with spring though. Today is a beautiful sunny day, temperatures in the 60's. So for today, here's a bunch of Kabul in springtime people on the street pictures.

Old woman and younger woman out shopping.

Don't try this at home! This woman is a professional.

Travelling onion salesman. No, not the horse.
The guy at the back of the cart.

Nut shopping. The streets are full of them. I mean the kind you eat!

Grimly forward we go to do battle with the merchants.

Hanging out on the curb.

Mom and girl.

Just a guy.

Gretel and the witch.
"Would you like to come to my cottage little girl?

Granny in white.

Now what did I come to market for?

College girls walking home.

Balancing Act.
Dad's positioning the kids on a bike.
It's hard to tell from this smaller image, but both kids have green eyes.

Dad/grandpa walking the kids home from the park.

These next two pictures fall under the category of "giving lie to."
Or, stupid things bigotted Gringos say.

One guy I know said that Afghans are emotionally stunted because they don't get to play with dolls. As a result they have no imagination.
Hmm, seems like this travelling doll salesman chose the wrong job then.

I rode through town the other day with a Gringo who was most assuredly whupped up side the head with an ugly stick as a baby. I heard him remark, "There's nothing but ugly women here. This town has no pretty girls." Of course he's only been driving through town for a few days...he's new. Pissed me off because our driver, who pretends he doesn't speak English, was sitting next to him. I took this picture within seconds of his stupid comment. Pardon me, but anyone who thinks the young woman on the right is ugly, needs his head examined.

Security Alert!

As the weather warms, we are reminded that the bad guys will be coming out of their caves to cause trouble. The threats are very specific...or so we are told.

After a recent late winter snow storm, this infiltrator was apprehended by alert Afghan security forces.

Intelligence indicates that there are several suicide vehicle borne improvised explosive devices (SVBIEDs)in town. Intelligence further reports that the most likely vehicle is a Toyota Corolla...like this one.
Um...that narrows it down to about 50,000 vehicles in Kabul.

Sucurity Update 2!
Sources have confirmed SVBIEDs will likely be white Toyota Corollas with Kabul plates.
Better...only about 12,000 of those in Kabul.

Security Update 3!
New intelligence indicates the attackers are planning on using a yellow taxi with Kabul plates. Wonderful...only about 20,000 of those in town.

Note: earlier reports are also still in effect. That means the white Toyota Corolla on the left and the one parked on the right, visible between the van and taxi are still "in play."
The red Toyota Corolla visible on the left is another possibility.
And if you look through the window of the SUV in front of the center taxi you see...ANOTHER TAXI!
But you should be ok if you avoid crowded narrow streets...

...and traffic circles...

...road intersections...

...and places taxis (and white Toyota Corollas) congregate...like alongside the road.

Since the main targets are thought to be security forces, it is best to avoid Coalition military vehicles...especially on narrow roads...

...and Afghan Security Forces vehicles.

Security Update 4!
Flower-covered jaunty carts do not appear to be a threat at this time.
I'm so relieved...there's maybe a dozen in town.

Dinner in the Palace

This past week I had dinner in the Queen's palace...the Afghan Queen's Palace. Of course there is no longer a Queen and her palace has seen better days, but even looking at the ruins one can visualize those better days. The Palace is also the scene of some dark times. Before the Soviet invasion it was the residence of President Hafizullah Amin. He and his family of about thirty were murdered here.

The Queen's Palace in 1987 when it was the Headquarters of the Soviet 40th Army.

The Queen's Palace today.

The gardens and all but two of the trees are gone now.

The Queen's Palace is more structurally sound than the King's Palace. Both palaces were heavily damaged during the Civil War that broke out after the Soviets left. There's sort of a roof. A little bit of plywood to seal up the big windows against a cold early March night, some candles...ok, a lot of candles...a charcoal fire and it was downright cozy.

We were there to bid our British Colonel farewell as he ends his tour and moves on to other duties. We had great Indian fare, three different curry dishes, rice, naan, and all the trimmings...except no Kingfisher or Taj Mahal beer...or any other booze. Bummer.

The Grand Stair.

Another view of the Grand Stair.

For those who did not come with flashlights, the way in was lit with chemlights.

The Brits know how create a nice atmosphere even in a war zone. Flowers, fizzy grape juice and...yeah, I know I said there wasn't any booze. That is a beer can...sort of. It's Beck's non-alcoholic beer. What's the point?

Our staff is composed of British, US and French.
For those who remember the "Freedom Fries" and all that nonsense that went along with our disagreement with the French at the start of the war, I can tell you that even though our governments are often at loggerheads, our soldiers get along quite well. There's something about shared danger.

A real live Frenchman!
Our other French officer (the one with an English first name and a Spanish surname) missed the event. Something about making sure the wine at the French Embassy was properly secured. Maybe this one was wishing he was at the French Embassy too.

I did say it was cozy, right? Well, about 40°F cozy.
So there was hot tea and coffee to take off the chill.

It was just a nice little gathering of the guys.

Ok, well...there were some babes ladies present. Hey they were in uniform! The embassay ladies were too in uniform! Note that the Brit Brigadier came equiped with a pair of shoulder warmers embassy staff. They did keep their coats on. After all, it was a bit chilly.

What is it about the Brits and feathers in their hats?
I frequently wear a pakhul, a flat wool hat many Afghans wear. The Brit Colonel, the guy on the right, commented that no matter how you wear a pakhul, you can still look foolish. To which one of our Air Force guys replied, "but if you stick a feather in it, you look British.

The group picture.
Ok, so the ladies did take off their coats, but only for a wee bit. I mean after all, they went to a lot of effort to select just the right revealing, correct tasteful attire to help torture cheer up the guys. As we finished up the picture session, there was a loud explosion. To which one guy said, "Oops, time to go!" Another said, "Oh great! Fireworks!" The bad guys had attacked an Afghan National Police checkpoint down the road. No casualties, but a solid reminder that we are in a war zone.