Man's Best Friend - Sort of...

Though not popular because, in the Islamic tradition, dogs are said to be unclean, we share our compound with some four-legged friends.  Mostly friendly (Leo will "shake" your hand) and always energetic, the dogs with whom we live are actually here to serve as guard dogs.  They are kind to Western residents, but wary of strangers and Afghans.  They also bark incessantly when anyone walks around at night - an annoying, yet comforting occurrence.

I'm told the dogs are purebred Afghan hounds, but they look nothing like the Afghan hounds pictured in the Wikipedia article.

Our Afghan staff still cannot understand why we like to have the dogs around.  Whenever one of them gets out from their pen and hangs around the garden with us, the Afghans will constantly try to chase the dog away.  Unfortunately, since the Afghan staff also beat the dogs, they are all very timid when the staff comes around.

 Chunky - the crowd favorite - has been separated from the other dogs because she's a natural born scrapper.  For the most part, she now behaves like a friendly dog back home.  Chunky attends our morning staff meetings in the garden...probably because people often bring her food from breakfast.

(L-R) Leo, China, Nikki.  In addition to being China and Chunky's parents, Leo and Nikki are brother and sister.  China (not her real name, but no one can remember or pronounce the Chinese name she was given) is the product of inbreeding...and acts accordingly.

Leo surveying his kingdom.

And for your viewing pleasure, Jetlogger's video production debut!  After much thought and consideration about artistic qualities I wish to convey, I have decided to title my cinematic masterpiece (shot on location): "Dogs Playing in the Grass."

Sad Picture of the Day

Coming Soon!

Ok dedicated readers, we're back in the saddle, again in the swing of things, heads above water, etc., so you'll have more posts and updates more frequently!  At least try to contain your excitement.

Currently in draft version are posts about my favorite place in all of Afghanistan, an entry on the Islamic Holy Month of Ramadan (with video!), a naked analysis of Afghan modesty, and a few other exciting surprises still in development and production.

While I'm sure you all want to hear about what I'm thinking, please take this opportunity to email me or post a comment below about what you want to know about Afghanistan.  About what are you curious?  What do you want to see? (no promises!)  Get the answer to that burning question about the Afghan people or their country that's been keeping you up at night.

Out and About in Kabul

Below are a few pictures I've snapped while out and about in Kabul.

 The Japanese are spending tons of money to improve the streets of Kabul.  This is the result of their ongoing efforts (that's about a 3-foot drop)

 An old wall built centuries ago to protect the city from invaders from the East.

(not the iron fence - the wall running up the mountain)

 The Blue Mosque - one of the (only?) Shia mosques in Kabul.  Islam is the official state religion of Afghanistan.  Approximately 85% of Afghans practice Sunni Islam, while most of the remaining 15% are Shia.

 

 I think this is the Kabul River - unusually high due to a recent downpour, usual levels of trash and pollution in the water.

 Kabul sits in a giant bowl formed by mountains and very large hills.

 One of the oldest parts of the modern city of Kabul - probably dating to the early 1900s.

The (mostly destroyed) Soviet-Afghan Friendship House built by the Soviets during the Afghan-Soviet War from 1979-1989.  Russia has pledged to rebuild the facility, but has not yet started.  Also note the picture shows the typical amount of trash one sees around the streets.

The King's Palace

Most Americans have heard of the Taliban.  Many of us are also familiar with Afghanistan's current government, the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan (GIRoA) and President Hamid Karzai, but few are aware that, until 1973, Afghanistan was governed by a monarchy.

One of the last remaining remnants of that monarchy, led by King Mohammad Zahir Shah, are the ruins of the Darul Aman Palace (aka King's Palace).  While passing near the site of the King's Palace recently, I caught these amazing pictures.

The King's Palace, from a distance.

 The King's Palace, view from the North.

 The King's Palace, view from the South.

 The King's Palace, a closer view from the South.

The King's Palace, crowned by a double rainbow.

The Darul Aman Palace, which means "abode of peace," along with the (not shown) Tajbeg Palace, or Queen's Palace, is located about ten miles outside of Kabul's city center.  Built during the 1920s, the structure's neoclassical architecture is, as far as I know, unique in Kabul.

After the monarchy fell during a bloodless coup d'etat in 1973, both palaces were used for various purposes, but today remain unoccupied due to heavy damage sustained during the past 30+ years of war.  Most recently, it was announced that private donations would refurbish the Darul Aman Palace and it would be used as the seat of the Afghan Parliament.  To date, no progress has been made and the palace's shell remains as a bitter reminder of other (perhaps, better?) times and decades of war.

Corn

I'm pretty familiar with corn.  Growing up, we had a corn field right behind our house, I used to run through the corn fields at our family farm (to some, aka CTS), and I earned my undergraduate degree at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, IL - where I also had a corn field right behind my town house and enjoyed the city's yearly Corn Fest.

So I was surprised to encounter corn here in Afghanistan.  I still don't know who planted it, but while on the base which houses the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) headquarters, I snapped this picture and, to the shagrin of my colleagues, waxed nostaligic all day about Corn Boils and games of "kick-the-can" by the corn fields.

Shake, Rattle, and Roll

As we worked our way through dinner (apparently some sort of pastrami-schnitzel) back at the guesthouse, we felt a little vibration.  I initially thought it was my dining companion's efforts to cut through his schnitzel, but the vibration led to shaking.  It wasn't violent, but we certainly felt the floor moving beneath our feet from the (what we later learned to be) 5.8 tremor.

A few seconds after everyone stood and looked at eachother with equally puzzled gazes, our ever faithful and incredibly polite host, a young Afghan named Sammy, came quickly but calmly into the dining room and said, "Excuse me, there has been an earthquake.  Thank you and please go outside if you like."

As frequent witnesses to many Afghan construction projects like the one pictured below, it didn't take us long to make it out to the garden - safely away from any of the surrounding structures.



Thankfully, there was no discernable damage to our compound or to anywhere else in Kabul; though after seeing how they build here, I wouldn't want to be around for "the big one."

Just another exciting day in the foothills of the Hindu Kush.

Travel Essentials: iPad

This is the first part of a series of posts detailing items on the Travel Essentials list.

Everyone knows to pack a set of clothes and some basic toiletries in their carry on, but this list of Travel Essentials will make your travel experience easier.  If you don't travel that frequently or for long periods of time, not all items on the JetLogger Travel Essentials list are "must-haves," but for any traveler who expects to take several trips should strongly consider investing in the following:

1. iPad.  An iPad is expensive, but well worth the investment as a portable library, DVD collection, jukebox, and computer rolled into a light and easily transportable package.  The battery life is sufficient for any long flight (just be sure to adhere to tips to maximize battery life) and your iPad can be loaded with many helpful apps to make your travel more efficient.  Its also much easier to handle in a busy airport terminal or cramped seat on the plane.  Listed below are some of my travel-essential apps:

iBooks loaded with your favorite books.  You can download bestsellers for about the price of a paperback or pick from Project Gutenberg's library of over 39,000 classics for free.

Newsstand is similar to iBooks, but can be filled with your favorite newspapers and magazines - for a price.

Videos will enable you to watch full-length HD quality movies and TV shows from your iPad.  Prices are less than purchasing a DVD, but be sure you plan ahead and download what you want to watch in advance.

Music links up with your iTunes account and puts your favorite jams or podcasts in your seatback pocket.

Games will enable you to sharpen your chess skills, practice your Blackjack strategy en route to Vegas, or fight your enemies in Command & Conquer.  Thousands of other games are available for download.

Intellicast HD will allow you to monitor the weather at your destination before departure and while you're there (as long as you have an internet connection).

Flight Track is one of the most critical apps for the frequent traveler.  Load your flight in advance and use the airport's wi-fi to keep tabs on the scheduled takeoff, scheduled arrival, gate and baggage claim information, to find alternate flights in the event of a cancellation, and even check out the embedded "Seat Guru" information to find out whether or not you have a power outlet at your seat in case your battery runs low and you remembered to pack your iPad car charger.

And if you needed any more evidence, my iPad truly does travel with me everywhere I go; pictured below is a snapshot of my personal quarters in Kabul, Afghanistan - iPad and all.

The Kabul Quarters

I've been in Kabul now for a little over a week.  I have to admit that it is not at all what I was expecting.  The security environment is much more permissive than what I had been told (we are still vigilant), the work is nothing like that for which I've spent weeks preparing, but the living quarters are far better than I expected.

Below are a few pictures of our living/work areas:

 A view of Kabul (the domed building is a mosque).

My bedroom - one of several bedrooms in our guest house.  Bathrooms, living rooms, dining rooms, and the kitchens are shared by all of the residents.

One of the (almost) daily incoming dust storms.

 Nikki - one of the guard dogs.  

My office. 

Kabul's "TV Hill."  If you look closely, you can see the hundreds of adobe-type houses built on the hill and the many broadcasting antennas perched on top. 

Decadence in the Desert - Dubai

I am off to another adventure.  Despite the excitement, anticipation, and a bit of apprehension, I pushed into the chaos of the giant queue for United Airline’s international flight check-in at Dulles International Airport, just outside of our nation’s capital.  After weeks of preparation, training, and mounds of paperwork, I finally cleared security and eventually made it to my flight.

As I settled into my seat – one of United’s "Economy Plus" seats offering an extra 4-inches of leg room for about 150 bucks – I thought of only two things: 1. How much I would miss my girlfriend, family, and friends back home, and 2. How glad I was that I coughed up 150 bucks for the extra space during the 13-hour flight to Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

The food (some sort of beef curry for dinner and a poor excuse for a turkey sandwich at lunch) was barely edible, but the one Bloody Mary (yes, just one) I had was sufficient to help a couple of melatonin caplets put me into a somewhat restful snooze.  Upon finally fully waking a few hours later and after passing the time with United’s personal in-flight entertainment, we touched down in Dubai – a shimmering city in the desert (airport terminal pictured below left).

 

Unlike its slightly less commercial sister city and seat of government Abu Dhabi, Dubai is the Middle East’s answer to New York, Las Vegas, and the Bahamas rolled into one.  Home to massive shopping malls (one of which hosts an indoor ski resort), the world’s tallest building – the Burj Khalifa (pictured above - not an original pic - copyright unknown), and the world’s only 7-star hotel, Dubai’s luxuriousness and opulence is only amplified by the countless royal palaces, the super-exclusive Palm Island, and plans for the world’s first underwater hotel.

Although I wasn’t able to explore much of the city before queuing up for my flight to Kabul, the little taste I experienced has put this man-made oasis at the top of my Desired Destinations list; however, I think I'll pass on an evening at the 7-star hotel...I don't think I'll be coughing up $1,000/night for a room.  I'll just stay at the Hilton.