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.