First of all, I apologize for the quality of the photos. They were all take from a moving vehicle. I tried labeling them as best I could to help you follow my description. For those of you who are not familiar with the names of the locations I mention, I apologize in advance. But hopefully, you will still enjoy my depiction. So get ready to join me as I revisit Kabul --
After being here for one whole week -- and only being driven from my guesthouse to my office, which are about 3 blocks away from each other -- I thought it was time to venture out and see what the rest of the city looks like. So with my camera ready and charged, I headed out with my driver and body guard. Driving through Wazir Akbar Khan still has me disoriented. This is was the upscale district of Kabul where during the 60's and 70's, the wealthy lived in big ornate homes. I don't think it was ever intended to accommodate the thousands of people that pass through it on a daily basis now. There isn't a square inch of space left that hasn't been occupied by a car, a bike, a pedestrian, a shop, an office, a food stand, or one of these horrendous looking multi-story mansions that have been popping up all over the place. I wonder if the people who built these mansions even find them attractive. They are the exact opposite of what the homes in this district once symbolized -- elegance, character, class, taste. They scream at you with their gaudy gold trim and bright contrasting colors. I understand that they designs purchased from Pakistan. They are the most inexpensive international designs that are available.
Soon, we pass Spini's supermarket marking our transition from Wazir Akbar Khan to Shahre Now. Spini's is one of the many large supermarkets that cater to the expat and wealthy local communities. They look like mini Walmarts from the window displays that can be seen from the street. I remember a time, when I couldn't find the most basic toiletries in Kabul and now Garnier Fructis Conditioner, Close Up tooth paste and Maach Turbo razors can be seen in the store front displays. Going inside is like taking a little trip back to Mom's house. You can find Corn Flakes, Twix Bars, Bertollini's Olive Oil, Chicken of the Sea Tuna, Gillette Shaving Cream, Flat Irons, Febreeze Air Freshner, electric tea kettles and pretty much anything you can think up. As we enter the main street in Shahre Now, I start feeling a bit nostaligic. Despite all the construction and development, there is a sense of familiarity about the place. I spent 3 out of the 4 years I previously lived in Kabul here in Shahre Now. Large high rises have sprung up. There are malls, banks, luxury apartment towers, bakeries, restaurants, and more of those ugly mansions. Shahre Now was at one point the city center. It still looks like it is. It's nice to know some things haven't changed. As we passed Herat Restaurant, I remembered my very first night in Kabul back in 2002 when we had our very first meal there. As I saw Shahre Now Park approaching on my left, I asked my driver to turn into the road next to it. I wasn't sure if this was a good idea, but I wanted to see the house I used to live in. I am in no way prepared to face the ghosts of my past, but something in me just had to see it. As soon as we turned onto the road everything came back to me. It seemed like at least this one part of town hadn't changed at all. All the memories came flooding back. As we approached the gate of the house, I saw that it had been repainted brown from the bright blue I had selected. I looked up at door but I couldn't get myself to open it and go in. I asked my driver to keep going. I guess somethings just don't need to be revisited.
During the rest of my tour, I was equally happy and disappointed to see that the remainder of the city still hasn't changed at all. As we drove out of Shahre Now toward Bagh-e-bala and Karte Parwan, it felt like I had never left. The Intercontinental Hotel still towering up on a hill, looked exactly as it did 5 years ago. We drove past Kabul Silo, where I was informed that currently over 500 people are working in, producing breads, cookies and flour. We headed toward Kabul University. The buildings have been refurbished and look a bit nicer than I remember. Because Afghanistan's educational institutions break during winter, rather than summer as in the West, I didn't see to many students around. There was a calm and peacefulness in the air that made the area look like any other college town. But as we turned the corner and headed toward Carte Se and Carte Chahre, I was once again greeted by rubble and bombed out buildings. This area of Kabul had been the most damaged due to the Civil War in the early 90's where the different warring factions used it as their battleground. Hundreds of rockets were fired on a daily basis at this predominately residential neighborhood killing thousands and forcing the remainder to live under unimaginable conditions.
As we turned onto Darlaman road, the old civic center of Kabul leading to the magnificent and grand Darlaman Palace, I was delighted to see that they had paved the road. Yippee, the first real paved stretch of road in Kabul! This area has really come to life. Children were playing on the side of the road, mothers were walking their kids home, men dressed in business suits were leaving the Ministry of Commerce, fruit stands lined the streets. I have never seen such colorful fruit anywhere else the world. They colors add such a delightful quality to the monotonous and drab backdrop. As we progressed further down the road, I could see the massive snow capped Hindu Kush mountain range which provides a breathtaking view from all the homes in this area. And finally, from a far distance, the palace became visible. This palace was one of my favorite places to go to before. Its opulence and grandeur was overwhelming even though major parts of it are rubble and bombed out. I used to walk up the grand staircase to the grand ballroom where when I closed my eyes, I could hear the music that once played there, I could see the men and women dressed in their ball gowns dancing on the dance floor. I could smell the aroma of the delicacies that were served and hear the laughter of the guests as they mingled with one another. Its a magical place that could have only existed in another time. As we drove up to the gate, I got ready out of the car, but my driver informed me that no one is allowed inside anymore. I was heartbroken. I saw that the entire perimeter of the palace was surrounded by barb wire. A couple of soldiers were standing guard and confirmed that I couldn't go in. But they were generous enough to let me take some pictures outside the main entrance where I found some of the remains of the giant columns that once supported this massive structure.
I turned to leave and saw a group of kids running toward me with their hands outstretched asking for "Bakhshish". It always amazes me how beautiful some of these kids are despite the dark grime and dirt that covers their faces and hands. Their clothes are old and torn and yet they smile and laugh as all children around the world do. I got in the car and cracked the window just enough to slip some bills to them. I had learned my lesson from before to not give out money out in the open or else risk the chance of being tackled to the ground. As we drove away, I looked back and saw them fighting over the money and a sinking feeling developed in the pit of my stomach. I will never be able to give enough. I will never be able to to help them all.
We drove back through downtown Kabul, passing the bustling Mandayee which is just as crowded as it's ever been. I noticed that no one was staring at me. I started to smile thinking at least something has improved. I mentioned it to my driver, who quickly crushed my joy by telling me that the window's are tinted from the outside. So much for that. But for that brief drive, I will admit that it was nice to not be gawked at by all the men. There is a saying in Dari to describe the way Afghan men stare at women (especially foreign women), that goes something like, "God gave them two eyes, and they borrow two more to stare."
We finished off the drive by passing through Old Kabul City, Sare Chowk, Shorbazar, Chaman, Ghazi Statium and back through Microrayan. All of which looked like they haven't been touch for at least a century. Aside from the Microrayan complexes, life still exists in the rest of the areas as it did in the 18th and 19th centuries. Old men sit outside their homes, sipping tea and chat about nothing as life passes them by.
I should mention that the city was commemorating Ashura which is the Islamic anniversary of the death of the Prophet Muhammad's grandson. It is a time of mourning and all over town, I could see black and green signs and flags hanging. I could hear the chants of the mourners coming from speakers set up all over town. There was a relative somberness in the air.
As my tour came to a close, we drove through Microrayan which is an area of Russian-built apartment complexes that were also heavily attacked during the wars of the last 3 decades. However, on the surface, aside from some new businesses and restaurants that had found their way there, they looked relatively the same.
My tour was definitely not a complete one but it was enough to get a sense of what changes have come about. Overall, I am not really ready to make any judgements aside from a realization that Kabul still has a long way to go to reach its glory days. There is still a lot that needs to be done, rebuilt, modernized, rehabilitated but nonetheless, Kabul's charm still exists. Once again, I found myself falling in love with this tortured and raped city that despite the passing of all these years, is still all mine.
First of all, I apologize for the quality of the photos. They were all take from a moving vehicle. I tried labeling them as best I could to help you follow my description. For those of you who are not familiar with the names of the locations I mention, I apologize in advance. But hopefully, you will still enjoy my depiction. So get ready to join me as I revisit Kabul -- 
Thanks for posting the pics, please keep them coming.
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