21 June 2007 / 31 Jauza 1386 A foray into the unknown [Caution: there is some whining involved in this essay, which may be irritating. But this farce of errors is also informative.] Yesterday I received a text message from Marianne O’Grady: We r here @ park palace. lv 4 ghazni 2mro. Marianne had been […]
Invisible cities: the Twilight Zone version Read More »
17 June 2007 / 27 Jauza 1386 I have not blogged in two weeks because I have been working on my dissertation prospectus and a draft of one of the chapters. That is good, and it helps me process information; but so do these pages. The paradox is that the more that is happening, the
History not quite repeating itself Read More »
3 June 2007 / 13 Jauza 1386 I have been learning the transit system around Kabul. Taxis from the University to downtown, for a foreigner, can cost 120 AFS ($2.40). But if you catch a shared taxi or a minivan (Tunis), it costs only 10 AFS; bigger buses cost 5 AFS; and the National Bus
Shelter from the storm Read More »
25 May 2007 / 4 Jauza 1386 Note: I have interspersed portrait-photos of Afghans I have taken. In conformance with the principles of the Committee to Protect Human Subjects–to which I am bound as an American university researcher–I must say nothing about who they are personally. However I do not intend to imply that these
Portraits, and thoughts on oppression Read More »
21 May 2007 / 31 Saur 1386 The intersection at Deh Afghanan is one of the striking landmarks in the city. I photographed it from a pedestrian bridge last year. On this day I wanted to get up close to the intersection between the new, glass-clad commercial building, the older one-storey shop-fronts, and the clay-brick
ChahrRah-ye Deh Afghanan Read More »
19 May 2007 / 29 Saur 1386 Debra Frey of GIAI is a friend of Ustad Homa, one of the Architecture professors at Kabul Polytechnic University. When Debra relayed to Homa that the Kansas State team and was considering revising the curriculum at Kabul University, she asked if anyone was willing to come help the
Kabul Polytechnic: First Visit Read More »
18 May 2007 / 28 Saur 1386 “Qala” means ‘walled compound;’ “no burj” means ‘nine towers.’ I have visited the headquarters of the Turquoise Mountain Foundation (TMF) several times. But on this particular evening, the light on the partially-ruined complex was remarkable. Of the nine towers, only one remains intact. One of the ruined towers
Qala-e No Burj: HQ of Turquoise Mountain Read More »
17 May 2007 / 27 Saur 1386 I have just learned enough Dari to ask politely if I can take a picture of someone that might be sensitive. Due respect and admiration goes to the Afghans who have lost a limb, and need to navigate the streets. It is one reason why I am unequivocally
16 May 2007 / 26 Saur 1386 Imagine life in Afghanistan under the Taliban, who ruled Kabul and most of the country from September 1996 to October 2001. Okay, now let me contest that vision. Yesterday I met a fellow who is specialized in information technology. We chatted for a bit, and he said that
A little reality-check Read More »
15 May 2007 / 25 Saur 1386 Generally the wind blows from the north here. But starting in May, the wind sometimes blows from the west. It is one thing for strong wind to pick up all the dust in the streets of Kabul. It is quite another to have the city enveloped in a
Khak Bad: the “dust wind” Read More »