A first round of pictures

The flight from Islamabad to Kabul is insanely scenic. Still I couldn't help wondering if Osama was down there somewhere.

Western Kabul, where we live, was almost entirely destroyed during the civil war, when different mujaheddin factions fired at each other from the surrounding hills. Even though a lot has been rebuilt or torn down, there are still plenty of ruins like this one.

In the city center, there are a lot of small shops that sell Afghan rugs and handicrafts to the international aid community.

Kabul is home to around 3 million people, the vast majority of whom live in mud houses perched on the hillsides surrounding the city center. It looks beautiful from a distance, but I can't imagine what it's like to haul water up there.

This high school is not too far from our house. The school uniform for girls seems to be a black shalwar kameez and a white head scarf, while most of the boys wear t-shirts and baseball caps.