Kabulis and their picnics

Picnics are definitely the number one weekend activity among Kabulis. On Fridays, traffic out of the city gets really bad, and you have to leave early to get a good spot. The word "picnic" for me used to conjure up images of wicker baskets, red-and-white checkered blankets, sandwiches and lemonade. But in Afghanistan, picnics involve carpets, sitting cushions, and real food on real plates. A while ago, one of our drivers invited us for a picnic at his family's home on the Shomali plains outside of Kabul. Here are some pictures.