Destination: Afghanistan

Don’t Mess With My French Toast!

Don’t Mess With My French Toast! iStockPhoto

On the meal that grounds us in our home culture, even on the other side of the globe

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Photo You Must See: Sunset in Afghanistan

Photo You Must See: Sunset in Afghanistan REUTERS/Marko Djurica

The sun sets behind an Afghan man as he walks in the Delaram district of southern Afghanistan.

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A Tourist’s Afghanistan

woman in afghanistan REUTERS/Jerry Lampen

Cullen Thomas recounts an independent traveler's time in the war-torn country

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Photo You Must See: Burqas and a Baby in Kabul

Photo You Must See: Burqas and a Baby in Kabul REUTERS/Ahmad Masood
REUTERS/Ahmad Masood

Two Afghan women and a child walk down a set of mud stairs in Kabul.


Afghanistan: The View From 30,000 Feet

The New York Times’ At War blog has a compelling slideshow of black-and-white shots from the window seat of a flight to Kabul. Photographer Moises Saman writes in the accompanying post: “From the air, the impenetrability of this region becomes evident.” (Via @elihansen)


Photo You Must See: A Girl and a Gun in Afghanistan

Photo You Must See: A Girl and a Gun in Afghanistan REUTERS/Asmaa Waguih
REUTERS/Asmaa Waguih

An Afghan girl looks up at a U.S. Marine on patrol in Helmand province, Afghanistan.


Afghanistan: ‘It’s Always the Fixer Who Dies’

George Packer responds to last week’s rescue effort, which freed kidnapped New York Times reporter Stephen Farrell but left his Afghan fixer, Sultan Munadi, dead: “Somehow, it’s always the fixer who dies. Of course, this is a false statement of fact on its face—at the very least, an exaggeration. But it feels emotionally true.” It’s worth reading in full.


Rory Stewart on our ‘Dystopian Vision’ of Afghanistan

Rory Stewart on our ‘Dystopian Vision’ of Afghanistan Photo by N_Creatures via Flickr (Creative Commons)
Photo by N_Creatures via Flickr (Creative Commons)

In a long piece on the future of Afghanistan, Rory Stewart makes a point about the country’s usual image in the media:

“We are accustomed to seeing Afghans through bars, or smeared windows, or the sight of a rifle: turbaned men carrying rockets, praying in unison, or lying in pools of blood; boys squabbling in an empty swimming-pool; women in burn wards, or begging in burqas,” he writes. “Kabul is a South Asian city of millions. Bollywood music blares out in its crowded spice markets and flower gardens, but it seems that images conveying colour and humour are reserved for Rajasthan.”

It’s not the first time the author of “The Places in Between” has spoken out on the subject. (Via Andrew Sullivan)


Kabul, Afghanistan

Kabul, Afghanistan REUTERS/Ahmad Masood

Boys fly a kite from a crumbling wall in Kabul

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Morning Links: JetBlue Fare Refunds, America’s Emptiest Cities and More

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What We Loved This Week: Disco Papa, Oregon Trail and ‘Ghost Wars’

Our contributors share a favorite travel-related experience from the past seven days.

Michael Yessis
A touching and hilarious story by Karen Russell, who took her 85-year-old grandfather—Disco Papa—to a cruise ship nightclub.

Rob Verger
I loved the snow in New York City on Tuesday. I watched it falling steadily from inside all day, and then late in the afternoon I stepped outside into next-door Sakura Park and snapped this picture:

Joanna Kakissis
I’m reading “Ghost Wars: The Secret History of the CIA, Afghanistan, and Bin Laden, from the Soviet Invasion to September 10, 2001” by Steve Coll. In addition to exploring foreign policy blunders (and the U.S. made many of them), the Pulitzer-Prize-winning book also offers rich portraits of Afghanistan and Pakistan, two countries I’ve always wanted to experience.

Eva Holland
Last weekend I had the chance to watch the Chinese New Year parade in Manhattan’s Chinatown. I was a little surprised to see the number of insurance companies (and fast food chains) represented, but still loved
being there in the crowd, listening to the sounds of the parade going by and occasionally having glitter and silly string rain down on me.

Valerie Conners
Discovering the original, old-school version of Oregon Trail online. This has been the ultimate find, and is serving well as a procrastination tool for my Friday afternoon. It’s a trek back to 1985, my Apple IIC computer, the days of uber-pixelated screens and what was, perhaps, my very first yen for road tripping.

Jim Benning
Another great World Hum gathering in New York City. Lolita Bar’s basement was packed last night with readers, writers and travelers tossing back drinks and talking trips. It culminated in a late dinner, replete with duck tongue and rice porridge, at Congee Village. Thanks to all who came out.


Duhani, Afghanistan

afghanistan students REUTERS/Oleg Popov

Afghan students sit on the ground during a lesson at the secondary school in the village of Duhani, Kunar Province, eastern Afghanistan.

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An Invitation Aboard the Magic Bus

An Invitation Aboard the Magic Bus REUTERS/Ahmad Masood

In an excerpt from his new book on the hippie trail, Rory MacLean hops a ride in Afghanistan

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Interview With Rory MacLean: ‘Magic Bus’ on the Hippie Trail

Frank Bures asks him about the classic journey from Istanbul's pudding shop to Kathmandu

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Morning Links: Stilwell Road, the Delta Queen and More

Tajikistan Photo by David Raterman

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