Despite the fact that Mazar-i-Sharif is the fourth largest city of Afghanistan, it’s quite boring for tourism. Its only attractions are a unique temple complex Rozii Sharif (the Blue Mosque) and a market where the locals spend most of the time. Another Afghan city, Faizabad, also has nothing to look at except for its two markets. So let’s visit them and see how ordinary people earn their living.
The seller of knives.
It’s well-known that Afghanistan’s watermelons are the tastiest.
A car on the narrow streets of the market is obviously not wanted. Dissatisfied owners of two-wheel vehicles are nervous and angry.
Bright carrots.
Fresh cherry juice with ice.
Gutters are used instead of trash cans. They smell awful. Still, they are sometimes cleaned up.
Fresh meat. Still warm.
And this is Faizabad, another city of Afghanistan located on the right bank of the Kokcha river. Historically, Faizabad is isolated from other cities because of the lack of paved roads. Its only attractions are two markets where you can buy such things as wool, woolen clothes, salt, sugar, tea and indigo.
The view from above shows that the city is very green.
Strong wind always blows here.
A family.
I lived in Mazar-Sharif 2005-2006. Nothing had changed since then
Blue Mosque is awesome, but they sometimes dont let white people here, especially not moslems. Made next report about road from there to Kabul, its nice.
This place looks poor but it doesn’t look dangerous or mismanaged. I am sure it looked different when the Taliban was in charge.
It would look pretty different if the USSR and US didn’t play there the Cold War games that torn this country apart. ’50s-60s pictures look like from another world.
You might think. Although tribalism and radical islam might still have had a dire effect. Hard to speculate
Radical Islam was under control, until the islamists were backed by the US. Of course,they were fighting a socialist government, and later soviet invaders, that intervened because islamic guerrillas financed by the West… Islamists took power and etc, etc… I think that the effects of the Cold War in many countries have not been adressed by both Powers. And it won’t because of sensible political reasons. We only see “unexplained” starved, angry people and disgraced countries.
tnx to american demoncracy those ppls have prosperous and peacefull life !
Do they look prosperous to you?
More so than under the taliban
And that garbage is why I have an issue with them coming here. The come here and have no respect for our laws, the way WE do things. They just throw their garbage where ever they happen to be, just like at home. It’s obviously cleaner here than what you saw in the photo’s, but they don’t care. Basically, their bring their filth here. Ditto the mexicans. They have no respect for our laws, driving drunk all the time etc, no license, don’t follow the laws…
It used to be, when somebody immigrated to this country, they did so because they really, really wanted to *BE* American. Now, they don’t, they just want the benefits of coming here, but want to surround themselves with their “own little country” of where ever they came from. The old habits, their old laws (if any). Then when you say something about it, you get called a “racist!”
In the mean time, America isn’t “America” any more (the melting pot), it’s just a collection of different people from different places.
The UK and most of Europe is finding out the same things. I think it was somebody from Germany finally spoke out and said the whole “multi-culti thing” is a failure.
It’s not the people, it’s their habits, it’s how they act. (even though I was going to marry a girl from mexico, I still get called a “racist” which is BS.
I guess you’re speaking about Thilo Sarrazin? His book has caused some trouble over here and no, I don’t think he’s right.
In principle, his basic ideas are not completely wrong, but he also sees a lot of things onesided. You have to meet the people you’re talking about but Sarrazins family had a conservative & racist backgroung before, so he was raised with it.
He also lost his credibility before with some statements he made about unemployed citizens who have to rely on the welfare system – sure, if you’re a highly-paid politician from a nationalistic german family you don’t know the other side and the problems immigrants have to face, and he never intended to get to know it.
First of all: your parents must be very proud of you; insulting people on the internet, very brave.
Second: My family is german-polish, and geographically, poland is in central europe, just like germany.
Third: Woher kommst du? Ich vermute, du bist nicht aus Deutschland, deshalb würde ich einfach den Mund halten, wenn du nicht weißt, wie es hier abgeht und was die Leute denken.
Aber wahrscheinlich bist du nur ein armes kleines nationalistisches Würstchen, das am Arsch der Welt wohnt, Herrn Schicklgruber salutiert weil es keine Ahnung von Geschichte hat und sich nichts sehnlicher wünscht, als ein großer blonder Teutone mit germanischem Blut zu sein.
Last but not least: Ausländer, not auslanders.
Ich beherrsche die deutsche Sprache besser als meine Muttersprache oder die meisten “Rein-Deutschen”.
Und keine Sorge, ich bin kein dummer Immigrant, sondern studiere in München. Komm’ mich doch besuchen wenn du es dir leisten kannst.
You “were” gonna marry a girl from Mexico? And you still get called “racist?” I’m guessing theres more to the story, but its none of our business, yet you brought it up…why??
@Yael: I disagree. I think you mean worse or better habits, and those can be corrected soon if the host is interested in incorporating immigrants… If the immigrant feels alienated or rejected, he’ll take refuge in the habits he knows, good or bad. A mistake of both parts.
Culture -for me- is an entirely different thing and has nothing to do with integration. Habits and rejection do. Immigrants must adapt and learn, in either case. My parents were very poor Europeans who immigrated to Mexico for a chance, by the way, and we thank a lot to that country. Mine now.
Come on… American Melting Pot is a fantasy. Italians were rejected, so they gruoped in their traditions. It took generations to be accepted. Blacks are still hated (their free labor didn’t matter). Black resentment and grudge was caused by centuries of hateful repulse, and still goes on. Anyone who isn’t white will face the rejection and mockery of the “americans”. Don’t blame them for defending and protecting themselves.
@George Johnson, It’s very interesting to hear your side and feelings. As a Mexican (living in Mexico), I understand that the majority who leave to the US are the poorest and uneducated; however I know that mexicans there work very hard and adapt, and in one generation they are true “Americans” (we here use the term “America” for the whole continent, not the US only). Anyway, I don’t live there, so I can’t tell much more. I can see your not racist, just scared or worried. Mexico used to be a true immigrant melting pot, too. Now it’s a tragic disaster. It will take a long time to be peaceful again.
I want to echo Georges sentiment. Most American welcome legal immigration. It is what made the country strong. It is also our desire that immigrants become American at heart. Multicultural is a political tool to divide and conquer. It leads to vote buying and pandering to special interests. Having married an Eastern European, I can tell you that those that melt into American society flourish. Those that surround themselves with their own kind fail and become embittered. They hamstring their kids and set them up for failure too. If you move to another country you need to learn the language and embrace the culture. Otherwise, you will never be satisfied.
You can melt into American society and flourish… if they let you. Black Americans just have a few decades of being fully “integrated” after almost 150 years of hatred and bigotry (without counting slavery).
Black immigrants melt seemlessly into American society. The problem lies in the native born black populations leaders that thrive on the public assistance and a culture of oppression. If you hear every day you are oppressed and can not succeed you will start to believe it. Politicians make a living keeping their own people down and dependent on hand outs. That is the true disappointment of the segregation legacy. Opportunity is there for the taking but never reached for.
“…In the name of the greatest people that have ever trod this earth, I draw the line in the dust and toss the gauntlet before the feet of tyranny, and I say segregation today, segregation tomorrow, segregation forever…”… Geroge Wallace, Alabama Governor at his inaguration, 1963…
Now there’s and Black President, things have changed, but that was HARD and 150 years of hatred left a mark. As said, to be assimilated, the hosts have to change their hatreds first. And it stil a work in progress by whites, blacks (and browns). The melting pot ijust about to get real. A few yeaqrs back, it didn’t exist for colored people.
Damn nice photos.
@George Johnson You are absolutely right yet not many have the courage to express these feelings.
George is always right
I know that if I ate one single thing from the market, I would be sick for a week.
Afghanistan may be the most tragic victim of the Cold War. It crushed its brains and left medieval rule by the gun.
They are enjoying the benefits of Soviet explosive demolition; and US “freedom” to export heroin and be ruled by crooks (and only build nice pipelines).
The men in this country make troglodytes look like physicists.
Agreed, but you have to agree that some of them are quite good looking.
If you’re into the no teeth look
I’d like to see you survive 30 straight years of war between superpowers, Mr. Smartypants.
I know many Afghan men, of every ethnicity, who fought to preserve women’s rights throughout years of war.
True, they lost to an army funded by the US, Saudi Arabia, and manned by legions from their poor neighbors as well as their own war orphans, but that does not mean they are troglodytes.
The Taliban must be defeated.
But not all Afghans are Talibs.
“But we never have accepted being oppressed and we will never accept it. We consider this as part of our duty to defend humanity against the scourge of intolerance, violence and fanaticism.” -Ahmad Shah Massoud
And no, I’m not a man, and no, I’m not Muslim. But I am a human being and I stand by my fellow humans in Afghanistan.
Welcome to the 18th century, brought to you by the Religion of Peace(TM)!
If Islam spreads, all places will look like this.
So, wheres the marketplace?
anna shanna fagit
wtf