Independence Day in Afghanistan

This seems to be the Independence day world tour , since we celebrated the India Independence day a couple of days ago and we arrived to Afghanistan on their Independence day. Heading to Afghanistan we were aware that security seems to be getting tighter and tighter with each flight at the airport. Yet we have never felt unsafe. It’s more of a hassle than anything. We found the airplane to Kabul full of many nationalities and few women. Americans, a French film team, a Spanish group of workers and possible UN workers. It was interesting as we landed to taxi past 10 fighter jets, C130s and various UN planes and jets, all ready to go. As we drove through the city, we felt like we had stepped back 2000 years. There is still a lot of reconstruction going on from the war. The road to our guest house is riddled with bullet holes and rubble of bombed out buildings. They had been fighting from mountain to mountain and unfortunately, the city sits in the valley. The women on the street are few and you see many blue burqas, as those who have ventured out, hurry by. It was very obvious that women travel on a very limited basis. We were two of a handful at the airport. And before we walked out of the plane we had to put on our head scarves. As Susanne donned her head scarf, she noted that it really is an uneasy feeling. She described it as feeling like she disappeared. Like she were invisible by being all covered. Invisable is good in this political climate. Definitely necessary to get work done here, in order to have respect and be able to bring social help and economic development to this place we must respect their culture and customs. We are just glad as we are wearing long sleves and pants with head scarfs that is not the expected 110 degrees. We are celebrating the under 100 temps.