Browse Kabul’s Hall

executive summary by darmansjah

SO KABUL, Afghanistan civilization center. I set foot in this place after taking a long flight that took almost two days. Upon arriving, I have awaited the arrival of Sayed-which turned out to have a look far beyond my expectations. He is not a long-bearded youth and thicker, using the turban on his head as he looks up here. Sayed rather represent young people who have been exposed to Kabul touch of western culture. Sayed picked me up wearing a T-shirt, jeans, and sneakers. The haircut was split in two, like Aaron Kwok models that had become a trend past ten years.

Sayed fluent in English. He greeted the arrival of my "Welcome to Kabul" as he escorted me into a bulletproof car which was parked in front of the airport.

The first objective here: home meal!

Sayed directs vehicles to the city center. I looked around. The journey to the center of the crowd did not last long.

We arrived on a busy road in the center of town. Along the way filled with shops and restaurants on both sides of the road. A row of cars parked on the side of the road to make way no how wide it becomes increasingly narrow.

Luckily I set foot on when the air was cool and dry. Winter is over. Afghanistan from entering the spring. Twigs from overgrown trees verdant foliage and small flowers are blooming.

The season change has encouraged people to go out. Activity along the street was very crowded. During the winter school holiday activities. The pulse of the city is not as fast as usual. Nowruz feast has just passed a few weeks ago. Known as Nowruz Persian New Year which is celebrated in the State of Eastern Europe, Asia the middle to bandage China Sea, on the first day of spring. That was the first day to start the pulse Kabul.

For me, at first, Kabul raises major impression: dry dust-covered. City streets lined by thick dust, the people on the street look shabby, poor housing mud-walled material (not the wall) and ground into the base. The impression seemed to be true, a kebab lunch Sayed owned that I can taste could feel the grains of sand in it.
The phrase did not know then no saying seems to apply to me in Kabul. Shadow like that, I hasten to wipe out in my mind. After searching the hallways and streets of the city, I have the impression that recently so different.

Apart from the problem of poverty, the number of foreign funds that came into the country is very large. Kabul city is waking up from a long hibernation, the devastation caused endless war. Although in general the infrastructure is very poor, partly cobbled streets began to be covered with asphalt complete with lampposts on either side illuminate when the sun began to set on the western horizon. Growth in the number of used cars imported from neighboring countries thronged the city and not proportional to the increase in the quality of the resulting congestion rayanya.

Like the other big cities are built vertically, tall office buildings and apartment emerging high beat remains of buildings of the Soviet era. Ariana, the only cinema that is forbidden during the Taliban rule, are now beginning to operate again. Local people visit the rollicking comedy pictures showing various films of India and Pakistan. The houses are brick like mushrooms in the rainy season. This building replaces the traditional residences many emerging citizens built using mud raw materials.

Foreign-flagged humanitarian organizations helped to enliven Afghanistan aviation market. One by one foreign airlines and local business opportunities. They began to open up new routes linking Kabul with major cities in Asia, the middle east, and even to some countries in Europe. Similarly, international air terminal funded Japanese society. Terminal was built to offset the surge of passengers who are not accommodated in the old terminal-which has now become a domestic terminal. Access to the outside world that Afghans increasingly open an opportunity for humanitarian workers from various countries began to migrate to the land of Afghanistan which automatically affects the changing habits of its people.

Heard that there is a mall in the city center, I soon find out. Kabul City Center is the only modern shopping centers across the country. Nine entered the building floor, every visitor must go through a rigorous examination room considering the building was once a target of terrorism. Shopping mall consists of three floors, while the rest served as a lodging-which is above the shopping place. Glance, I saw a row of mannequins clad in a dress with the top open. Very strange, who can wear clothing with a model like that in Afghanistan Here are many women who leave the house without the use of a burqa, just use the veil covering her face and did not like what we find in Indonesia.

Apparently behind the burqa, Afghan women are like other women. They dressed up, wearing jewelry and fine clothes as manifested female friend of mine who had come to the wedding feast of the Afghans. Among women, they should not wear clothes that do not cover the entire surface of the body because of invited guests separated, women are accompanied by the bride in a room, and the groom and his male guests in another room.

For some women, they wear the burqa as freedom. That is, the burqa no one would recognize them, freely leave home without endangering the safety and social ruin her reputation. Burqa is also useful for equalization among women. Concluding that beauty hides the face once or flaws can not distinguish social status, who is rich or poor.