Peek-CHURES

I'd like to share some of the pictures of the spectacular and rugged beauty surrounding Kabul. The snow is melting quickly from the 12,000 foot peaks north and east of the city. And the green-ish tint on the hills is fading. The wind blows hard every afternoon, and the fine silt dust is either irritating or blinding. We drive to work every day from the south side of the base to the north side...the base is on one side of the road and Kabul is on the other side of the fence. 

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It's vibrantly green right now in the low ground around the base, the wind blows ripples through little wheat fields and grape vineyards. The houses are for the most part mud as are the walls surrounding homes and gardens. 

Everyday little kids run along the fence waving and yelling...so we throw candy and water whenever we see them. I've seen the Italians and Turks through soccer balls over the fence. If it's windy...you have to throw with a good wind correction but be careful not to overshoot and have it land in the stinky water (sewage like) ditch! 

The kids actually ask for water instead of candy most of the time...we slow down and throw the candy over the fence most but sometimes we stop and pass bottled water through the fence. 

We're not supposed to do it for security reasons. There is legitimate concern that the Taliban, the brave and noble purveyors of the 'religion of peace', might strap bombs to the kids and send them to the fence to blow us up. But those little faces tug at your heart strings.  And to be able give them clean water and some gummy bears or chocolate...makes our day maybe more than theirs.

Here are a few more from the flight up to Baghram...