taj
Obitutuary for Merhab Sarahj, Taj Mahal Guesthouse Manager
According to a trusted source, we learned that the Taj Mahal guesthouse manager has been shot by two motorcycle riding gunmen. We knew him as Mehrab, while his full name was Mehrubin Saraj. For many of us, he was more than the manager of the Taj Guest house, but our first condiut into Afghan society. He took us to purchase our Afghan clothes and explained the world outside the compoud walls. One carefree afternoon, I asked Merhab to tell me about…
Kabul to Jalalabad
The ride from Kabul to Jalalabad was long and adventurous. I saw a dog being killed in Kabul. They are considered pests here. Most of our drive time was spent sitting in traffic on the windy segment of the Kabul River Gorge (also called Tangi Gharu). Part of the reason for the bad traffic is that people tend to drive on both sides of the road in both directions. At first it seems like a good idea, you get a little bit…
Hardware Shopping
As it turns out, Jalalabad has no Home Depot. Not even an ACE Hardware. So, when I wanted to purchase an arc welder  to make furniture and art out of old ammo cases and bullet casings, Mehrab took me and Peretz to the bazaar. More specifically, to the hardware store section. Jam packed stalls nestled next to one another, crammed and overflowing with jumper cables, machine belts, rusty bolts, and cheap Chinese screw drivers. Functioning as individual isles of the…
Soccer with the Boys
The cook scored 3 goals. The mechanic Sadik stayed in goal. The guard Metin scored 7. I scored 9.