Bizarre Bazaar and ISAF

Every Sunday, the camp here hosts a bazaar. They bring in local vendors to sell us merchandise like scarves, carpets, jewelry, chatchkes, DVDs, etc. The first week was cancelled because Bin Laden had just been killed, but I went the 2nd week to check things out. The vendors recognized me as being A. new to Kabul and B. a Lieutenant Colonel (well-paid.) So they offered me 'very good price' and told me to 'bring my friends'.

I resisted buying anything on my first visit, but went back last week to get some gifts for the kids and for Jeff's upcoming vacation to visit his brother and family. My understanding is that most of the wares are counterfeit, knockoffs or just poor quality; but some of the handmade items are novel, and break up the monotony here.

Later that day, a few of us took a trip over to ISAF (NATO) headquarters for a meeting. This was my first trip off post, but it was close by and in the green zone. I was anxious to try my hand at 'travel' and it is quite a production. I liken it to getting the kids ready to go sledding. You put a drive request in the day before with your social security number and blood type. Then, the day of, you suit up in your body armor, helmet, first aid pouch, weapon and ammo (don't forget your folder for your meeting and your pen) and meet up with the drive team. They give you the briefing... what to do in case of an emergency, etc. Then off you go. Turns out, ISAF HQ is 100 yards away. So the prep took longer than the trip.

Anyhoo, we got a tour of ISAF, had lunch at a little pizza parlor there, strolled through a pretty garden, met a few people and got our bearings. Had our meeting... then back to our home at NKC.

Later in the week, I took a longer trip to Camp Phoenix and we drove through the 'construction material district'. It is like a big outdoor home depot with cranes and bulldozers for rent. What is really strange is the number of tiny little vegetable gardens that the locals have planted in the right-of-way between the curb and the building set-backs. While I was at Camp Phoenix, I 'ran into' two officers from my old Reserve unit that had been cross-leveled just like me and had just arrived in country. This happens ALL THE TIME in the Army, but it never ceases to amaze me.