International diner

     The food here is, well, its like cafeteria food-- it all tastes the same.  However, it beats MREs (Meals Rejected by Everyone).  The best thing about supper, is the company.  Over the last few nights, I have had supper with a real international flair-- the people I mean.  There were British soldiers and sailors, soldiers from Estonia, Slovakia, Macedonia, France, Germany, Latvia, Belgium, Australia, Poland, Bangladesh, Romanian, and about 34 other countries!  Most of them speak English remarkably well, and it is a real treat to sit and talk with them.  I work pretty closely with some officers from Britain, Germany, Estonia, and Slovakia, and I am really impressed with not only their military bearing, but their character. 
     There was an interesting comment made the other night-- it seems that some US soldiers were outside the wire in the north when the sun went down, and they couldn't find their way back to the FOB (Forward Operating Base).  I call went into the FOB closest to them (run by the Germans), and they were asked to provide some ilumination.  There was a battalion of artillerymen, who had brought 3 "guns" with them (towed 155mm cannons) who jumped at the chance to fire their guns.   They loaded their guns with illumination shells, and fired above the Americans so they could see the FOB.  One of the Americans later commented that the last time the Germans fired a cannon at the Americans was in WWII! 
     Last week I thought we were headed for some autumn weather-- the shadows seemed to be getting longer, and the temperatures had dropped.  The last few days have been a little hotter, but there is a tint of fall!  Kabul is just under 6,000 feet elevation, and the weather is somewhat similar to St. Johns.  It is a little warmer during the summers, and for some reason it is a little humid!  In the 90+ days I have been here, there have been a few sprinkles, and even an occasional shower, but nothing seems to change the color of the sky!  It is a dull light blue, partly because of the dust which is everywhere, and partly because of the pollution.  Wikipedia says Kabul has about 2.5 million people.  The Afghans say it is closer to 6 million.  I travel outside the wire quite regularly, and this is one time I agree with the Afghans.  I will say however, that when I was mobilized here in 2002, the streets weren't as crowded.  During the Russian occupation in the 80's, and the subsequent Taliban rule, Afghanistan suffered a huge movement of people escaping mostly to Pakistan.  After our military successes in 2002, Afghans returned by the millions!  Of course the main US presence is in Kabul, so that is where most of the refugees went.  Anyway, I can't say that Kabul is a beautiful city, or even an interesting city.  However, I will say that traveling through the streets presents many Kodak moments!  You see goats being herded down main avenues, and I counted a family of 6 on a motorcycle the other day.   You see livestock loaded in the back of a pickup along with the kids-- not something you see in Arizona every day!