The Hotel and Chicken Street

Jim and I are staying at a private hotel run by an Afghan man called Mooby. He's a friendly fellow in his 20's with a tragic past and curtailed dreams. His command of English is above average and he has studied Internet Technology, but had to put his career plans on hold to care for his mother. The hotel appears to be fairly new, certainly post-Soviet construction. There are perhaps as many as 200 rooms on a courtyard with gardens and a fountain. A most a tranquil space mornings and evenings. However, the street entrance belies all that. Upon arrival from the Kabul airport Jim and I were quite taken aback to find armed guards, sand bags and a massive steel blast door. Jim noticed what he thought to be bullet holes! Having no idea what to expect next, we were ushered into a guard-shack, just ahead of another blast door where we were patted down and our bags thoroughly searched. Welcome to Kabul City!

The first couple of days in the hotel the A/C in our rooms didn't work. Certainly no help in overcoming jet-lag.It seemed that much of my electronic gear also went on the fritz. In an earlier post I described the replacement power converter. Eventually Jim and I were moved to rooms with functioning air conditioning and we settled in. With some help I got my machines straightened out. We still hope to move to the compound when rooms become available. Meanwhile, we breakfast at the hotel and take our dinner at the "house".

After shaking off some jet-lag, we three-Jim the Gem Guy, Coco the Designer and I, met with some staff and then were introduced to Chicken Street. I'm told the place is called Chicken St. because many years ago it was a poultry market. Over time it's become a series of carpet/rug and jewelry bazaars. They even have their own version of Starr Gems. It's a windowless, under-stairway space approximately 5' x 5' x 5'. Our training space is on the fourth floor in a large building owned by the Afghan Emerald Co. An "association" there has leased the four rooms to DAI for one year. The building overseers have been most accommodating. The men frequently show us parcels of raw and polished gems, which of course are for sale.

The jewelers and gem cutters involved in our training are, for the most part, shop keepers in the building or surrounding area. Initially we were to have up to 20 total trainees. On the first day we began with 8. Over two weeks we grew by half a dozen and yesterday swelled to 26! And all this for just the design training. We still have no equipment--or even a firm date when we will. But I believe we must be doing something right, If not, those first 8 would have dwindled to 5, then 3 and then none. So, our merry little band spend a day planning and a day training for 6 and then have Friday, the Muslim holy day, off.

Chicken St. is typical of the business districts here. Bustling sidewalks lined by open sewers along which vehicles and various carts pile up leaving at best one narrow lane for constant traffic. Afghans drive first with the accelerator then the horn and finally the brake. More about traffic later. Most of the shops our trainees occupy are small and crowded. Their equipment is standard and minimal. Nobody seems to use pickle and only batterns-type flux is evident. There is much to teach. Yet these men are friendly, most have some English and all are eager. I am encouraged so far that this endeavor will bear fruit.

Next up: Kabul City traffic and a visit to the Turquoise Mountain Foundation.