the time inbetween

kabul has a 5th season: the Time of Mud.

after a few weeks of this sloshy state of status quo, it would seem the Cold has passed on for this year as well: longjohns, layers-upon-layers & hotwaterbottles are no longer of survival value, & the bukharis (local heaters) are no longer working overtime to keep some semblance of heat inside our rooms & offices.

so, the skies & the clear air tease with the promise of spring, and (novelty!) the other morning i heard little birds making a commendable effort to ward of winter (allow me to stray momentarily: birds are generally a rarity here, unless you go down bird-street in murad khani, the old city. a narrow man-crowded lane, adorned with an assortment of cages where all the absent birds from the skies seem to have been captured & squashed into rude mixed accommodations. in moments of frustration over the personal limitations forced on an independent spirit, i sympathise greatly... what worse crime of Freedom than to strip a bird of it's right to soar at will over the problems of this world... we are a cruel breed indeed to impose such restrictions).

but, do not be fooled! spring is weeks off yet. for a time still we will look up at the blue skies & the fantastic white mountains, while our feet tie us to the ground, slurping through the chocolatepudding glory of the kabul roads (this city, i might add, is the only one i know where city jeeps & fourwheeldrives can actually be considered legitimate...). i am again grateful for my rather masculine hikingboots (which award me continuous odd looks in this place where elegant afghan ladies elegantly navigate through the mud in their elegant highheeled shoes. i feel extremely unelegant) which do a fabulous job of keeping my feet warm & dry & clean.

& just watch. a sudden mercurial drop & a snowfall obliterating the sky will send us rushing back to sit huddling by the heaters. which isn't so bad, actually! an extension of the time which is perfect for meeting up with friends over countless cups of tea & coffee.

not bad at all.

the shrine in mazar-e-sharif