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SCENEISSUE 68 - MARCH 2010

perspective insight people reviews pics life

Throw off your Kabul bindingsand go off piste in the Salang

Ski season

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AFGHAN

Back country skiing in BamiyanThe man who made MTV on his early years in Kabul

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www.afghanscene.comAfghan Scene March 2010

Afghan Scene March 2010

Afghan Scene March 2010www.afghanscene.com


Publisher: Afghan Scene Ltd, Wazir Akbar Khan, Kabul, AfghanistanManager & Editor: Afghan Scene Ltd, Kabul, AfghanistanDesign: Kaboora ProductionAdvertising: [email protected]: Emirates Printing Press, DubaiContact: [email protected] / www.afghanscene.comAfghan Scene welcomes the contribution of articles and / or pictures from its readers.Editorial rights reserved.Cover Photo: CREDIT HERE

SCENEISSUE 68 - MARCH 2010

AFGHAN


IntroductionContents

7 Introduction

10 Day dream believers

Kabul at work gets to know the citys next best band, the

Afghan Indie stars Kabul Dreams

14 How Freston got his FlaresMTV mogul Tom Freston on his early days as a Kabul

rag-trader during this citys Golden Age

24 COVER: Powder junkies

Our Gallic cousins on how to enjoy Spring Skiing just a

couple of hours drive from the hesco-hell of a corporate

Kabul compound

40 Be Scenery

Scenes favourite snapper Jason P Howe takes time out

of Hollywood to share his best images from a walk in the

Wakhan Corridor

50 You Buddha Believe It

Ian McWilliam on the Aga Khans new ski initiative in

Bamiyan. How the Central Highlands could rival Chamonix

57 Themed Scene

Party pics from a Ski themed celebration to celebrate

ASMs super snow edition

53 Be Scene

Scenes essential guide to Kabuls party scene

66 Afghan essentials

Half of them got raided. But all the best restaurants

are still on our list

68 Farewell Scene

Super sleuths Hannah Hedges and David Cater bid farewe

to fighting serious organised crime. Job done

10

24

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Stronger government, it is often argued,

is the cure for nearly all of Afghanistans

current ills. Its a tempting enough theory:

once the countrys bureaucracy, still reeling

from decades of strife is put back on its feet,

then citizens will be much more willing to

embrace their government, rather than take up

arms against it.

But the problem is that stronger does not

always mean better - as any foreign national

who has recently tried to secure a visa will tell you.

For reasons that are not clear, in the last

few months the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

has introduced a bizarre new visa regime that

has made getting the right travel documents

an even more expensive and time consuming

business than before.

Without bothering to publicise the newrules the Ministry decided that the Consulate

in Dubai will no longer issue six month visas.

And ordinary single entry visas that can then

be laboriously extended in country are only

issued if the Ministry in Kabul has faxed a

letter through to Dubai - something that can

only really be organised if the visa applicant is

already in Afghanistan in order to petition petty

bureaucrats with innumerable letters from their

employer and their own embassy.

It is a truly Kafkaesque situation.

Last month the visa team in Dubai also

imposed a cap of just ten ordinary visit visas

per day. One miserable visa hunter was told

nobody comes to Afghanistan to visit.

That is indeed often the case, but it is equally

true that no one is coming to Afghanistan to

scrounge off a generous welfare system or to use

top draw hospitals and public services. In fact,

nearly every foreign visitor is a clear net-benefit

to the country. They are the aid workers trying to

reconstruct the place or they are the diplomats

controlling billion dollar aid budgets. Even if they

are involved in less noble pursuits the restaurant

going, house renting expatriates all pump moneyinto an economy that would otherwise be

emaciated.

If Afghanistans government really was getting

stronger - in the sense of better - foreigners

would be welcomed to this country with open

arms and every effort would be made to make

the visaprocess as straight forward as possible.

7

Introduction

When stronger

is not better

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8

SceneTeam

ContributorsAfghan Scene Magazine is proud to showcase work from the best photographers in Afghanistan

David Gill is a British writer, photographer and videogrpher focusing on a socialdocumentary and overseas development. His current book project

Kabul, a City at Work is a selection over 100 original portraits.

web.mac.com/shot2bits/work

Almost all of the photographs and cartoons featured in Afghan Scene are available for sale direct from theartists. Most of them are available for commissions, here and elsewhere. If you would like to contribute to

Afghan Scene, or if you cant get hold of a contributor, please contact [email protected].

Harry Cole is a cad and a bounder. A former guards officer in the British army

hes now a raconteur, wit and man about town who juggles security and

logistics in between scribbling Scenes pocket cartoons.

Eric Davin is a gallic adventurer turned entrepreneur. In between throwing

Kabuls best parties, founding Altai Consulting and keeping a close eye on

Kabuls new fillies he is usually found on snow, somewhere

between Chamonix and the Salang.

Jason P Howe is a British freelance photojournalist who has spent the last eight

years specialising in conflict coverage. He is best known for his extensive work

on Colombia but he also spent several years in Iraq, documented the 2006 war

in Lebanon and has been based in Afghanistan since mid 2007.

www.conflictpics.com

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dream of, he wont be satisfied without a

Grammy to boot.Dreaming is something of a speciality for the

three young men who, while growing up in exile

the countries neighbouring their homeland, all

hoped to one day form a band in Kabul.

Its only fitting then that they should have

called it Kabul Dreams. For a band that is less

than a year old and which is working on its

At the age of 20, Suleman Qardash

would appear to have it all. Hes on thetelevision, where he reads the news

several nights a week in Uzbek, and the lead

singer of Afghanistans only rock band.

But hes far from finished. With eyes open as

wide as his smile, the mop-topped Suleman

declares that on top of the record label and

international tour that his bandmates

There have been other rock bands in

Afghanistans history, including The Stars, who

formed in the early 1970s to rock the guests

staying at the Intercon.

And there is a contemporary metal rock band

called District Unknown. But as the Guardians

rock critic wrote approvingly, the Dreams have

eschewed an angry musical identity in favour of

indie rock that is peaceful, wistful and positive,with shades of 90s Britpop and shoegaze.

Whatever that is.

debut album in a homemade recording studio

they are already going places.

They have toured in India, rocked an audience

of their peers at the American University with

their English-only repertoire and received high

praise from the rock critic of the UKs Guardian

newspaper who liked their style.

Suleman says their music is influenced by

Oasis, Radiohead and the Beatles bands hediscovered on the internet whilst growing up in

Uzbekistan.

Kabul, A City at Work is a selection of over 100 original portraits from thecapital. Its authors describe it as a window into Kabuls soul. For moreinformation visit www.web.mac.com/shot2bits/work | www. kabulatwork.com

the beatDont stopAFGHAN SCENE meets the ambitious lead singero Kabul Dreams, Aghanistans only Indie Rock band

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Kabul at workKabul at workAfghan Scene March 201Afghan Scene March 2010

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Six years inAfghanistan

The 747 and low cost airfreight had just arrived,

and I saw a lot of possibilities in exporting from

Asia.

What was the business?

I started a company called Hindu Kush that

designed and manufactured clothing in both

Kabul and New Delhi to sell to stores in Europe

and America. It combined modern design

with lots of traditional fabrics. I stayed inAfghanistan until the April 1978 coup.

I would stay in Kabul for anywhere from three

to seven months a year. In those days Kabuls

population was only 400,000, one tenth as

big as today. I loved it. It was the The Golden

Age. Peaceful, tolerant, secure, clean, and

endlessly fascinating. Most days the air was

When and why did you irst come to

Aghanistan?

I first came to Afghanistan in 1972, I was in

my mid-20s, I had quit a job in advertising in

New York and I wanted to get as far as way

as possible. Afghanistan sure fit the bill. After

travelling around Europe and throughout Africa,

I headed to India overland from Istanbul. I

entered Afghanistan at the Iran-Herat border. It

was love at first sight. In those days, like now, Ioften felt like I had walked into another century.

Hooked, I quickly decided I needed to find a way

to support myself there, so I could stick around

a while. It seemed like it would make for a far

more interesting life for me. I stayed a month,

got my bearings, and then went on to India,

then home to raise money to start a business.


US media mogul TOM FRESTON talks to Aghan Scene about hippies, coupsand alling in love with Aghanistan in the 1970s


BODYGUARDS FOR HIRE: Boys pose outside a shop on Chicken Street Photo | Tom Freston

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and there were others more for the expat/

Afghan elite community. All of them are

gone now save the Marco Polo. A favorite of

mine was The Columbus in Share-now. A

garden restaurant beautifully lit at night with

Christmas-style lights. There was a full bar, and

a big windowed room where Afghan musicians

played every night. You sat on cushions and

the musicians rolled and passed around hash

joints and then played for hours on end. The

Khyber Restaurant in Pashtunistan Square wasa big Afghan favorite. It was pretty fancy. The

Kabul Hotel, destroyed but later rebuilt as the

Serena, was the in spot for the Afghan elite.

The Intercontinental Hotel had a Happy Hour

and pool service. The only real nightclub

and Afghanistans first and, maybe, last was

the legendary 24 Hour Club run by the great

crisp and clean, like in a ski resort. I lived in

Share-e-Naw in a variety of different houses

and apartments. Recently I went back to one

of my old apartments that used to be over a

bar-restaurant. Its now three separate stores

all selling toilets. The Pretenders song had a

song about going back to my city, but my city

was gone. Thats what it was like going back to

Kabul in 2007.

What was the nightlie like?

There was no shortage of places to go.

coffee shops, friends houses, restaurants,

not many bars per se, although alcohol was

readily available. Stores would even stock it

outside on the sidewalk. Many restaurants

and teashops catered to the tourist trade

BANKABLE: Soldiers sitting outside Da Afghanistan Bank, 1973 | Tom Freston

WINDOW GUARD: Afghan national army pictured on Frestons first trip to the country | Tom Freston



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Nostalgia scene

tour buses, and pastry and pancake shops to

support them. There must have been ten pastry

shops on Chicken Street alone. And, as I look

through the merchandise in the antique shops

on Chicken Street now, I swear its the exact

same stuff as back then.

There was a very diverse and very social group

of foreigners living here then, but much smaller

than now. People dealt in rugs, furniture,

jewellery, or clothing, like me. There werereally no journalists around. Not much news.

Interesting characters all and we were all quite

enthused to be here. Every Westerner I know

loved it. Afghanistan was the Wild East. Not a

Kalashnikov in sight, just old single-shot Enfield

rifles. You could walk anywhere at any time of

the day or night. Afghans were very protective

character, Prince Ali Siraj. Everyone went there

expats, hippies, Afghans, spies, diplomats. I

remember one night at 2am The Magic Bus,

a double-decker bus with a psychedelic paint

job, always jammed with stoned-out travellers

that rode the London/New Delhi circuit (for

$40!), pulled in for some cocktails and dancing.

Anything could happen there and you could

walk home at 3am without a worry in the world,

except, maybe, falling into an open manhole.

How did the international community

compare to today?

Those were days of the world traveller and

hippie migrations, so there was always a

parade of colourfully dressed tourists passing

through. And there was a host of small hotels,


TRAVELLER CHOW: A woman poses outside a Chicken Street restaurant 1975 | Tom Freston

FRUIT SELLER OF KABUL: A tradesman with his produce | Tom Freston



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HORSE PLAY: Buzkashi players get stuck into Afghanistans national game in Mazar in 1978 | Tom Freston

hurts to see whats happened to the American

Embassy today. They are so cut off; they are

really not even in Afghanistan any more. There

seems to be no contact with ordinary Afghans.

In the 70s, that was the point of living here. Its

got to be hard for them to really have a clue

about whats going on.

What did you do or recreation?

Well, you could ride a horse right through themiddle of Kabul, and feel like Genghis Khan. Or

hike in the hills. Wed travel all over the country.

In the summer people would rent houses in

Paghman or Istalif. Once I rented a bus to Mazar

for Nawroz to see the buzkashi games with

friends. The Governor saw us at a game and

called us over to the only real viewing stand

of their guests. If you got robbed, you could

bet it was a foreigner.

People had beautiful homes and we had a

wonderful, close, and lively community. A big

thing was sharing audiocassettes of any new

music from the outside because when you came

to Kabul in those days, you were totally cut off

from the outside world. No fax, no cellphone,

no email, in fact, it was hard to even get regular

mail.

The US Embassy then was a very modest two-

story building with a U-shaped driveway in

front of it. The road was open. Anyone could

drive in. The only guards were inside. All the

people working at the embassies lived in town

and had lovely homes throughout the city. It

from his cousin, King Zahir Shah, but that was

a sort of non-event from an expat standpoint.

Everything went back to normal in couple of

days. 1978 was much different, a lot of tanks in

the street and quite a bit of gunfire. I remember

clearing out and going to Peshawar to wait for

things to blow over. Good thing I didnt wait,

as Id still be there. At the time the coup just

seemed like a rearranging of the leadership and

that Afghanistan would remain Afghanistan.

But the Golden Age was over and decades of

chaos lay ahead.

What happened to you next?

I continued my business in India for a while, but

that had its own problems. So, in 1979, having

made and lost a lot of money, I went back to

the New York to look for a new line of work. I

had a passion for music and, with a bit of luck,

eventually got hired at a company starting a

music channel for cable that became MTV. I

stayed 26 years.

Did you come back?

Finally, in 2007, almost 30 years later, I went to

Dubai and flew in on Kam Air. I loved it. I guess

theres an Afghan virus. And, once you get it,

you keep going back.

most people were sitting on the top of trucks

and busses. Then he asked us back to his palace

that evening for a big event, which turned out

to be a demo of television. They brought it

out from under a cloth and tuned it to a signal

from Tashkent. A show of Soviet martial music

was on. No one could understand a word but

no one in the room had ever seen television

before either. It was an extraordinary scene, a

real moment. Stuff like that could happen in

those days. You could flag down a taxi and just

say take me to Kandahar for three days andthe driver would say sure, get in. He wouldnt

even bother to go home to get a jacket. You

would drive for hours, share food, and never be

worried.

It all sounds wonderul did you have

any sense o how bad the situation inthe country would become?

No one really saw the 78 coup coming. The

communists seemed to be a non-entity. But as

far back as the 60s and 70s these three separate

groups were emerging and competing at Kabul

University: the communists, the Islamists, and

the secular modernists. Forty years later now,

theyre still at it. But that was pretty much below

the surface at the time. Afghanistan seemed to

be moving along. There was a lot of excitement

about entering the modern world. You mightactually see an Afghan girl in a miniskirt. It was

impossible to imagine then that the safe, exotic,

cosmopolitan life of Kabul would soon be history.

The gathering thunderheads went unnoticed.

I left after the April coup. There had been

another coup in 1973, when Daoud took over

Well, you could ride a

horse right through the

middle of Kabul, and feel

like Genghis Khan.

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Nostalgiascene

Tom Freston was one of the founding team that set up MTV. He became CEOof MTV networks in 1987, a job he held for 17 years, during which time heestablished other leading cable channels including Nickelodeon and ComedyCentral. He also worked as CEO of Viacom. He is now chairman of the ONECampaign, the organisation started by Bono to campaign on poverty issues.

out to them. They sure deserve better. All the

people I knew here are gone but I have made

some great and interesting new friends and

thats nice.

I still think in the end that the Taliban will

not prevail. I dont think that ideology is

a sustaining one for the Afghan people or

any people. My optimism still outweighs my

pessimism and I intend to keep returning. And

I feel especially blessed to have lived here back

in that wonderful and innocent era. Lets hopeanother lies ahead.

Were you encouraged by what youound in post 2001 Aghanistan?

I was conflicted. It was a shock to see the city

in such shambles and to see how rough it had

become. And its sad to see all the wasted

opportunities. But at the same time, despite

it all, there still is a sense of regeneration, a

longing for a normal life, and some impressive

economic and social improvements, particularly

in media and communications. And, of course,

there is that key quality that endures, thewonderful spirit of the people. My heart goes

Its Gaultier

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Piste o with compound living? Nows the perect time to enjoyAghanistans answer to the Alps. Aghan Scene presents theSalang Ski Clubs ninth anniversary guide to riding the Hindu Kush

Club. With the reopening of the Salang tunnel

access to the beautiful slopes of the Salang

mountains, between 3500m and 5000m above

sea level, was guaranteed all winter.

The first snowfall was in late January. Less

than a month later, on the 20th of February

2002, our friend and driver Samad was the

first Afghan on skis since the collapse of theold regime. His picture appeared in Issue

No. 4 of the new Kabul Weekly which had

re-opened a month before. The same day, the

great Najibullah Rassah, a former anchor on

Afghan Radio and TV, was making his first run

on a snowboard, probably the first ever for an

Afghan in the Salang mountains.

Winter 2001: Reopening AghanTunnel, and First Aghan on Skis

In the first weeks of 2002, as Afghanistan

was just waking up from years of Taliban rule,

Mudjahideen in camouflage and kalashnikovs

were still the main clients of the Herat restaurant

in Shar-e Naw. Hamid Karzai was just back

from Bonn and ISAF were not even in town. Thenews could have passed un-noticed: The French

NGO ACTED was re-opening the Salang tunnel,

re-establishing a strategic link between northern

and southern Afghanistan.

A small step for Afghanistan, a major step for

what would soon become become the Salang Ski

SalangSki Club

ACTION MAN: Eric prepares for take off

2001-20

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weather, and it usually lasts until the end May,

and sometimes June. Thats when you get long,

glorious ski days, with a perfect weather at the

top, time for a leisurely picnic and a beautiful

ride down in the afternoon.

Above 2m o snow, there is no risk omines anymore

By the end of February you generally find 2 to

3 m of snow stacked above the Salang pass,

while the tunnel is half hidden, above 2 m of

snow you can consider it safe. The villagers will

tell you that they spend the summer hunting in

the passes and that the only mines are in the

river beds, but you can never be too cautious.

The Salang Ski Club was born, and the area

was set to become a fabulous playground for

adventurous snow bums of all nationalities. This

article is an invitation to ski in the Hindu Kush:

a treatise on exploring Afghanistan with an

alternative outlook, miles from the battlefields or

the Kabul aid circus.

Agar Bahar meaya The best seasonis March & April

Lesson number one: Dont rush out the first

snows of November and December. In February,

whens its cold, miserable and depressingly

wet in Kabul, its usually snowing over 2500m.

The best season starts in March, with niceSKI MOBILE: Eric and Manu prepare to slope off for the day

WHERE EAGLES DARE: Soaring over the Salang tunnel

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But for long rides and high mountain climbing,

you need to bring your own kit; skins, fat skis

and proper bindings. And dont forget high

mountain equipment and security avalanche

systems (ARVA, ABS bag) if you really want to be

safe. It is 4500m there and youre on your own if

something goes wrong. Its not a joke. Our Alpine

troops are busy with other folks in the south and

the east, and no one will really check on you

while you ski.

Then its a long way up, and a few hours of

walking into the thin air, for a 30 minute ride. But

what a ride, an experience of a lifetime and the

unique sensations of climbing in the extreme west

of the Himalayas, before throwing yourself in a

long ride above the historical valley of Salang.

Wait for real thick snow before venturing in the

mountains with your equipment.

BYO and walk your way up

Equipment is the essence. In 2002 a few of us

had the exotic idea to drive a van full of old skis

and shoes from the french Alps, through Bosnia,

Turkey, Iran, with stop overs in the chaikhanas of

the lovely cities of Maywand and Qalat where wecould talk for long hours about ski rides and latest

equipment with tribal leaders, by the fireplace.

The equipment finally made it to Kabul, and some

of the best pieces now belong to Baba Shirin and

his team in charge of clearing the road during the

winter. After a few lessons, they were proud to

show us their tracks on the other side of the valley.

DON COGLEONI: Mafia men Timur and Tom head for the slopes

FAIRE DU SKI: Manu checks out his skis

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in the winter 2006 by a team of French and

British alpinists, who gave it the name of

lEntente Cordiale, leaving aside for a few

hours the old rivalries between their respective

Eureopean kingdoms and showing a beautiful

example of reconciliation to the rival tribes of

Afghanistan. Ski was opening new horizons for

the country.

Testimony: Telemark & Champagneand cheese with Uncle Henri

Beyond the high mountains and the effort that

any ride will require, the Salang domain has also

become through the last decade a real spot for

Art de vivre, and below is a testimony of one of

the most passionate members of the Salang Ski

Lentente cordiale, and the places inbetween

While a band of French friends were testing the

first rides in the Salang area and the Panjshir

Valley in the winters 2002 and 2003, some of

their countrymen working for French NGOs in

Bamiyan should be credited for the first rides

on the Ko-e-Baba above Bamiyan, and in the

surrounding mountains. Since then a number ofEuropean, Kiwis, Aussies and American friends

have tried their luck in the Afghan Mountains,

from the North to South of the country, although

most slopes remain untouched.

However one of the most prominent summits of

the Salang domain was symbolically conqueredPRISTINE: Untouched virgin snow in the Salang

URBAN SKI: Who needs mountains?

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some cables at the rear of 2 Town ace vans, and

basically hit the road skiing, pulled by the cars

around the Afghan capital. At that time security

check points were a bit more loose, and starting

at the end of Hadji Aqoub street, we turned the

corner of the Dutch Embassy and passed UNICA

at a good speed, 2 of us holding ropes behind

each car, crossing each other while asking the

cars to go faster, jumping along the pavement,

frightening a few dogs, waking up half a dozen

guards in front of the Ministry of Interior, passing

Moustafa Hotel, riding around the Sedarat, theChinese Embassy and the UNDP. Thats when our

first car engine started smoking dangerously and

the driver asked for a break. With the excitement

of the ride, we decided to drop the cars and

climb Swimming Pool Hill, above Wazir, with

our skis. Climbing up the hill we realized that in

the moonlight, our skis on the shoulders could

be confused, from far, with RPGs. We decided

to take one in each hand and carry them in a

different manner to avoid any confusion for the

Afghan security guards posted on the hill.

At 2 am, we took a beautiful moonlight ride

down the west face of the hill, arriving in the

middle of the houses of Qala e Fatullah. At 2.30

we were home with an international beverage

best served in a balloon glass, trying to recover

from this crazy afghan night session.

Aprs Ski at lAtmo, and the AghanMoumoutte

Aprs Ski is necessarily at lAtmo, for the

authentic French touch and obilgatory fireplace.

There, the Salang Ski Club has a dedicated room

at the first floor, and a few dedicated meals:

Club, Uncle Henri: for him, the art of telemarking

in High Mountain remains still a real adventure

which keeps him in a state of great happiness to

be shared with friends.

On a beautiful day (date classified)- our group

of kohistanis decided to climb the mythical

Entente Cordiale, champagne and foie gras

packed in rucksacks, to escort us into happiness

and bliss. The climb was simply a source of

delight and when we reached the top, no

pain, simply the intense pleasure to discoverthe relaxing view of our beautiful Country. On

that day French culture found its grandeur

when I opened with a sword the champagne

accompanied as it is customary with foie gras.

The English and Scottish members of the group

commented, at the end of the day, as the sun was

slowly disappearing behind the majestic Hindu

Kush, it was a bon moment.

Skiing Kabul: A big night out

In winter mornings, when Kabul wakes up with a

few inches of snow, it is hard to resist the appeal

of the ride, and the most addicted of us started

riding, on weekdays, the hills and mountains of

Kabul. But then came THE night. It was a cold

day of the winter 2005, and an old friend was

celebrating his birthday, a few streets from ourhouse, in Haji Aqoub. At 10pm, the streets of

Kabul were covered with more than 40 cm of

fresh snow, and we decided to take our skis to

pay a visit to our good friend. There the party

was on, and seeing us arriving with our gears,

other friends got excited and suggested we go

for a ride around the city. At midnight, we fixedSTUNT: Intrepid skier bounces down a hill in Kabul

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SALAM is an excing drama series seng new benchmarks in quality and local producon standards.

Shot enrely in Afghanistan by the MOBY Group, Salam oer s viewers compelling entertainment while also

providing employment and important skills training in support of the local emerging lm industry.

LEMAR TV | AFGHANISTA

Dont missSalam on

LEMARWednesdays at 8pm

00

Featurescene

Ski team is expected to kick butts in Vancouver,

while a pilot ski resort in Salang is budgeted

in the next wave of Alternative Livelihood

fundings.

Therefore, before the ski craze and the white

gold fever takes over the country, it is still

time to try and join the pioneers in the valleys

North of Kabul. But beware, those guys are not

necessarily welcoming, and quite protective of

their territory. In case of any abuse, or to get

more information please contact the Salang SkiClub on [email protected], and place

your orders for the Salang 2001-2010 collector

tee shirt, available in 3 sizes starting March 2010

(order by mail), a must for your aprs-ski sessions

in Chamonix, Courchevel and Cran-Montana next

winter.

To be continued around a cheese and a slice of

saucisson, above the Salang tunnel!

Tartiflette and Fondue for the connoisseurs.

White wine is preferred, unless the patron can

prepare in advance some mulled wine or a grog

for the brave skiers back after a cold day out.

Afghan Moumouttes with sheep fur can be found

in chicken street, you can wear them at the

office as in local restaurants, and they will also

be very chic in the streets of New York, Paris, St

Moritz and Chamonix, when back home. They

were recently the central theme of the Kabul

Snow Party organized by the Salang Ski Club toopen its 9th season.

Moving orward: Salang Ski Resortand Aghan Olympic team

The future of Afghanistan is, as you will

understand it, in Ski. While stabilization

activities in the south still have to prove their

efficiency, capacity building is well advanced

in the Salang mountains, and the first Afghan

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HoweI see itWar photographer JASON P HOWE takes a break rom bombs

and bullets to ocus on the Wakhan Corridor

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www.afghanscene.com

part the conflict related strife that makes life so

desperate for many Afghans.

My goal now is to return to the region as oftenas possible over the coming years. I would like

to develop my work there into a long term book

project with the aim of bringing the images to a

wider audience and helping them to understand

and appreciate that there is so much more to

Afghanistan than the simplistic media view of a

country in perpetual conflict.

I have spent several years covering stories in

Afghanistan. More often than not they involve

military action and the negative side of life that

sadly for many outsiders defines the countryand its history.

My reasons for travelling to Wakhan and the

Pamirs were many but mainly I wanted to

see for myself this beautiful, unspoilt side of

Afghanistan and witness the traditional way

of life in an area that has escaped for the most

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Look, I never said I had anything against yourleft leg - the only problem is, neither have you...

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5

Ski Bamyan!IAN MACWILLIAM says Chamonix, Vale and Zermatt have had their day and

that serious skiers should head or Aghanistans Central Highlands

A second day of skiing and snowsports is to be

held during the three-day Nauroz Festival being

organised in Bamyan by the Ecotourism Program

from 21-23 March. Two local ski tour guides are

being trained to assist future visitors interested

in trying out the backcountry on skis. A guide

to backcountry and cross-country skiing and

snowshoeing in the Koh-e-Baba and Band-e-

Amir will also be published.

Backcountry skiing does not require ski lifts. You

ski on touring skis. These allow you to walk uphill

with skins stuck under your skis. At the top, youremove the skins and then schuss back to the

bottom. Alternatively, you can ski up and down

gentler slopes on lightweight cross-country skis.

Chad Dear, one of two ski consultants at work

in Bamyan, has substantial experience of

backcountry skiing in the western USA.

The mountains of the Koh-e-Baba range

are one of Afghanistans great untold

secrets. Rising to 5000 metres (16,000

feet) within spitting distance of Bamyan

town and its historic Buddhist sites, these

mountains offer world-class backcountry skiing

potential. And so far, these mountains are

virtually unskied.

The Bamyan Ecotourism Programme

(implemented by the Aga Khan Development

Network and funded by the New Zealand Agency

for International Development) plans to capitaliseon Bamyans glorious winter months to make the

province a four-season tourist destination. The

Ecotourism Office officially launched its winter

sports programme in Bamyan on 12 March with

a ski and snowshoe party on the slopes above

Ali Beg village, in the foothills of Mt Shah Foladi

5,143m/ 16,872ft).

50

Ski sceneAfghan Scene March 2010


SKI SCHOOL: Aga Khan worker Abdullah shows off a pair of skis to locals

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Ski scene

to come to the mountains in the 60s and 70s for

hiking, picnicking, horseback riding, camping and

even swimming in the creeks.

Security, of course will be a continuing concern.

In the short term, the Ecotourism Program sees

its main market as expats working in Afghanistan

who are familiar with the country, and domestic

Afghan tourists who already visit the province in

large numbers in the summer. Providing services

for these local visitors will help prepare the

tourism industry for the future when Afghanistanis eventually more settled. The development of

backcountry winter sports can add an important

new element to Bamyans re-emerging tourism

industry, which has the potential to create jobs,

bring money into the local economy and to help

reintegrate this battered, mountainous and often

snowy country.

--Ian MacWilliam

Communications Officer, AKDN Afghanistan

Bamyan needs skis! If anyone has used skis or snowshoes (or new skis!) they would like to

contribute to get Bamyan skiing, please contact: [email protected].

He is impressed with what the Koh-e-Baba has

to offer:

The skiing and snowshoeing potential in the

Koh-e-Baba and Band-e-Amir is tremendous.

Each of the Koh-e-Baba valleys from Kalu to

Kamaty, offers the cross-country skier, snowshoer,

as well as the adventurous backcountry skier,

easily accessible, world-class terrain. As spring

comes and the snow melts in the valleys, the

north-facing slopes of the Koh-e-Baba hold their

snow well into May and June. A single or multi-day cross-country ski or snowshoe tour of Band-

e-Amir may be the best way to experience the

wondrous lakes. The highest peaks in the Koh-

e-Baba reach over 5000m while lower elevation

valleys extend back into stunning basins with

hidden lakes surrounded by jagged peaks. There

are options for casual walking, rigorous hiking,

and mountaineering. Residents of villages along

the north slopes of the Koh-e-Baba are friendly

and welcoming. They explain how tourists used

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Lapis is a Moby Group Company engaging, educating and entertaining Afghanistan since 2002

Interested applicants please forward your CV and covering letter

to Sarmad Tiwana, HR Director at [email protected]

Lapis is Afghanistans leadingfull service strategiccommunications company:Lapis Ltd is the PR division of the award-winning Moby Group (MG) - Afghanistansleading privately owned and integrated media company, with a strong emphasis on clientservice and a passion for our clients businesses. We are currently recruiting for positionswithin our small, thriving consultancy for talented and experienced public relations staffwho have worked in a recognized agency on corporate accounts, preferably on donor-funded or government projects. You should be comfortable working in a challengingenvironment. Our client list includes many well-known Afghan and Internationalorganizations.

Project Ofcers

You will have the ability to manage complex projects and multiple activities simultaneously,

in a swiftly changing environment. You will have at least 3 years experience and at leastone year in a developing or emerging economy. PM experience is essential with someagency and communication background. Media knowledge is an added advantage.

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47

Have you considered advertising inAfghanistan's leading magazine

aimed at the expat community andkey business decision makers?

With over 8,000 copies distributed freeof charge, Afghan Scene keeps those

working in Afghanistan and new comersto the country informed on recent

developments with articlesand reviews from

leading writers.

For full details [email protected]

www.afghanscene.com

Hittarget

the

message!your

with

MIS-NOMA: Noma consultings anonymous A-Teamat a company BBQ

FREESTLYE EVENT: Skate stars Shauna and Sophieat the Altai ski party

MOVIE MOGULS: Sam and Jamie looking smoothat the Altai Ski party

YESMINSTER: Brit shadow ministers George Osborne (left)William Hague (right) with Times team Shoib and Jerome a

5

Party scene



Be sceneShare your event or party pics with Aghan Scene. email [email protected]

www.afghanscene.com

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Party scene

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Party scene



www.afghanscene.comwww.afghanscene.comAfghan Scene March 2010


POLES APART: Sustainable ski man Ian talks back country skins MERRY BELLES: Helene, Zishan, Olivier, Eric and Stephanethe Altai ski party

MAC: McClatchy man Saeed with USgirl Erin at the Altai ski party

TRICK Mademoiselle Marlene withmo man Jerome at the Altai ski bash

MARKED MAN: Berengere and Mark Lmaking shapes at the snow fest

HUGH YOU LOOKIN AT: Hamish and Hughat a winter soiree

TAKE A BAUER: Jack D ducks into shotwith tousle haired Tom, at the ski party

SNOW WAY: Henri and Dr T at theski party

ON THE PISTE: Glam girl Annaat the Altai Ski bash

TANKED OUT: Reuters man on a Panjshir

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TRADE: Altai team Jos and Sarah-Jeanjustice wonk Emily

GASTRO GNOMES: LAtmo man Ehsan with Marie, Florenceand Matt at the Altai ski scene

SHELL SHOCKED: Movie man Jake makestracksuit shapes

GLE EYED: TMFs Duncane Altai ski party

SLOPING OFF: Old pals Jess and Dr T onthe piste at the ski party

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56

Book sceneNow in Afghan Scene!

Trying to sell a bicycle or looking for love?Got a room to let or want to buy a house?

Afghan Scene is set to launch Afghanistans rstcomprehensive classied section for ex-pats,

and all the ads are FREE.

So if youve got something you want to sell,be it a bicycle or body armour, furniture or a fridge,

Scene Classieds is the only place to go.

Email: [email protected]

KABUL CLASSIFIEDS

whygoelsewheretobecheated?Comeherefrst!

USEDCARS

T O L E T

NewBreathableKevlarbody

armour&helmet.Manmadeholes

acrossheadandchest.Orignial

ownernolongerrequires.

FOR SALE

LostCatTubby-white.LastseenattheKabulGunClubshootingra

nge.

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5Afghan Scene October 2009www.afghanscene.comPost your ads for FREE! Email: [email protected]

PERSONALS

100 beds building Sher pur 4082 Sixty bathrooms, thkitchens, saloon, dining room, basement, 4 rooms, out buildin2 rooms 1 bathroom, garden wswimming pool Car parking forto three cars. Price: (TBC).Call 0700334455

Nineteen bed house WaAkbar Khan Ref 3166 Ninetebathrooms, kitchen, baseme70 sq m saloon, 40 sq m bar, sair conditions, central heatirefrigerators, TVs, carpets, beinternet network and etc, parkfor up to three cars. $14,999month, Call 0700334455

Nine bed house Sher pur Ref 40Nine bathrooms, saloon and diniroom and kitchen, Sub basemeopen hall Two entrance gatwith two cars parking $11,999month, o n o. Call 0700334455

28 bed house Shar-e-Now Ref2010 24 bathrooms, saloon andkitchen, Sub basement: hall,kitchen and four toilets Outbuildings: two large halls andsignificant cars parking $24,999a month, o n o. Call 0700334455

Eighteen bed house Taimani Ref5034 Eleven bathrooms, twokitchens, saloon and dining room,Conservatory, garden and sig-nificant cars parking. $11,999 amonth, o n o. Call 0700334455

Eight bed house Shar-e-NowRef 2096 Four bathrooms andone toilet, two kitchens, saloonand dining room, garden and carparking for up to ten cars. $5,999a month, o n o. Call 070033445514 bed house Shar-e-Now Ref2153 15 baths, living & diningroom, kitchen, fully furnishedOut buildings: 3 rooms and 2bathrooms Garden & parking for5 cars $11,999 a month, o n o.Call 0700334455

8 bed house Wazir Akbar KhanRef 3149 8 bathrooms, 2 kitch-ens, saloon and dining room

Sub basement: hall and 4 roomsParking for 4 cars with entrancegates.$11,999 a month, o n o.Call 0798 500 500

7 bed house Sher pur Ref 40735 baths, kitchen, saloon, diningroom, Sub basement: 4 roomsand 2 bathrooms Parking for upto four cars. $5,999 a month, o no. Call 0700334455

Five bed house Shar-e-Now R2047 Two bathrooms, livroom, dining room, kitchen, sbasement,Garden, Parking forcars. $3,999 a month, o n oCall 0700334455Eleven bed house Shar-e-NRef 2205 Six bathrooms, saloand dining room, kitchen, gard

and car parking for up to six ca$9,999 a month o n oCall 0700334455

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Afghan EssentialsWhere to stay, where to eat, where to Shop. And how to pay for it.

Afghan Scene Making Life Easier

Hotels and Guesthouses

Kabul Serena HotelFroshgah Streetwww.serenahotels.com

Tel: 0799 654 000

Safi Landmark Hotel & SuitesCharahi Ansariwww.safilandmarkhotelsuites.com

Tel: 0202 203 131

The Inter Continental HotelBaghe Bala Roadwww.intercontinentalkabul.com

Tel: 0202 201 321

Gandamack Lodge HotelSherpur [email protected]

Tel: 0700 276 937, 0798 511 111

Mustafa HotelCharahi Sadaratwww.mustafahotel.com

Tel: 070 276 021

Heetal Plaza HotelStreet 14, Wazir Akbar Khanwww.heetal.com

Tel: 0799 167 824, 0799 159 697

UNICA Guest HouseKolola Pushta, oppositeRoyal Mattress

Tel: 0797 676 357

The International ClubHaji Yaqoob Square, Street 3, Shar-eNaw. Tel: 0774 763 858

Golden Star HotelCharrhay Haji Yaqoob,Shar-e Naw. www.kabulgolden-starhotel.com

Tel: 0799 333 088, 0799 557 281

Roshan HotelCharaye Turabaz Khan,Shar-e Naw.

Tel: 0799 335 424

Restaurants

DeliveryEasyfoodDelivers from any restaurantto your homewww.easyfood.af

Tel: 0796 555 000, 0796555 001

AfghanRumiQala-e Fatullah Main Rd,between Streets 5 & 6

Tel: 0799 557 021

SufiMuslim Street, Shar-e Nawwww.sufi.com.af Tel: 0774212 256, 0700 210 651

Herat RestaurantShar-e Naw, main road,Diagonally opposite CinemaPark

Khosha RestaurantAbove the Golden StarHotel. Tel: 0799 888 999

Mixed/WesternThe LoungeLane 2, left, off Street 15,Wazir Akbar Khan. Tel: 0796174 718, 0700 037 634

Fat Man/What-a-Burger Cafe

Wazir Akbar Khan, mainroad, On the bend nearMasoud Circle Tel: 0700 298301, 0777 151 510

LAtmosphereStreet 4, Taimani

Tel: 0798 224 982, 0798413 872

Flower Street CafStreet 2, Qala-e Fatullah.

Tel: 0700 293 124, 0799356 319

Cabul Coffeehouse & CafStreet 6, on the left, Qale-e Fat-ullah Tel: 0752 005 275

Le BistroOne street up from ChickenStreet, Behind the MOI,Shar-e Naw Tel: 0799-598852

Red Hot SizzlinSteakhouseDistrict 16, Macroyan 1, NaderHill Area Tel: 0799 733 468

Le Pelican Cafe du KabulDarulaman Road, almostopposite the Russian Embassy.Bright orange guard box.

Tex MexLa Cantina

Third left off Butcher St,Shar-e Naw

Tel: 0798 271 915

LebaneseTaverne du LibanStreet 15, Lane 3,Wazir Akbar Khan

Tel: 0799 828 376

The GrillStreet 15, Wazir Akbar Khan.

Tel: 0799 818 283,0799 792 879

Cedar HouseBehind Kabul City Centre,Shar-e Naw Tel: 0799-121412

TurkishIstanbulMain road, on the left, betweenMassoud Circle Jalalabad RoadRoundabout.

Tel: 0799-407818

IranianShandizPakistan Embassy Street, offStreet 14 Wazir Akbar Khan

Tel: 0799-342928

Italian/PizzaEverest PizzaStreet 10, Wazir Akbar Khanwww.everestpizza.com

Tel: 0700 263 636, 0779 317 979

Bella Italia

Street 14, Wazir Akbar KhanTel: 0799 600 666

Springfield RestaurantLane 3, Street 15,Wazir AkbarKhan Tel: 0799 001 520

IndianNamasteStreet 15, Wazir Akbar Khan,Between lanes 2 and 3 on theright. Tel: 0772 011 120

Delhi DarbarShar-e Naw, close to UK Sports

Tel: 0799 324 899

Anar RestaurantLane 3, Street 14,Wazir Akbar Khan

Tel: 0799 567 291

ChineseGolden Key SeafoodRestaurantLane 4, Street 13, Wazir AkbarKhan. Tel: 0799 002 800, 0799343 319

Thai

Mai ThaiHouse 38, Lane 2, Street 15,Wazir Akbar Khan

Tel:0796 423 040

KoreanNew WorldBetween Charayi Haji Yacuband Charayi Ansari, on theright. Shar-e Naw.

Tel: 0799 199 509

Supermarkets, Grocers & Butchers

A-OneBottom of Shar-e Naw Park

ChelseaShar-e Naw main road, opposite KabulBank

SpinneysWazir Akbar Khan, opposite BritishEmbassy

FinestWazir Akbar Khan Roundabout

Fat Man ForestWazir Akbar Khan, main road.

Enyat Modern ButcherQala-e Fatullah main road,Near street four

ATMs

Kabul City Centre, Shar-e Naw (AIB

AIB Main Office, Opposite Camp Egg-ers (AIB)

AIB Shar-e Naw Branch, next to ChelseaSupermarket (AIB)

HQ ISAF, Outside Cianos Pizzeria, USEmbassy Street (AIB)

KAIA Military Airbase, Outside CianosPizzeria, Airport (AIB)

Finest Supermarket, Wazir Akbar Khan(AIB)

World Bank Guard Hut, Street 15 WazirAkbar Khan (Standard Chartered)

Standard Chartered Branch, Street 10,Wazir Akbar Khan (Standard Chartered)

Want to get on the AfghanEssentials list of places to eatand sleep?Contact [email protected]

Essential scene

66 0Afghan Scene January-February 2010

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6

Farewell scene

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Farewell scene

Cater & Hedgeothe Yard

Kabuls answer to Batman and Robin, DAVID CATER and HANNAH HEDGES, hangup their capes and quit their embassy cave for the final time. Both mentoredAfghanistans counter-narcotics cops with Britains Serious and Organised CrimeAgency (SOCA).

When did you irst come to Aghanistan?

He said: Its a bit of a blur, but I think June

2006.

She said: well if you will drink the Embassy PX

out of dessert wine!

He said: So how many ambassadors is it for you

then?

She said: Im on my fourth now (!) and my third

job description since Jan 2005.They said: We came to help the Afghan police

catch bad guys.

Best o times?

He said: Do you mean the exact split second?

She said: Dont embarrass us...

he said: Meeting the future Mr Hedges (!)

Baa.....

They said: Brideshead nights, Upper Class to

DXB, DCS breakfasts, beating the US at football,

finding Dom Perignon at 95 euros a bottle,

Boccacios pizzas, friends coming back, oh and

catching some serious drug traffickers.

Worst o times?

He said: being woken at 4am by CP after an IED

attack. Accidentally wiping all my i-tunes music

from my hard-drive. Oh and the time I almost

crashed on that notorious UNHAS flight.

She said: Lock downs and feeling couped up in

the Embassy bubble, giving away the cat after

he started hanging round with feral riff-raff,



FLAT CHESTED: Hannah sports the armoured look

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having to take a knuckle-duster to the bar on

Thursday nights, friends leaving.

What will you miss most?

He said: My Virgin atlantic Gold card. My fellow

mentors an excellent team of guys.

She said: Youre right, the sense of camaraderie

within our team was awesome. Making some

true friends for life, this place is a special club.

They said: Working with the Afghan guys in the

Project Team and seeing some excellent project

successes, including the first serious drugtrafficker banged to rights.

What will you miss least?

They said: CP dogging our every step, body

armour, planning our lives 24 hours in advance,

freedom, London not understanding us, getting

electrocuted at the sink due to dodgy Afghan

wiring, food poisoning (D&V), dust, crap comms

with home, Sherard biting our ankles.

Favourite Place in Aghanistan?

He said: Camp Phoenix DFAC

She said: Why?

He said: Baskin Robbins ice-cream of course.

Where else can you get a little taste of heaven.

She said: Gangina for beautiful clothes that

transcend the Kings Road.

They said: Anywhere but the British Embassy:Bamyan, Babur Gardens, quiet places such as

the top of Mount Cobra.

What happens next?

They said: A long holiday, moving house (him)

and then back to work in London. Huzzah!

BALDY AND SLAPPER: Crime fighting duo share a moment


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