Since a few weeks I am in Afghanistan now, so from my place I am having a view of the Hindukush. No snow yet on the distant peaks but during the nights the weather is quite pleasant already. It will take a while for the first snow to fall but it will surely come. I travelled to Herat already, by plane, a two hour flight on a twin-engine Beechcraft but the views were great. The landscape, how could it otherwise be is mostly parched and brown mountains, but hidden in the valleys are the gems, the green emeralds of vegetation, at least were there is some water. Some valleys look like a chain of green emeralds from the air. I wonder how it must be down there in the valleys, but the chance to get there is really slim due to the security situation on the ground. Even Kabul is not really safe these days, it was quite different when I was here 31 years ago. Even then there was a war going on here, but it was a different kind of war, not like it is now. At least during those days one could move around Kabul during daylight hours in most parts of the city, now impossible and only in armored cars now. Going to Kharga lake possible then on Fridays, now unthinkable. The election recount is in full swing, we'll see what the outcome will be. Herat was an oasis in a dessert which it owes to the Hari river that flows through it. Otherwise the same security concerns as elsewhere.  Not many photos as the opportunities have not yet presented itself but I hope they will come. More later when there is more interesting news from here, bye for now.

" Downtown Herat Market place"

"Kandahar Blue" is the favourite colour for the Burqa