Life in the fast lane

My ANA friend picked me up around 0800 yesterday. We toured the city by car and saw some interesting sights. I never cease to marvel at the absolute poverty of this city. Yet, somehow the people keep going. You don't see this first picture in the U.S. streets. Back home, I have seen plenty of kids washing windows to make a few bucks. This guy has a can of "spand." It smells like it should be illegal but everyone says it is not. He runs around the car waving it in your open window to fill your car with this incense smell...and ward off any evil stuff from your travels. I've seen 6 or 7 year olds doing this in the street.

With all the bad traffic, you just might get out-paced by a donkey cart. This guy was hauling the mail! I have a few other donkey shots I will share later. Still others load up in cars, vans or motorcycles like the family in this shot. Jawad, the guy that was driving and leading the tour for me is a photo journalist. He said he has a famous shot that he has sold many times with seven people on one motorcycle. I'm going to have to find it on the Internet. Send it to me if you find it!

Lots of beggars here. They one upped the normal beggars by laying their kids right in the middle of a busy street. Some of these kids were nearly naked laying on the hot concrete. Unbelievable! It's a living and just an addiction of sorts according to my friend.

Can't end on that note, so here's a more upbeat topic. The city streets do have a lot of red push carts...full of ice cream goodies! We had to stop and sample. Tip to all you cream lovers out there. The quality gets a little shaky the later in the day you catch these guys, especially in the summer time!!

More about my tour of Kabul tomorrow...