The hotel/guest house I am staying at these two nights, and again each time I am in Delhi this trip, is a treasure trove for someone like me who loves meeting people.
If you read the previous post, you will know that it is owned by an Afghan family who built it as their family home in 1947. The majority of the guests are from Afghanistan. Many of them are here for medical treatment, but some are not.
My neighbour, Daoud, is here for business. He lives in Kabul and has a shop on Famous Chicken Street shopping in Kabul. If you look at the images, you will see one for KFC, same advert as at home, with the colonel, but says Kabul Fried Chicken.
He was so kind to me from the moment I moved in. He helped with the electric adapter when none of mine worked, including the universal one. He gave me a carton of cigarettes from Kabul. I, in turn gave him a box of Brandy Beans (yes, Brandy). I asked him where I could get fresh baked Afghani bread and he said that it was just down the street in the market, but ten minutes later he was at my door with a large round, hot out of the oven flat bread. It was delicious with my raw honey and cinnamon (from home) and a good cup of my coffee. Yeah, I just need my normal breakfast, although the hotel offers excellent made to order full breakfasts for Rs 80/$1.48 Cdn.
When Afghanistan was attacked by the Taliban his family left and did the Pakistan, Iran, Turkey route. Yes, Samm, the same route Yar took, and on foot. Eventually, after getting bounced around from country to country by the governments, they were sent back to Afghanistan.
He is in the jewellry business and sells to the military troops in Kabul. Wow, isn't that turning lemons into lemonade!
He is going to Kabul on February 24 and coming back to Delhi on March 20 to celebrate Holi the following week. He asked me if I wanted to go to Afghanistan, and I swear if I had applied for a multi entry visa and if I had even a week more here I WOULD GO. There are a few of you breathing a sigh of relief right now.....I can hear you.
He just told me that some friends are coming from Kabul, so he just booked a car and driver to take them to Agra tomorrow to see the Taj Mahal.
I am sure getting a different view of life in Afghanistan, at least for some.
Glad you are still in India, and did not choose to go Afganistan just at the beginning :)
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