Outdoor barbershop. Wintertime, Kabul roadside. Wearing a
turban, with or without a cap, is
obviously easier the less hair there
is. Not all men wore turbans, and, of those who did, not all
wore them over caps. The man to the right of the tree is
being
shaved bald and will almost
certainly don a turban once the barber has
finished.
Shish kebob maker, Kabul. Pieces of lamb were slid onto metal
skewers and cooked over an
elongated metal stove. This being a
Muslim
country, there was no pork.
The word "shish" in Dari means "six."
A variety of fruits are pictured here. They include oranges,
apples, bananas and pomegranates.
There are also some vegetables,
including tomatoes and beans, and a few flowers. Not seen,
but
widely available, particularly during summer months, were grapes and
melons. While
most produce was raised in-country, some was
imported from Pakistan. Food preparation
prior to ingestion,
to ensure safety, was an elaborate process. It involved,
depending on
the type of produce, washing
with soap and potable water, soaking in dilute iodinated
water, peeling, and possible cooking. It
was impossible to eat lettuce safely.
Nut bazaar. In addition to a variety of nuts, some dried fruit,
including figs and raisins, were sold
here. Note old-style
weighing scale in
front of the owner.
Kabul bazaar. Crated produce in far left and foreground.
Onion bazaar. Foreign buyer, with servant, in left background.
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