While Mr. Akheem & Mr. Aleem went off to pray, Abdullah and myself stopped at a local restaurant for lunch. I had Afghan Mantou, or meat dumpling covered in yoghurt and spices, very tasty
.
After a good feed, we went to the outskirts of Kabul to the ruins of Darul Aman Palace. Built in the 1920's by King Amānullāh Khān, it was damaged by fire in the 1960's, and then shelled by the Mujahideen during the battles over Kabul in the 1990's.
With my bodyguard, Mr. Aleem, outside the Palace.
Two US Blackhawks (the other one has just landed, hence the big cloud of dust) landing at an army base on the outskirts of Kabul. Also in the background is the Tajbeg Palace, and former headquarters of the Soviet 40th Army during the Soviet invasion.
Democracy under construction. The almost complete new Afghan Parliament.
Last stop was the gardens of Bagh-e Babur. The gardens were developed in 1528AD, and are used as place to picnic and relax by the citizens of Kabul.
The gardens are also the last resting-place of the first Mughal emperor, Babur.
