The Bird Market

The Bird Market of Kabul squats in the old city. That part of Kabul is 1,000 years old, though the buildings are not. It's a winding, muddy bazaar, filled with hawkers' cries and the pong of rotting garbage, and the Bird Market makes up one long, narrow alleyway cutting through the middle.

An acquaintance of mine had put together a "tour" of the Bird Market, the kite shops, and Singer's Alley. Had it not been for him, I would not have gotten to the Bird Market under my own steam, because it is the least female-friendly part of Kabul I've ever experienced. Men and boys clustered around me, staring as if they'd never seen a woman before. Those with cellphones whipped them out to take pictures. Since I've taken enough pictures of innocent and unwary Afghans, I couldn't really complain about that, but the crush of gathering men was uncomfortable, and I was glad to leave the place.

The kite shops and Singer's Alley (really a string of stores near the kite shops) were on open roads on the outskirts of the bazaar, and a more comfortable place to walk. Singers hire themselves out by the day from Singer's Alley, and men and boys cluster around the kite shops, examining the wares with a critical eye. Although kite flying is not as popular as it apprently once was, it's unusual to look up in the sky and not see a brightly-colored paper kite bobbing in the mountain wind.