Adventures in Bamiyan

With any luck, I'll be traveling this weekend to Bamiyan province, home of Afghanistan's only female governor, two empty niches where gigantic Buddha statues stood until Taliban forces destroyed them, and a series of deep turquoise lakes called Band-e-Amir. While mine will be a short tourist's visit, however, my friend Afreen has been in Bamiyan for two weeks touring schools and development projects in villages far outside the provincial capital. Reading her account of local hospitality has made me sad that I won't be staying longer myself - I don't imagine I'll be on the receiving end of a sheep here in Kabul.