Herat, Afghanistan – Rick Steves’ Journey Weblog

Sunday, July 30, 1978: Herat 

A dream woke me at 7:30 and by 8:15 I gave up making an attempt to fall again to sleep. Down on the restaurant I loved two fried eggs, yogurt, and a pot of black chai. After cleansing my digicam lenses, Gene and I got down to see Herat. 

First, we had two items of enterprise — change cash and get bus tickets. The financial institution was actually one thing. It took practically an hour to alter my $100, however simply sitting there watching the Afghani banking course of was attention-grabbing. I noticed suitcases of tattered afghanis, tribesmen coming in with 5 – 6 $100 payments (I’m afraid to think about the place they received them), a uniformed guard with a bayonet lengthy sufficient for 5 – 6 financial institution robbers, and a rag-tag constructing and environment. I had 3,858 afghanis coming to me. First the man gave me 3,000. I stated “extra,” and he gave me 800. “Extra,” and I received 50 extra afghanis, after which I requested for and received the final 8 afghanis. 

Subsequent, Gene and I booked a bus experience to Kabul on the extremely really helpful Qaderi bus firm. The 800-kilometer experience value solely $5 or 200 afghanis. Hopefully, we’ll get our seats and there will probably be no hanky-panky.  

We have been free to ramble. I had a Fanta, placed on the zoom lens, and went into motion on a dreamy aspect road full of colourful flowery horse-drawn taxis, busy craftsmen, fruit stands, and mud. Every man who handed seemed like one thing straight out of a journey poster. Sturdy highly effective eyes behind leathery weather-beaten faces. Poetic wind-blown beards, lengthy and scraggily, and turbans like snakes wrapping protectively round their heads. Outdated ladies completely lined by bag-like outfits carried kids and referred to as out, surprisingly sufficient, for footage. I shot off practically an entire roll and, with a bit of luck, I ought to have some great photographs. 

We wandered away from the principle heart coming to a dusty residential space churning with exercise. The individuals are so proud and there’s nobody not very worthy to have their image taken. Everybody was motioning us to return over, besides for individuals who have been too proud to acknowledge us. I didn’t actually know the way folks accepted us unusual, short-panted, pale-skinned, weak-stomached, finnicky individuals who got here into their world to gawk, take footage, and purchase junk to carry residence and inform everybody how low-cost it was. I couldn’t assist however really feel like us curious vacationers received previous to those hardy, proud individuals who work so arduous and stay so merely. 

There have been numerous moments and scenes that blazed endlessly in my thoughts, an image of Afghanistan. We labored up a imply thirst and we shared a watermelon within the shade earlier than transferring on. 

A bit drained, we headed again to our beautiful resort, had a plate of potatoes, a bowl of soup, and a few chai (tea) and went up for a bathe and a brief snooze. We’re actually residing properly now for a change. I cashed that $100 and it feels so good to only spend cash while you wish to and never fear. 

Now we went again into the solar. The afternoon temperature was nonetheless cooking and each every now and then we’d soak our heads beneath a faucet. After mailing our postcards, we checked out a row of the fabric weavers. Onerous-working males ran these ingeniously primitive looms tirelessly. Fairly attention-grabbing to witness. Then, making a large circle, we got here to the massive mosque, checked it out, and located ourselves in a neighborhood of very hard-sell outlets.  

One pseudo-friendly man took me by the hand and walked me into his store, and earlier than I knew it, I used to be sporting the great white saggy pants and shirt and turban of the native folks and bargaining madly. I used to be decided to work him down from 500 to my ceiling of 152 afghanis. I nearly made it, however I used to be stunned when he let me stroll away empty handed, a bit unhappy too. I would like these cool, saggy, low-profile garments and possibly, if I can swallow my satisfaction, I’ll return tomorrow and get them. 

Like operating the gauntlet, we made our means out and in of retailers again to our resort. I attempted and did not get a stunning mink pores and skin low-cost. I did provide 200 afghanis for an thrilling Afghan fox hat and ended up shopping for it and I proudly labored a man down from 600 afghanis to 40 every for 3 little properly embroidered pouches. I haven’t purchased any souvenirs to talk of in two months of journey — now I’m afraid I’ve opened the floodgates. 

Again on the resort, Gene pulled out the hunk of cannabis that he purchased and this, I made a decision, can be the time and place that’s I’d lose my “marijuana virginity.” I’ve by no means even smoked a cigarette and smoking pot has all the time turned me off, so to talk, as a result of it’s all the time an object of social strain and I’d by no means really feel comfy doing it as a result of everybody at a celebration was doing it and I used to be the one “sq.” one. That sort of strain and the standard scene surrounding pot smoking bolstered my dedication to steer clear of the evil weed. However this was completely different. 

In Afghanistan, cannabis is an integral a part of the tradition. It’s as harmless as wine with dinner is in America. If ever I used to be to expertise this excessive, it wouldn’t be in a darkish dorm room on the UW with a bunch of individuals I didn’t respect. I may by no means be ok with that.  

Gene and I talked about marijuana and hash for about three hours on the bus after we left Istanbul. I made a decision that, if I felt good about the entire state of affairs, I’d wish to smoke some hash in Afghanistan. Nicely, right here I’m in Herat, I really feel nice, and I really like this city. We received about half a domino value of pure cannabis for 40 afghanis ($1). It was so clean it needed to be sliced with a knife. 

Up within the room, Gene combined it with some tobacco and piled the product right into a humorous previous straight wooden pipe we picked up. He took a drag — instantly remarking, “Good things”. I sucked in not understanding what to anticipate and hoping to not get a mouth filled with ashes. I don’t like smoke, however in addition to that, there was nothing repulsive about it. It didn’t even scent dangerous like marijuana. The one downside was nothing occurred. I had smoked sufficient, however virgin runs are usually unproductive. It felt good anyhow — I had finished it. 

We went out for a stroll. Going from store to buy very casually. Mixing with folks, nosing into outlets, and simply poking round. This place is small, but it surely actually doesn’t matter as a result of no road is ever the identical if you happen to stroll via it a second or third time. 

For dinner we sat exterior of our restaurant since there was a particular wedding ceremony tonight within the massive room. We had a plate of numerous completely different greens with numerous meat washed down by tea for $1.50 every. 

Upstairs we smoked a bit extra and took a chilly bathe. This time I sensed a little bit of a change. Sure colours and objects have been extra tangy. Issues had a vibrant edge that I didn’t notice was an possibility. I used to be very relaxed and the sunshine fixture on our ceiling seemed like a giant candle respiration out and in. However I nonetheless wasn’t actually excessive. 

Downstairs the massive wedding ceremony had begun, and the bride’s father proudly shook my hand welcoming Gene and me and we sat subsequent to the little Afghan band listening to the thrilling music and watching the ladies dance. Everybody was fairly formal, the lads have been in a single room, the ladies within the different, and the adorned automobile waited parked exterior. 

Now we took a nighttime stroll. Chariots with torches charged via the darkness, males carried lanterns, shopkeepers and the work boys squatted round soup and bread, many Afghans have been excessive or getting there, it was cool, and, like all the time, the wind howled. The night time was a terrific expertise and we wandered. 

After a small melon, testing the marriage as soon as extra, a chilly bathe with our sheets and making a pleasant moist mattress, we commented on what a great day as we speak was and, trying ahead to tomorrow and wrapped in moist sheets, we went to sleep.