Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Carpets, CONEX, and Roses

Aladdin would be proud!
It's nearly impossible to come to Asia and not buy a carpet. They are amazing! The more expensive ones are handmade and the even more expensive ones are silk. The tighter the knots, the more silk, the larger the size, and the more elaborate patterns = mo money.

The shown carpet is from a "family" of carpets that are easily my favorite (and most expensive - go figure). They come from Iran and they are exquisite! You can easily drop a couple grand on a small carpet that end up hanging on the wall over here, and yet they are still worth several times more than that in the States. Feel free to click on the picture for a larger image.

HOLY RUSTED CONEX BATMAN!

These are everywhere in theater. And by everywhere, I mean EVERYWHERE. The CONEX is a watertight shipping container that usually comes in 20' or 40' lengths (the picture is a 40-footer) and they are not only everywhere, but they are used for everything. All across the country, these containers are retro-fitted for use as latrines, showers, offices, bedrooms, warehouses, and just about anything else you can imagine.
One of the benefits of these CONEX's is that they are relatively easy to ship. All you need is an appropriately-sized "Jingle" truck (affectionately named because the Afghan drivers usually deck their trucks out with elaborate and colorful paint schemes, tassles, and bells) and a crane. This one is being shipped from one FOB to another. Fun Fun!

For the Beauty of the Earth
Even in a war-torn nation there is beauty to be found. It can be found in the rugged mountains, the lush river valleys, and in the eyes of children while driving through the market. The Afghans wish to make their country more beautiful and in a dried up flower bed, an ANP troop had managed to plant and nurture this rose bush.
Truly a diamond in the rough.

In Him,
David

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