University of Nebraska Omaha DigitalCommons@UNO Books in English Digitized Books 1-1-1955 This is Afghanistan Royal Afghan Embassy, London Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.unomaha.edu/afghanuno Part of the History Commons Recommended Citation London: Information Bureau, Royal Afghan Embassy, [1955?] Printed by Frowde & Co. 33 p.: ill.; 20 cm. This Monograph is brought to you for free and open access by the Digitized Books at DigitalCommons@UNO. It has been accepted for inclusion in Books in English by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@UNO. For more information, please contact [email protected]. THIS IS AFGHANISTAN -. True and Untrue karakul pelts. A gifl of one of these highways connecting various towns. is Afghanistan is no nlore a remote palt wmanlzke-your family or friends happy partly completed-tarred, etc. Travellers of the world-thanks to modern means of for ever! can also fly to Kabul, the capital, from transport. Teheran, Delhi and MOSCOW.The Ariana People Afghan Airlines have regular services It is true thal few people know enough Most important of all are the people. between Kabul and other main towns at about Afghanistan. It is also true that You can see in the streets of Kabul tall, very reasonable rates. A seat in an still fewer have visited the country; but sturdy Pakhtuns walking proudly about in Afghan bus is also easily obtainable; and is entirely untrue that your trip would not their costumes. The clever Tajiks, the being a stranger you would be treated like be worthwhile from various points of small, hard-working Hazaras, the Uzbeks a guest of honour by all passengers. rou view. and the Turkomans are familiar sights Preparations YO1 Geology' moving around in their various pursuits. SUF They have becoiile mixed a great deal One of the most typical trips to With its unique location in the heart son through inter-marriages, but some of Afghanistan is to start from the Persian tou of Asia, Afghanistan is straddIed by one these ethnic groups have still preserved border and finish at the Khyber Pass. of thc highest n~~untainranges in the foo their characteristic features. Supposing that you have obtained your world-the Hindu"ku;h. This range anc actually cuts the countrpin half, is a great All these people with their different ~ouristvisa from any Afghan Consulate duc ~mpedimcntfor coi~ln~unicationsbctween features, costumes, dialects and some- in Europe or en route, your international a10 various places and interferes with the times languages are Afghans. Their health certificate indicates that you have w 11 climate. Ye1 it is majestic, memorable attachment to Is!am and their love for been inoculated against typhoid, cholera rad and glorious. And it is nature's great freedom have cemented their unity in such and smallpox, and you have enough Plzc water supply. a way that the odd mixture works quite money to last you till the end of your 1 smoothly. journey, you then cross the border from History bet An honourable Afghan is a hospitable Yusufabad to Islam Kala. Afghan disr Historically, the counlry is one of the person. Therefore it is the easiest thing customs officials are not difficult. In fact kee richest in the world. You can see the In the world to go to an Afghan home, every foreigner is treated with due stil ruins of ancient: Bactria near Mazar, have a cup of tea, enjoy the Afghan meals courtesy by all, officials or otherwise. statues of Buddha and thousands of tun and make friends. Almost all Afghans Money Problenzs reli painted caves in Bamyan, and remains of believe that nloney is a means and not an Call the Kushanid civilisation in Bagram. There is no restriction on the amount end in itself. So they do not save enough of foreign currency taken into Afghanistan. w 11 Fr~~its and do not worry about their rainy days. The Afghanistan Bank has a special rate obt Exotic fruits, among then1 sixty kinds Cripples and homeless people are looked of exchange for tourists and all branches He, after by the local municipalities. The of grapes grown in Herat, are another of this bank and other banks in Kabul I main attraction. Afghan melons, aged are cared for by their sons or cash Travellers' Cheques. American daughters. Further, life is so peaceful He: especially those grown in the north, are dollars are generally preferred to other rno the best in the world. and carefree that they have not even come currency. Afghan money can be obtained is to think of it. either at Yusufabad or Islam Kala. In lou Products of Afghan handicrafts are How to Get There case of emergency, officials are always ful cheap to buy and last for ae;es. Thev The best way to travel to Afghanistan helpful. e me; rang; from -beautiful red carpets, & is by car. Roads are increasingly The country's monetary unit is caIled not fabrics, gnives and sheepskin coats to improved and a network of all-weather an Afghani, which consists of 100 pools. roa 2 / Bb. 6 ,vns 9s There are banknotes for 5, 10, 20, 50, ~vellers 100, 500, and 1,000 Afghanis. The rate I, from of exchange between Afghanis and dollars Ariana is fluctuating most of the time, but it is ervices soniewhere between 40 and 50 Afghanis wns at to the dollar. in an What to Take Along le; and You should have enough petrol (it costs ed like roughly five shillings per gallon) to take rs. you from Jslam Kala to Herat. Also, a supply of water and a pernlanent stock or ips to some spare parts come in handy. Most 'ersjan tourists take along a supply of canned ass. foods, fruit and milk, some antibiotics, d your and shotguns for shooting partridges and nsulate ducks. Others prefer peaceful camping ational along the way and relaxing in the evenings u have while listening to the cherished transistor :holera radios connecting them with home. :nough Photog~~~phy f your There is actually nothing worth seeing r from between Jslam Kala and Herat-a 4fghai1 distance of 120 kilometres. You should In fact keep both your ordinary and cine caineras i due still. Herat will give you plenty of oppor- Afgl~nnhnrrdicrL7j/s on display at Frnnkfrrr/, West Gcrrnar~~l. ise. tunity to click and' zoom them. A n ,TI $\F_ J reliable stock of colour film for both cold weather the management should be or the taxi driver. asked to arrange the heating. mount cameras would save you a lot of bolher, Food while black and white films are easily nistan. Langu~geSnags A typically good Afghan meal to order obtainable in all main towns. a1 rate A workable knowledge of Afghan is "chalau," which is white rice anches Hernt Persian is always useful, but most tourists served with one or more kinds of vege- Kabul For a down-to-earth tourist arriving in can get away with a few words they have tables. Vegetables vary according to the ~erican Herat after a long drive there is nolhing carefully written and memorised before- season, as do the fruits. "Nan," the other more welcome than the Park Hotel. This hand. Some people take with them teach- unique Afghan bread which is sometimes ~tained is a pleasant building with spacious yourself books of Persian in their own home-baked, and resembles pancakes, is a. In lounges, comfortable furniture and beauti- language. The difference between Afghan a delicious whole-wheat nourishment. It always ful carpets. The cost of a single room and and Iranian Persian is slight in writing is automatically brought to1 the table with meals here, as well as in.other towns, do but sometimes striking in pronunciation. a jug of water. " Palau " is more delicious called not exceed three pounds. Most single So you certainly want to be understood than " chalau," but it is prepared with pools- rooms have private bathrooms, but in when you utter a few words to the waiter fried ground onions and therefore does in margarine, so it is quite safe. The best ar way of eating " bolani" is either with gr' Afghan tea or with yoghurt. Most tei Afghans drink green tea, and the first cup 11C is much too sweet for foreigners. The t hl remaining cups, usually several, are drunk fa( without sugar. Afghan yoghurt is usually thl more sour than its E~iropeanversion. As dairy farming has not been thl developed in the country, milk has to be Ki specially ordered in the hotels or carried m; along in tins. Restaurants in the streets re. generally serve tea without milk, but milk tea which is called " mix," is also obtain- ml able. Mvllul,zents Refreshed after the night's rest and a warm bath, you should ask for a taxi or gadi, a horse-drawn carriage, aid start your sightseeing tour from the Park Hotel, as you can waste a lot of time by driving your own car from one place to another. Most cities have no maps as yet and you do not have a clue about the location of not suit most Western ston~aclis. There Other kinds of kebab are " chapli," tourist attractions. are varieties of " palau " and " chalau " which is almost a version of hamburgers The first thing to see in Herat is the for a gourmet to sort out and appreciate. only having more ingredients. " Dashi " Grand Mosque, which was built in the Most tourists, however, find kebabs and is somelhing like European roast lamb 13th century and has been reconstr~~cled " bolani " very tasty.