Afghan Hospitality

I have just got back to Kabul after a tour of northern Afghanistan, and wanted to write a quick comment on Afghan hospitality. We visited many farms in an 8 day period, and wherever we went we were offered tea, milk, tea, almonds, lollies, bread, more tea etc., and were asked to lunch or dinner at almost every place we stopped. Unfortunately, due to either time pressure or security reasons we could not stop at many places.

One morning we set out very early and I missed breakfast. After several hours on the road, we visited one farmer and when he found out I had no breakfast he ordered his young son to go to the house and get some yoghurt and bread for me. Once I was served (see photo!) more bread, yoghurt and tea (of course) was brought out and we had a little feast in the vineyard!

At other places we ate at restaurants and I was absolutely not allowed to pay - even though many of these people do not earn a lot of money. We visited one fish restaurant and afterwards I was sent away while the locals fought over who would pay! The photo shows 4 of them all demanding the shop keeper to take their money!