Dedicated to Kunduz

My husband has to travel to Nothern provinces, to visit local centres Kunduz and Mazar. It is not clear at the moment if we will be allowed to travel by car. Or we have to take a plane.
Dreaming about this trip, I am excited. Even local people say that you have to go to Mazar during spring-time when fields are covered by red tulips, I am quite happy to go in autumn time as well. It is a thrilling possibility to see Blue Mosque, the most famous sanctuary in Afghanistan.
My trip to Kunduz over Salang pass in springtime was something very special. Also I liked the rural atmosphere of Kunduz. I only grieved that I didn't see the irritation area that is located near of the town.
The book I liked most about this country is Love and war in Afghanistan by Alex Klaits and Gulchin Gulmamadova-Klaits. Tadjik-American couple collected the biographies in the northern provinces of Kunduz and Takhar. They collected 150 stories; 12 of them are chosen for publishing in the book.
Compering to some celebrated and carefully composed books as Kite Runner (which one is on the top of Amazon bestseller list according to Economist), this book is a real treasure. There are just life stories that are told mostly by simple men, but the tales told by former soviet army soldier or Taliban fighter as well. Is seems that there has been no way to avoid anarcy. Everyone's family was affected by different regimes.
It is a good book for understanding the history of last decades of Afhganistan. Young generation don't know how to live in traditional way, they know only violence and disorder. The memories of older generation can be quite different: some ladies wore western clothes, studied in universities or even chose their spouses. It was real tragedy for them to put on a burka as the situation became unsafe. And there are some stories of ladies who lived in very traditional way, following rigid Moslem rules.
It is a good book to understand how different is life here, comparing to European lifestyle. One story was about a young guy who was for many years attracted to one young lady. Everyone presumed their marriage. But somehow it happened that he sent some sweets (it expresses the wish to engage) to another lady. Some time later he understood that he has done the worst mistake. But it was too late: there is no possibility to withdraw from marriage. This guy has spoiled the life of the first lady (because nobody wants to marry her now), the life of second lady (because she knows that her future husband doesn't love her) and his own life as well.