Parade and fair

We receive on our Estonian mobiles SMS from Estonian Government: please stay at home and stay calm. This strange message is sent because of extraordinary situation in Estonia. There are riots in our little country. Mass of drunken vandals uses the removal of a soviet military statue as an excuse to trash all on their way. Next morning we see unbelievable shots of youngsters robbing shops and fighting each other: there are tens of injured and one killed. Estonian police is too weak to handle the situation. It is first time like this after Second World War…
Here in Kabul, we stay at home as well. Because of the mudjahedin parade in Kabul, there are suggestions to “keep low profile”. We see helicopters flying noisily over our heads, but it is the only thing what looks different. We are watching for two days the BBC News Channel, where drunken mob pull down our capital in Estonia. What an irony.
There was an interesting event in Kabul, the agricultural fair AgFair. We heard about millions dollars being donated by some organizations in order to build up the fair place: the round exhibition ground and huge tents,
We visit the Agfair on the last day, when families are expected. Almost three kilometres before the exhibition place the police refuses to let our car pass. We leave our car just on road side and tread under blazing sun towards the place where the new complex was built. Last part of the walk is really impressive when we are joined with the crowds of Afghans. It so nice to see that in addition to men there are so many women and children, nice dressed.
Agfair is organized superbly, by Afghan standards: there is an entertainment program presented by children circus, dancers and singers, the diners and WCs are opened as well. Firms are presenting their goods in stands, equipped with electricity and internet. A number of participants are connected with agriculture – as sellers of seeds, dried fruits or nuts -, but there are other companies as well: handicraft, packaged food etc.
The most surreal moment arrives when we arrive back at our car. Some policemen are suspecting that it might be a bomb car! Every car that stands for too long without a driver in Kabul, seems to be under suspecion… We wait for quite a long time aside our driver Karim, while irritated policemen scold him.