Snapshots of Afghanistan: Mazar-i-Sharif

Our photos of Mazar-i-Sharif, Afghanistan, showing another side to the city beyond what you see in the news.

On a dark October evening in Kabul, we were chatting with an Australian filmmaker on assignment in Afghanistan. He’d been living in country on and off for more than a decade, and was amusing us with a steady stream of tales. The conversation inevitably shifted to our own travels in Afghanistan, and at one point, the filmmaker grinned a wry smile.

“Trust me: this isn’t the last time you’ll be in Afghanistan. I don’t know what it is, but there’s something about this country that brings people back time and time again.”

As he spoke those words, we found ourselves nodding in agreement—Afghanistan had already enraptured us with its divided but proud people, and its scattered remnants of great civilizations hidden underneath layers of violence and dust of the ages. But only time can prove the truth of his words.

Afghanistan dreaming

Days ago, I tore through the travelogue The Places in Between by Rory Stewart, a Scotsman who traversed the center of Afghanistan on foot. His simple but poignant observations about the country had me dreaming of the things I’ve seen, and ended with my flicking through photos in an attempt to relive what was undoubtedly one of our most fascinating—if challenging—legs of travel.

I’m sitting on hundreds of gigabytes of photos from our weeks in Afghanistan. Many of them haven’t been shared (partially because I’m woefully behind on photo editing) because I’m cautious about how I want to depict the country to others.

The wrong impression?

We’ve already received too many messages by people interested in traveling to Afghanistan after reading through our posts and seeing our Instagram photos… but they haven’t given any thought to the risks involved. They simply assume it’s another Middle Eastern country (strike one, it’s Central Asian) to check off their travel bucket list (strike two) since it’s not actually very dangerous, right? (strike three, peace out)

Afghanistan is a country at war thanks to both internal and external forces. Poverty runs rampant, and large swathes of its population are illiterate. Attempts to modernize are strangled by purveyors of strict, conservative Islam.

But, on the other hand, life goes on in Afghanistan. Its people have faced more struggles than many of us can even imagine, but they aren’t necessarily dodging bullets and bombshells on a daily basis, as the news might lead us to believe.

Interested in traveling to Afghanistan? Make sure to check out our comprehensive Afghanistan travel guide!

I want to share this perspective, but I don’t want to present the wrong idea, either. I’m just a traveler who passed through, barely scraping the surface. I don’t have deep insights into the country, I simply had a chance to see what happens beyond world news headlines. Finding a way to convey my experience with words is a challenge for me—words can be biased, and mine often run away with themselves. Photos are a much clearer way to provide a glimpse into the country.

Now that we’ve had several months to digest, I feel now is as good a time to share as ever.

(Plus, I’ve finally gotten around to editing my photos.)

I’ll be sharing them in batches, since it seems unfair to reduce an entire country to one photo post. First off: Mazar-i-Sharif, the starting point of our Afghan journey.

I was admittedly on edge at this point. We still had no idea what was and was not okay to do on Afghanistan’s streets. Were we dressed properly? Did we act strangely? Were we going to die?

(Answers: Mostly. Probably. No.)

But my concerns were quickly replaced with other emotions: a lot of awe, a strong dose of sadness, and much appreciation for Afghans and the lives they live.

Snapshots of Afghanistan: Mazar-i-Sharif

Starting the day with a typical breakfast: bread, cream, and sweet tea.

Boy vs. pigeons outside of the Blue Mosque, Mazar-i-Sharif’s most famous building.

A woman in chador, a black conservative cloak. Chador are typically worn by women closer to the Iran border, or by women who spent time living in Iran, where they are much more commonplace.

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Boys and women taking turns feeding the white pigeons surrounding the Blue Mosque.

Young boys playing after school. Talk about an epic hangout spot!

Driving along chaotic roads to the ancient town of Balkh, Afghanistan, 20 kilometers from Mazar-i-Sharif.

Sometimes in Afghanistan, it’s better to not ask questions.

Self appointed gatekeepers to a Sufi shrine and mausoleum in the town of Balkh.

Ruins of the Masjid Sabz (Green Mosque) in Balkh.

Dappled sunlight and peaceful places outside of the Green Mosque.

This jolly caretaker to a Sufi shrine managed to show us around despite only speaking Dari… and some crazy tongue involving with a lot of squeaks, whistles, and tongue action. Not sure if we’re cursed or blessed forever.

The most desolate swing in the world… right before the shouting men in turbans rolled in.

The walls of Balkh have housed the likes of Alexander the Great and Zoroaster.

The once-great city has also been razed by conquerors such as Genghis Khan and Timur in bygone eras.

A small shrine amongst the ancient walls of Balkh.

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The Haji Piyada mosque (also known as Noh Gombad), is the oldest mosque in Central Asia. Like most monuments in Afghanistan, it’s been battered by the ages, but restoration work is underway to save this unique building. Whoop!

Balkh used to be lush, fertile land, but it’s dried up over the centuries, and is now desert-like. But if there’s one thing you can count on, it’s people adapting to make the best of what they have.

Locals around Afghanistan warned us to be wary of men with big beards and turbans, as they were more likely to be Taliban. Figuring out what was a “big beard” by Afghan standards proved to be easier said than done…

Though women’s clothes on the street seem colorless, walk into the bazaar, and you’ll be treated to an explosion of color!

Many Afghan women wear vibrant clothes under their burqas or outer layers, though you’d never guess it from the colorless clothes seen on the street. Pay close attention to the fluttering hems and you’ll see for yourself!

No matter what we got up to during the day, we always found ourselves drawn back to the Blue Mosque for sunset. Guesses as to why?

… and we weren’t the only ones.

We’re always drawn to shrines. In practice, they’re far more than places of worship—they’re like community spaces. Whether you come to chat with friends, catch up on unread texts…

… or just take selfies at sunset with your bestie, anyone is welcome, as long as they’re respectful.

Mazar-i-Sharif blew our minds—the Blue Mosque is the most beautiful building I’ve ever laid eyes upon—and it was only the first stop. There are more cities and more wonders on their way, so stay tuned!

Want more on Afghanistan? Here’s a little insight into why we visited Afghanistan.