How Bazaar!

I went to the bazaar this Saturday for the very first time ever!  Every Saturday, there is a bazaar held on the edge of post, but boxed in to protect from outsider threats.  Technically it is held on post, but with vendors from off post.  Anyway, you can find a lot of stuff at this bazaar and if you can’t find something, bring a picture of what you want and they will make it for you!  They sell rugs, blankets, jewelry, bowls, tea pots, cups, chess sets made of polished stone, vases, Coach purses, watches, movies, software, flags, headphones, scarves, kids clothes, belly dancer outfits, wooden bowls that fold flat, earrings, rings, bracelets, carved polished stone in whatever animal you can imagine, and the list could continue.  Every vendor is begging for your attention.  With a little stubbornness and the right words, you can get the price down.  I got a $25 pair of headphones for $14, go me!  On my tour, I was ambushed by two small children trying to sell me bracelets for a dollar.  They ran in front of me to block my forward movement, then came close as if to pick-pocket me, giving me those sad brown eyes and begging me to buy a bracelet for “Only one dollar.”  I couldn’t buy one.  All I had on me was a five dollar bill and I knew if I pulled it out, I would have five bracelets.  I put my hand over my heart and said, “No thank you, I do not have any money.”  To which the children pointed to the Major next to me and said, “Not you, him. Have him buy it for you.”  I got a good chuckle out of that comment.  I have to chalk that up to children being children and thanked the man who finally herded them back into his booth. 

We also had the grand opening of our new Veterinary Hospital.  It is the first building built completely by Afghan forces.  It is two stories, contains an OR, two wash rooms, offices, four exam tables, a therapy pool, and animal holding areas.  The floors are concrete and painted with drains built in for easy clean up.  This is a far improvement from what they used to have, a small tent and a small connex.  For operative procedures, they would borrow space from the actual hospital.  Maybe we can be their next project and get rid of this plywood box.

CPT Key giving the opening speech