"Bush" Bazaar

The center of Kabul is so full of commerce and markets, it is hard to know when you pass from one bazaar into another. As far as I can tell, except for Fridays, the markets are bustling from dawn to dusk.
Last week I went to a section full of fabric vendors and purchased a few yards of cotton fabric. Down a few more alleys in a building whirring with sewing machines and one tailor after another, I ordered a shalwar kameez (long shirt and baggy pants), typical daily dress. In general vendors of specific goods are all grouped tightly together be it cookware, shoes or dried fruit. And on the outskirts of all the markets are fresh fruit and vegetable vendors. Tomatoes, apricots, melons, okra and peppers are all in great supply right now.
The "Bush" Bazaar does stand a little apart from the other bazaars, along one of the roads out of town. Here you can purchase just about any item gleaned - one way or another - from the mountains of material brought in for military personal or employees from foreign government missions. Western cloths, electronics, huge containers of chow (canned fruit and vegetables, mashed potato mix, pie filling) cosmetics, printers marked "non-confidential", giant felt snowmen with top hat and green vest. Military rations which the army probably buys for 30USD sell for 80 cents in the bazaar and are a popular item in almost every shop. With all the variety in the bazaars, I'm hoping to score some items needed at the faculty, such as latex laboratory gloves, and lab coats we can have made.