Driving through MeS

We took a drive over to a nearby camp and took the MeS city route. Couldn't get close enough to get good pics of the Blue Mosque here, just the domes. It is the fourth oldest Mosque in the world.

I also saw a sight I have never seen in Afghanistan. TRAFFIC LIGHTS! And they actually obeyed the signals. Of course there were still Muj drivers that decided to drive British style...on the wrong side of the road (despite islands in the middle of the street).

Also PRT MeS (Swedish) arguably has the best food here. Not to mention the real china plates and silverware.

My 46th in the IRoA

My 46th birthday fell on a Friday this year. Fridays here (in MeS) are known as "Low-ops" days. That means I have the choice to go in as late as after lunch. I normally go in somewhere inbetween my normal time (7-7:30am) and 11am.

I woke up and Skyped with Allison for a while. Then it was off to the shower and there was actually good water pressure which there had not been for about the previous 5 or so days. Then it was get dressed and make the walk to the US dining facility for a good "American" breakfast of eggs, ham, biscuits & gravy, grits, melon, and orange slice.

After breakfast I had to wait for the post office to open at 9am in order to pick up some mailing supplies and for the laundry to open at 10am (It opens late on Fridays and Sundays). Once I had picked up laundry and threw it on my bunk I stopped by Green Beans where I decided on the Mocha Frappe as it was warming up outside. The best way to describe Green Beans is "a deployed Starbucks." And it was off to work.

I guess birthdays are a big deal to Germans because they all made a point to come by and congratulate me on my birthday. My big boss even gave me Gummi Bears. Got an envelope from Daddy which had my requested lemon drops in it so that was like a b'day gift too. I decided to skip lunch as I knew I was going to eat at the German restaurant that night. I had made a point not to eat there until my birthday. I knew I wanted the jager snitzel and one of my coworkers recommended I get the XXL portion. Believe it or not there were still pomme frites on the plate when I was finished eating. And so ended my day as all I could do was to waddle back to the tent and go to sleep.

MeS Part 4: Transportation

When I first arrived transportation was in the form of my two personnel carriers (feet). Now I have a Chinese made, original Feng-Huang “Phoenix” bicycle. They sell the same bike at the European PX in Kabul for $50 more than I paid for it through the Hajji Market.

Walking back and forth from work was about 1 ½ - 2 miles one way. Now my people movers get a break. Of course going to work is easier as it is downhill.

In other news I got a corner bunk area in my tent so I have a little more room now and have made myself a little sitting area. Work is less stressful here than it was back in Kabul so that is nice. Pretty much into a routine now also.