Kandahar Boardwalk

The Boardwalk at Kandahar Airfield (KAF) is an oasis in the drab brown countryside known as Afghanistan. The boardwalk surrounds a hockey ring, futbol/football field, basketball court and beach volleyball court.

Food options are; three places to have pizza, Nathans , TGI Fridays, KFC, Food fun (Indian), Burger Joint, Donuts etc. Soldiers that come in from the remote bases attack these restaurants eating pizza, burgers no matter hat time they get in. Sometimes they only get any hour or two to eat go got the PX and get back on their trucks for the dangerous ride back to their austere FOBs (Forward Operating Base).

Green Bean is very popular and is considered a mission essential  service. They make a premium cup of coffee as well as the fancy blends of non fat soy gluten free chocolate lattes. Almost every base has a Green Bean. “HONOR FIRST COFFEE SECOND”     http://www.greenbeanscoffee.com/

Shopping is another pastime that can be well satisfied on the boardwalk. You can go to the ATM pull out US Dollars and go buy DVDs of movies, TV series, Rosetta Stone. You can find a movie within a couple of days of it’d release in the States. Sometimes you can see the head of the people in the movie theater it was filmed. You only have to wait a week and get the same movie in DVD quality.

Rug, scarfs and alabaster bowls, cups and plates are another big draw. BEATs by DRE headphones are de rigueur for for the War fighter and as well as most FOBBITS. A FOBBIT is some who spends their tour within the safety of the base. It is a derogatory term when used to describe Soldiers by other Soldiers who are out on the battlefield everyday. There are also three jewelry stores where you can buy precious stones as well as pieces made with lapis and jade.

An indicator of the civilian FOBBIT is the growing of a beard so they can “blend” in and “relate’ to the Afghans. Most Afghans I meet don’t have a beard.

Once in a while we have a concert on the stage and special events like sport celebrities. Hope you enjoy the pictures.