Building

Posted by Scotfot (Kabul, Afghanistan) on 20 December 2008 in Documentary & Street and Portfolio.

This is the building I worked in - it was mostly wrecked - though some repairs had been done. No water, no sewage, no electrcity, no heating!
All the grey bits on the red walls were bullet holes that had been repaired. The enemy must have been lousy shots :-) The buses were all shot up - and we were told not to go near them in case they were booby-trapped :-)

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Comments (7)

lydia from Paris, France

everything scared, how can you work in these conditions ?

20 Dec 2008 8:01am

@lydia: It was fine, we restored a few rooms, put some windows in, bought a generator, put in a few servers and a network. Put a dish on the roof for internet and we were connected. It was freezing in the winter though - down to -26C and the wind blowing through the building. The whole building is now fully restored and VERY smart!

Ana Lúcia from Leiria, Portugal

Great documentary shot !

20 Dec 2008 9:00am

k@ from Paris, France

I love that story, I mean this is Life, yours actually, and it touches me so much - here in Paris, people have problems to, like all human beings, each one his/her own intimate or international war... and the way you answer Lydia moves me a lot too : Life, as I said... Stunning shot but I noticed the buses more than the building .The bending bus tell all about that story..... Thanks a lot for sharing this***

20 Dec 2008 2:29pm

@k@: Many thanks for your great comment! The buses were 'Government assets' and when the building was completely renovated they were moved to another site and lined up neatly along with many acres of other shot-up vehicles from face-shovel excavators to Volkswagon beetles!

NarB from Bruxelles, Belgium

Spectacular, great atmosphere.

20 Dec 2008 7:53pm

Observing from West Cheshire, United Kingdom

Interesting ongoing documentary, striking image....!

20 Dec 2008 8:32pm

@Observing: Many thanks! The building had only superficial damage (and being wrecked internally) the structural components were sound.... all Russian built!

Kheoh Yee Wei from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

"All the grey bits on the red walls were bullet holes that had been repaired." That is scary but amazing to witness that...What are you working on in Afghanistan,Scot? Be safe.

20 Dec 2008 10:07pm

@Kheoh Yee Wei: I've finished working there. Our project completed earlier in the year. Here is a link http://www.bgs.ac.uk/afghanminerals/ to the project. Note the newly renovated building on the home page - quite a difference. Many thanks for your comment!

Lorraine from Gatineau, Canada

what a desolate atmosphere, you are brave Bob :)

21 Dec 2008 2:35pm

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