The captain, Janagal Karimi, left, learned to drive a boat while working in Iran and the Persian Gulf. He says the first day that he brought the boat to the river, "nobody dared to get into it because they didn't think I would be able to drive it."
Afghanistan has experienced a number of startling changes in the 4 1/2 years since the overthrow of the Taliban. As the country opens up to the outside world, and as some Afghans feel more and more secure, they have begun experimenting with new businesses and investments.
Now, boat rides on a river north of Kabul offer a new form of entertainment and transport for an otherwise landlocked country.
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On the Friday weekend holiday, large crowds gather on the banks of the Sayat River in the Shomali Plain, to gawk at what, for most, is the first boat they have ever seen. In fact, the owner claims it's the first boat ever in this landlocked country.
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For the equivalent of 40 cents, the captain takes Afghans on a five-minute ride through the Sayat River's fast current. For many Afghans, it's the first time they've ever set foot inside a boat.
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A boat full of passengers is launched as crowds look on.
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Normally, Afghans come to spend their Fridays on the banks of the river, riding horses and picnicking. The arrival of "Afghanistan's first boat" is already a hit, offering an alternative form of entertainment.
Ivan Watson is currently based in Istanbul, Turkey. Following the 9-11 terrorist attacks, he has served as one of NPR's foreign "firemen," shuttling to and from hotspots around the Middle East and Central Asia.
Iraq's parliament could vote as early as this week on a security pact with the United States that would allow American forces to remain there for three more years. The Iraqis overwhelmingly approved the deal Sunday.
Authorities in Yemen have been arresting suspects after an attack Wednesday on the U.S. embassy in the capital San'a. Two suicide car bombs set off a series of explosions outside the embassy.
A prisoner exchange between Georgia and Russia is a sign of both nations' efforts to reduce tension. But Georgia and its Western allies are waiting for Russia to fulfill its promise to withdraw Russian troops from areas of Georgia. Russia has insisted the withdrawal is under way.
