Mazar-e Sharif

I went to Mazar-e Sharif last week for a conference. Mazar-e Sharif is the biggest city in the North of Afghanistan, some 400km and 8 hours by car away from Kabul city, near to the Uzbeks boarder and one of the most historical cities of the country. Balkh (the city eponymous for the province), and nowadays kind of a suburb of Mazar-e Sharif is supposed to be the oldest city in all central Asia.

The name Mazar-e Sharif (Grave of Saint) is given because of the famous blue mosque where Ali ibn Abi Talib, son in law of Mohammad and fourth calif in Islam is buried. The mausoleum is supposed to be one of the most beautiful mosques of the world. I haven’t seen many others, but I can tell you it is really impressive.

But the most amazing experience was the way to the city. Instead of taking a one hours flight we decided to go overland through the perhaps most beautiful countryside I have seen in my life. Through tight canyons, up to 4500m above sea level. Along rushing mountain rivers, through still, though winter has started, green valleys. From snow to sand deserts. Breathtaking and impossible to catch this beauty in pictures, as Javed said: “you have to catch it with your heart”.