The first disco in inner Kabul

On Lev’s last night on the town, he’s leaving tomorrow, for good, only half a year early, we had a decent sheesha night at the DACAAR staff house and some drinks at ‘Copacobana’, the first disco in inner Kabul.
The place has a vaguely Cuban decor, but the Zoroasthrean artsy objects make it a rather sketchy mismash. And while the girls from the ‘Shu Shu Restaurant’ appeared to be partying right behind us, on their night off, we found out the alcohol is almost prohibitedly expensive.
Already getting in was awkward, with what looked like a very tall muscled gay Italian frisking us. And after entering, we soon found out the DJ was easily ranked amongst the worst in the world. Not only could he not mix from one song to the next, he couldn’t even get the volume steady during one song.
Still, some people were having fun, expats I couldn’t remember seeing anywhere in Kabul, including the highest concentration of them black folks I’ve seen in Kabul so far. Dancing, or rather, trying, in a style and to music that would have fitted better in some second rate, maybe third, techno club in mid nineties Berlin. Even several of the girls would have fitted in during the Love Parade. Maybe as the few more conservative ones, but still.

Early last week, there was a rocket attack ‘aimed at Shandiz’, the Persian restaurant practically next door to Copacobana. Shandiz doesn’t serve alcohol, has great food in a very nice setting. Ministers and important businessmen go here to take out their partners and associates.
Somehow, I really doubt the rockets were aimed at Shandiz. Copacobana, with its bouncing and screaming Chinese hookers, enjoying expensive vodka and whisky, seems like a slightly more appropriate target.

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