Jalalabad Houses

 These are probably fairly wealthy families.  The compounds are large, and they're located in an enviable site right next to the most precious commodity in Afghanistan, fresh water.  Also, you don't often see two-story residential buildings, and most of these are built out of more solid materials than the mud/adobe most commonly used.

Views from Over Jalalabad

Nangarhar Palace

 And here's another view of the palace/governor's compound, this by one of the side entrances.  Below is Governor Shirzai, standing in front of his self-portrait in an entirely unscripted and unplanned photo opportunity.

Governor Shirzai

The governor of Nangarhar is Gul Agha Shirzai.  You can read about him in books that talk about the fall of Kandahar when the Taliban fled in late 2001; he was leading one of the forces.  His role was controversial, and that's all I say here about that.  Anyway, his compound is probably the most impressive governor's compound in the country.  It's the site of an old palace of the king.  It has extraordinary gardens, and a reflecting pool just outside his office.  His office, now that you mention it, is enormous, with ornately carved fine wood chairs, plush carpets - and some paintings, including this one.  The scene is in front of the governor's palace.  The people are gathered for a shura, and it is certainly coincidental that all are in positions of supplication and admiration.  Of the two men hugging, the one who is facing you is - surprise! - Governor Shirzai.  I have some impolitic colleagues who have compared him - physically only, mind you, nothing worse - to Jabba the Hut, but that is mainly because the word "Jalalabad" just naturally brings to mind images of Jabba.  It's a phonetic thing only.

The Hueys

Hueys are the small armed helicopters that escort the passenger choppers like the Mi-8s.  They seat two in the cockpit, up to three across in the seat row, and one in each rear gunner's seat.  They have no doors, so it's pretty much all hanging out there.  They also fly fairly low.  The one landing here, on the soccer field next to the governor's compound, was my Huey.  The one in the sky in the second photo is the Mi-8.

Bankside

 Jalalabad has rivers running through and around it.  As I mentioned earlier, I took one of the gunship escort helicopters back to Kabul.  That meant I had a really good view, especially because I got to sit in the gunner's seat.  That view came in part because there are no doors or windows, and one thin nylon belt, thinner than your car seatbelt, is pretty much all you've got holding you in.  Doesn't even have shoulder harness.  But as we flew out of Jalalabad - it's tough to estimate altitude, but it wasn't very high - I got a very good view of the ground sights.  If you squint at the right of the first photo, you'll see a bunch of kids swimming in the river.  We also passed people doing laundry and people doing - well, their business.  That's the great thing about nature - it's one big outdoor bathroom.

The Big City

 Jalalabad is also called J-bad by those of us too lazy or tongue-challenged to say the whole word.  It is a pretty big city, and by Afghan standards, very green and relatively wealthy.  Right across the border from Peshawar, it is a major trade center and revenue generator for the Afghan government.  It's also very flat, since it's in an alluvial plain as the river winds down toward Pakistan and eventually, the Indian Ocean.