It may be first alphabetically among the world's nations, but it certainly does not rank first among the countries you'd be most inclined to visit. And for the foreseeable future, you're probably not going to want to risk life and limb to journey to a bombed-out nation. But, hopefully someday the Taliban's presence will be a distant memory and the country will be much more accessible and inviting to visitors. Because, like every Central Asian nation, it is home to some amazing natural scenery. The spot that caught my attention, however, was completely man-made (and subsequently destroyed).
Bamiyan and the outline of one of its destroyed Buddhas
Up until the Taliban got their hands on them and dynamited them due to their status as religious idols, two massive Buddha sculptures stood framing the Bamiyan valley. Even without the statues, the outlines were completely impressive, and the entire area is riddled with monks' tunnels and caves and smaller untouched statues. The area is a UNESCO heritage site, and the Swiss and Japanese governments are coming up with the money to help Afghanistan rebuild both statues. Some day, this will once again be one of the world's wonders, and until that time stands as a stark reminder of the destruction of religious intolerance.
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