Pakistan: the Second “Stan” in our Travels

Let’s start with a story:  Our flight from Dubai to Islamabad ,Pakistan was diverted to Lahore, Pakistan due to bad weather in Islamabad.  The airline staff asked us to get off the plane and wait in the Lahore terminal until the weather improved.  We were in the front few rows but as we stood up to get off the plane, some self-important passenger near us told people behind him to not get off the plane, as some kind of protest I suppose.  Eventually everyone got off the plane but many of the passengers (men) gathered around the podium at the gate where we were waiting, with that one guy shouting and I suppose demanding that the flight continue, since he knew (by phone conversations with a friend at the Islamabad airport) that flights had landed just before ours and after as well. 

Later, after we all got back on the plane to continue to Islamabad, that guy told us in English that the pilot was a “chicken”.   Ya, so there you have it.

Islamabad

We spent a few days in Islamabad, including time spent at the US Embassy complex, as our friend there works for the Department of Commerce promoting trade.  Here are all the photos we took of the complex…

…because you can’t take pictures on Embassy grounds.  But here’s a rendering of the complex I found on Google:

https://www.ygh.com/work-useip

Carpet shopping at Art Planet 2

We spent an afternoon shopping for carpets.  Due to a lot of referred and return business from embassy staff, these guys just offered really good prices on great handmade carpets.  The store did very well that day.  Personally we just bought one runner, which will be our travel companion over the next couple months through Dubai, India, Vietnam, and Japan before we arrive home.

Shah Faisal Masjid Mosque, Islamabad

This is the national mosque of Pakistan, and the 6^th largest in the world.  Even more often than Uzbekistan or Nepal, we had many many requests to take photos with us.   Many people travel by bus from outlying areas to visit this mosque, so they have perhaps never seen any foreigners before.  As far as we could tell, we were the only 6 westerners at the mosque that afternoon, with hundreds of locals.

We visited an outlying village that was supposed to be an art town, but there were no artists there. Still, there were some pretty sites to be seen.

Lahore

As many of our travel friend each returned home to their normal lives, our group shrunk from 11 to 9 to 6 and finally down to three (Stacy, Susie and me).  We continued our adventures with a traffic-lengthened 6 hour bus ride to Lahore to spend two full days there. 

Hotels in Pakistan have been terrorist targets in the past, so this is the first Ramada we have stayed in with armed guards, bag scans and metal detectors for guests, and mirror checks under the cars, outside of a car barrier, before driving close to the hotel. 

Everywhere we went we were stared at and often approached to talk to and take photos.  People were curious, friendly, and eager to try out their English if they knew any. The kids would shout out “how are you?” and giggle. While walking through the Delhi market backstreets, one man grabbed my hand and emphatically shook it while saying over and over again “I know! I know! I know!”  I guess that’s all the English he knew.

In the market behind the Delhi Gate in Lahore, we got some fresh baked bread from the baker, but he refused to accept payment, as a gesture of welcome.  The shoe collector at the mosque watched our shoes for free since we were guests in his country.  The guards at the border ceremony allowed us to go to the reserved seating area even though we didn’t have reservations, and 6 young men gave up their seats so we (and our Lahore friends) could sit down.  All done as a gesture of welcome to visiting foreigners.

Tomb of Jahangir

Mausoleum for a 17^th century ruler.  Beautiful marble inlay work.

Shalamar Gardens

A large garden and fountain complex from the mid 17^th century.  The caretaker even turned the fountain on for us, apparently an event usually reserved for visiting dignitaries and special occasions.  I don’t think we tipped him enough for him to be satisfied.

Lunch at Salt and Pepper Restaurant

Our local friends suggested this restaurant with a large buffet and local musicians. 

Wagah Border Closing Ceremony

There are only few land border crossing between Pakistan and India, and from what I read, the Wagah border is the only road crossing.  Since the division of Pakistan and India in 1947, each evening around 5 pm they close the Wagah border and lower their respective flags.  However this is done through an elaborate ceremony conducted on both sides of the border in near mirror image synchronization, full of national pride and bluster. 

There are large semicirclular stands set up on both sides of the border facing the gates.  Those stands on each side of the border fill up with spectators of their respective nation, who wave their respective national flags, chanting nationalistic slogans starting maybe a couple hours before the ceremony. 

The ceremony itself takes around 45 minutes, composed of drums, amplified long yells by the ceremonial (but armed) guards, fast marches with high kicks and aggressive postures.  Quite the spectacle.  It culminates in a protracted synchronized lowering of the national flags, a quick handshake between Indian and Pakistani representatives, and the closing of the gates.  It had all the elements of an international sporting event, but with armed soldiers in place of athletes.

Badshahi Mosque, Lahore

Large courtyard and beautiful workmanship.

Lahore Fort/Palace

The fort dates from the 1200’s, but was later rebuilt and added upon by successive rulers.  Emperor Shah Jahan in 1631-32 A.D. added the hall of mirrors (Sheesh Mahal) and other rooms for his beloved queen Mumtaz Mahal when she lived in Lahore. She died a year before completion, and Shah Jahan then built the Taj Mahal in India for a final resting place for her body. During British occupation the grounds served only as a fort.

Wazir Khan Mosque

Another colorful Mosque built in the 17^th century

Delhi Gate and Market

The gate was built in the 17^th century as one of 13 origianl gates of the walled city.  It was called Delhi Gate because it faced eastward, in the direction of Delhi.  The gate and the city walls were destroyed by the British following an uprising in the 19^th century, but the gate was later rebuilt by the British.

The market inside of the gate area was a narrow and busy place frequented by locals.  We tried to buy some fresh baked flatbread from a baker adjacent to the Wazir Khan Mosque.  He gave us the bread but refused to accept payment, as we were guests in his city and this was his form of hospitality.

While Pakistan is clearly a poor country, we enjoyed our time there getting to know the people, culture, history and food.

We will leave you with some memorable moments from our Tuk Tuk ride to Delhi Gate