This month is a very religious month. I have not, yet, been
able to find out the significance but there is definitely a lot more noise and
action around the mosques and traffic police are out in full force.
Last weekend was the celebration of the prophet Muhammad
Pbuh’s birthday. The mosques were swathed along their edifices with coloured
lights (mainly green and blue), it was lovely sight driving past them at night.
Saturday, February 11, 2012
Electricity
After a couple of months with electricity being turned off
alternate hours we now have almost continual electricity!!! On Tuesday I had a
hot shower and was able to brush my teeth with the light on – it put a bounce
in my step for the rest of the day
I have been warned that we will lose power again as we head
into summer and people start using fans and A/Cs. It seems that spring and
autumn usually have the best possibility of reasonably regular electricity
supplies.
alternate hours we now have almost continual electricity!!! On Tuesday I had a
hot shower and was able to brush my teeth with the light on – it put a bounce
in my step for the rest of the day
I have been warned that we will lose power again as we head
into summer and people start using fans and A/Cs. It seems that spring and
autumn usually have the best possibility of reasonably regular electricity
supplies.
Real Estate
Hint for home buyers in Lahore. Check out the
number and placement of mosques in the area you are looking at. We hear the
call to prayer (5 times a day: starting at dawn and finishing at dusk) from 3
mosques, including one who has a very poor sense of time keeping – he often
starts 20-30 minutes earlier than the others and is still going when they start
their prayers. He also appears to acquaint volume with piety
number and placement of mosques in the area you are looking at. We hear the
call to prayer (5 times a day: starting at dawn and finishing at dusk) from 3
mosques, including one who has a very poor sense of time keeping – he often
starts 20-30 minutes earlier than the others and is still going when they start
their prayers. He also appears to acquaint volume with piety
Islamabad
Spent the New Year weekend in Islamabad, the capital city of
Pakistan. It is a planned city built in the early 1960’s, and is completely
different from Lahore. The most noticeable difference is the traffic: they
follow the road rules e.g. vehicles travel on the correct side of the road
& obey the traffic lights, of course it does help that there are a ;ot of
traffic police who are actually monitoring the traffic and pulling cars up for
infringements. The other major factor is that no rickshaws are allowed in the
city, unlike Lahore that has a large proportion of rickshaws that turn any
travel into a motorised lolly scramble!
Islamabad is also clean, very little litter and a lot less
building going on. Lahore has whole suburbs that are huge building sites.
There is a sophisticated, gentile air about Islamabad but as
someone said “It’s the Pakistani equivalent of Canberra” (Boring)
Did get shown around the city by a man who it turned out was
the unofficial president of Islamabad. He knew everyone. So at
restaurants we got the best tables, offered items not on the menu, and then
didn’t have to pay for the meal. As we looked at some stalls and shops another
man ran behind us, watching, and anything that we looked like wanting to buy he
would speak to the shop opener and then offer us the item for free!!! It’s a
shame there were no diamond necklaces or Lamborghinis for sale
Went on a hunt for the parliament buildings. Could always
see them in the distance but couldn’t work out how to get to them. Finally
after going through a labyrinth of road blocks we got there. Nice architecture
but what was most striking was the minimal security on display, you see more guards
and guns around where I live. Maybe the the labyrinth was a form of security!
Murree is a hilltop area north of Islamabad. It’s where the
British went in summer to avoid the heat in the lower lying areas. Today it is
still a popular holiday spot. Nice views, and good markets but it is memorable
to me for only one thing: I had a touch of Delhi belly and needed a toilet NOW.
Went to the flashest restaurant I could find and was struck with one of my
phobias – a squat toilet that was awash in filth. I would have preferred to
find a bush, but unfortunately there was no vegetation nearby and so had no
choice. It did make me reminisce on how good the South African toilets were in comparison.
Almost forgot the best part. When looking for our accommodation
in Islamabad we got lost and turned up at the gate of a house. Was Imran Khan’s
House!! Turned out we were staying next door
Went strolling near his driveway a few times but had no sightings
Pakistan. It is a planned city built in the early 1960’s, and is completely
different from Lahore. The most noticeable difference is the traffic: they
follow the road rules e.g. vehicles travel on the correct side of the road
& obey the traffic lights, of course it does help that there are a ;ot of
traffic police who are actually monitoring the traffic and pulling cars up for
infringements. The other major factor is that no rickshaws are allowed in the
city, unlike Lahore that has a large proportion of rickshaws that turn any
travel into a motorised lolly scramble!
Islamabad is also clean, very little litter and a lot less
building going on. Lahore has whole suburbs that are huge building sites.
There is a sophisticated, gentile air about Islamabad but as
someone said “It’s the Pakistani equivalent of Canberra” (Boring)
Did get shown around the city by a man who it turned out was
the unofficial president of Islamabad. He knew everyone. So at
restaurants we got the best tables, offered items not on the menu, and then
didn’t have to pay for the meal. As we looked at some stalls and shops another
man ran behind us, watching, and anything that we looked like wanting to buy he
would speak to the shop opener and then offer us the item for free!!! It’s a
shame there were no diamond necklaces or Lamborghinis for sale
Went on a hunt for the parliament buildings. Could always
see them in the distance but couldn’t work out how to get to them. Finally
after going through a labyrinth of road blocks we got there. Nice architecture
but what was most striking was the minimal security on display, you see more guards
and guns around where I live. Maybe the the labyrinth was a form of security!
Murree is a hilltop area north of Islamabad. It’s where the
British went in summer to avoid the heat in the lower lying areas. Today it is
still a popular holiday spot. Nice views, and good markets but it is memorable
to me for only one thing: I had a touch of Delhi belly and needed a toilet NOW.
Went to the flashest restaurant I could find and was struck with one of my
phobias – a squat toilet that was awash in filth. I would have preferred to
find a bush, but unfortunately there was no vegetation nearby and so had no
choice. It did make me reminisce on how good the South African toilets were in comparison.
Almost forgot the best part. When looking for our accommodation
in Islamabad we got lost and turned up at the gate of a house. Was Imran Khan’s
House!! Turned out we were staying next door
Went strolling near his driveway a few times but had no sightings
Monday, December 26, 2011
Alcohol
Alcohol in a Muslim country is very hard, but not impossible, to get.
There are bootleggers (whose real names are never mentioned) that can access some alcohol - at a fairly high price. They have risky jobs but one I have heard of has never been stopped or questioned because he dresses traditionally, has a long beard, looks devout, and rides a bicycle.
I am looking forward to my first bootlegging adventure - at the moment I am trying to find a trenchcoat, large hat, and false moustache :)
To be fair foreigners have the right to a pass that allows you to legally buy a small amount of alcohol. BUT as my work visa is still "in progress" I am not yet entitled to one of the booze passes.
What is strange is how even though I normally don't drink very much, when something is denied to you it becomes hugely important. I've had long passionate discussions with expats when everyone dreamily talks about their favourite alcoholic drink!
There are bootleggers (whose real names are never mentioned) that can access some alcohol - at a fairly high price. They have risky jobs but one I have heard of has never been stopped or questioned because he dresses traditionally, has a long beard, looks devout, and rides a bicycle.
I am looking forward to my first bootlegging adventure - at the moment I am trying to find a trenchcoat, large hat, and false moustache :)
To be fair foreigners have the right to a pass that allows you to legally buy a small amount of alcohol. BUT as my work visa is still "in progress" I am not yet entitled to one of the booze passes.
What is strange is how even though I normally don't drink very much, when something is denied to you it becomes hugely important. I've had long passionate discussions with expats when everyone dreamily talks about their favourite alcoholic drink!
Etiquette
Since I have arrived in Pakistan I can count on one hand the number of times I have opened a door. There is always someone around who jumps to attention and quickly opens any door I approach. My driver refuses to let me open the car door, either getting in the car or getting out.
The only thing I am allowed to carry is my handbag. Everything else is meant to be carried for me. One day it was farcical - I had a loaf of bread and there was a tug of war between myself, my driver, and my security guard to see who had the privilege to carry it!!!
When I return to NZ I may find myself sitting in a car for several minutes before I realise that no one is going to open the door for me :(
The only thing I am allowed to carry is my handbag. Everything else is meant to be carried for me. One day it was farcical - I had a loaf of bread and there was a tug of war between myself, my driver, and my security guard to see who had the privilege to carry it!!!
When I return to NZ I may find myself sitting in a car for several minutes before I realise that no one is going to open the door for me :(
Urdu
My language ability in Urdu is slowly improving. I can now: count to 10; say hello; ask how some one is, reply that I am wel; ask for a cup of tea or glass of water; say yes/no/ok/I understand/stop/go, and you idiot. So that covers most linguistic situations!
What is touching is thatsuch a small effort garners a lot of gratitude from the locals, it is almost embarassing how a simple phrase is welcomed with surprise and joy.
What is touching is thatsuch a small effort garners a lot of gratitude from the locals, it is almost embarassing how a simple phrase is welcomed with surprise and joy.
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