(Click on the pictures to enlarge)
That trip already took place a few weeks back, and this is the first time ever I write about it. By the way... this is also the first time—ever—I intend to post anything here or anywhere else!
Since that was a business related trip I cannot say I chose to go there and since it came up at rather short notice I had no time really to gather much information about the place.
My information about Pakistan was, and still is, pretty superficial. Muslim country, long dispute with India over Kashmir and the farthest point reached by Alexander the Great... such things!
So I had no preconceived appreciation, no specific attraction but no aversion either.
Landing on the 1st of May 2007 at 6AM.
A few shots from the window of the taxi, Lahore appears to be a green city, there is water flowing in the canals. Incidentally, that water comes from the Himalayan mountain range… I have not seen the Himalaya but, somewhere, it’s there! That in itself is something to remember!
There are 2 big hotels in the city center. These are not the kind of hotel backpackers would go to, they are highly expensive and luckily near a big park. So, morning run it was and with the sun up, the temperature went up pretty quick too! The next day I was there earlier and there were a lot of people walking on the nice earthen road going through the park. A relaxed crowd, mixed gender and ages, in traditional dress or not, lady veiled or not. It looked pretty much easy going to me!
On the second day we visited a power plant some 50 km south of Lahore, and that was the extend of the ground I would cover in Pakistan!
Departure from Lahore to Bahrain on the 3rd of May at 6AM too!
That was a real short and localized trip, I call that a “spot trip” or a “sampling trip”. In itself it is not much, but I correlate my impression with those of longer trips to India some 20 years ago and with other traveling and that makes it more significant, at least to me.
The people I met were “OK”, the general feeling about that place also “OK!” I understand that this is not a very elaborate conclusion but I might go there again. Maybe I will not provoke the occasion but I will go along with it, even with a little bit more of appeal this time for, one day… I’d really like to see the Himalaya!
That trip already took place a few weeks back, and this is the first time ever I write about it. By the way... this is also the first time—ever—I intend to post anything here or anywhere else!Since that was a business related trip I cannot say I chose to go there and since it came up at rather short notice I had no time really to gather much information about the place.
My information about Pakistan was, and still is, pretty superficial. Muslim country, long dispute with India over Kashmir and the farthest point reached by Alexander the Great... such things!
So I had no preconceived appreciation, no specific attraction but no aversion either.
Landing on the 1st of May 2007 at 6AM.
A few shots from the window of the taxi, Lahore appears to be a green city, there is water flowing in the canals. Incidentally, that water comes from the Himalayan mountain range… I have not seen the Himalaya but, somewhere, it’s there! That in itself is something to remember!
There are 2 big hotels in the city center. These are not the kind of hotel backpackers would go to, they are highly expensive and luckily near a big park. So, morning run it was and with the sun up, the temperature went up pretty quick too! The next day I was there earlier and there were a lot of people walking on the nice earthen road going through the park. A relaxed crowd, mixed gender and ages, in traditional dress or not, lady veiled or not. It looked pretty much easy going to me!
On the second day we visited a power plant some 50 km south of Lahore, and that was the extend of the ground I would cover in Pakistan!Departure from Lahore to Bahrain on the 3rd of May at 6AM too!
That was a real short and localized trip, I call that a “spot trip” or a “sampling trip”. In itself it is not much, but I correlate my impression with those of longer trips to India some 20 years ago and with other traveling and that makes it more significant, at least to me.
The people I met were “OK”, the general feeling about that place also “OK!” I understand that this is not a very elaborate conclusion but I might go there again. Maybe I will not provoke the occasion but I will go along with it, even with a little bit more of appeal this time for, one day… I’d really like to see the Himalaya!
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