Pakistan “Lahore, The Last Day of Touring”

• November 5, 2020
• By Daryl
• 1 Comment

After getting out of our car, the adventure began.  The chaos and rhythm of human existence is in its raw form here, in the old city. The dirty narrow streets flowed like a river with humanity, as scooters constantly pass, like a torrents of currents in a stream. We traversed at the edge, safely in the ebb. The thundering sound from behind, signals us to be alert, at the same time taking in the people trying to scratch out a living in the business of their inherited choice. Idle men pour out of their empty shops, resting in chairs in full conversation. 

We passed a watch mechanic, working on a watch as he crouches on the ground in his crowded shop. Tools line the walls and work benches so full, that working on his heals is preferred for this delicate work. 

A man with a monkey on a loving leash is sitting. The monkey dances for money. At the end of the dance, he runs and gets his tin can and holds it on top of its head with both hands. Eagerly approaches us for a few rubies for his expert monkey dance.

At a boys hangout, is a pool hall with two tables and attentive eyes following the balls. 

People greeted us and children tailed us. We get thumbs up for Trump and many are looking at election results and show us. It is amazing how American politics are a world-wide interest. 

Next door was a subterranean bakery. The kiln was a brick-line hole in the floor. Risen dough was padded flat and slapped on the walls of the kiln with bare hands. A cloth was wrapped across the forehead to protect his head. As the bread is baked to a golden brown another man with a hook and long handled spatula scraps the bread off the walls and hooks it in one fueled swoop. Ready for the next flat bread to be slapped against the brick surface. 

Now, we passed through small districts like shoe cobblers, food stands, wedding planners and tailors. Gold and silver districts bordered the wedding planners. The road spilled into a delta; a split in the road with one path leading to a mosque. We entered through a grand gate, which was about ten feet below the road level of today. A wide brick courtyard opened up  with bricks turned on there skinny side to make geometric patterns. The large courtyard lead past a  subterranean graveyard accessible by stairs under a small building. Further was the entrance to the mosque with its ornate geometric tile covered surfaces. The walls and ceiling were a flood of patterns of intricate prayers written in tiles. A kite shaped convergence forming a half dome entryway leads into the mosque. This work of art of a mosque was built in 1639. Men were knelling on carpets and praying to Allah inside. 

The Delhi Gate, was at the end of the delta and was the finale of our tour through the walled city. On the other side is a chaotic roadway where we caught a Tuk Tuk. We rode  in the back facing the the tailing traffic. We catch a few photos of people on scooters and Tuk Tuk’s.  Many people smile with their eyes and wave at us. Some drove  carelessly close to get a good look at us. We were quite the show and many enjoyed watching us bounce down the streets and sway side to side as the driver misses the holes in the street. We saw a couple of men pushing their wagon carts full of short bananas. The traffic skirted around them as we passed. After a long drive, we make it back to the car and then rode in luxury back to our guesthouse.