Category: Pakistan

It was super hot today, so after the shakedown ride Moin took us to a local market to get a cool drink that he said that you could only get in Islamabad.

It was a nice mixture of lemon juice, a large amount of salt and club soda. A very refreshing drink on a hot day that tasted like a virgin margarita.

That got us talking about alcohol and the fact that the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a dry country. As a Muslim it is illegal for Moin to drink alcohol. He told us that there was only one bar in Islamabad, in the Marriott Hotel and that Pakistani citizens were strictly forbidden to go there. The bar is for visiting diplomats only. Moin said that he could take us there because he holds dual Pakistani/US citizenship. The bar is located in a basement, at the bottom of a small flight of stairs behind an unmarked door at the end of a long hallway. I knew right then that I had to go there!

So that’s how I ended up drinking a beer and playing a round of pool in a forbidden, underground speakeasy in an Islamic nation halfway around the world!

 

A little bit about the Islamabad Marriott. In September 2008 the Taliban bombed the hotel in an attack targeting 30 US Marines and other American intelligence personnel who were staying there while on their way to the war in Afghanistan.

We went there without fear to pay our respects and to show that the terrorists have not won… And because there was a bar in the basement.

So you know the hotel room game where you try to guess where the Gideon’s Bible is hidden? I guess in Islamic countries you try to guess where the complimentary prayer rug is stored.

Also interesting is that the desk has a permanent metal plaque attached with an arrow pointing to QIBLA (Mecca)

Very cool visit to the Faisal Mosque today. As cool as the mosque was even more cool was the interest that the young people took in us. They kept stopping us and asking if they could take their picture with us… Real rock star treatment. A couple of them that invited me to sit down and talk with them expressed how excited they were to meet me because they had never actually met a real white person.

Explored near the guest house this morning. Had breakfast at Kohsar Market and met a local who showed us nothing but kindness and welcoming hospitality.

Breakfast with our new friend Mr. Mushtaq Kiani a retired Pakistani Airforce pilot

The food continues to be incredible! For breakfast I had Shakshuka, two poached eggs on a bed of spicy tomato paste with pita points.

During our meal Tom made another new friend.

After breakfast we went looking for a telenus SIM card and explored the local strip mall known as the “Super Market”

What is a lingerie store like in an Islamic country?… Didn’t find out they were closed.

Thought we had found a SIM card until we were told it couldn’t be activated without a Pakistani issued ID

Two power outages in the first evening. The first one had me standing in the middle of my room at the guest house with all of the curtains drawn I fumbled around In the dark for a few minutes. It was a good reminder to move a flashlight to the bedside table.
A third power outage occurred about an hour later

*NOTE 09/07/2016: Two days into being here you realized that you get used to the almost hourly rolling blackouts

Out walking to breakfast this morning we found some interest into the rawness of the Pakistani electric grid.

Checked into the Grace guest house in Rawalpindi Islamabad.$75 (or 7,890 Rupees) a night gets you a very nice hotel room in Pakistan! www.graceguesthouse.com

Checking in with Altaf’s help

Not a bad looking room.

The tiles in the shower have a beautiful pattern molded into them.

Khushal 4 … That’s me!

Hallway leading to my room

Marble and iron circular staircase.

We got our first taste of what Pakistani traffic is like on the ride to the hotel from the airport. Our driver Altaf expertly negotiated the multi lane chaos while talking on the phone and texting. First sighting of the famous decorated trucks of Pakistan, whole families riding on one motorcycle (dad driving, mom side saddle on the back, one kid sandwiched between them and a toddler riding on the handlebars) the landless mayhem on the roadway seemed to flow without issue and drivers took everything in stride. But it makes me nervous about riding a scooter on these roads soon.

Also took note of a number of armed people (large ominous looking rifles) at random points on the side of the road.

Arrived at Benezir Butto international airport without you incident. Rode a shuttle bus to the terminal where the first thing we had to do is stand in the line for immigration. We were a little confused at first which line we should stand in. But, it was obvious, being the only two white guys in the airport, when we saw the sign for foreigners that meant us. Immigration was easy. Hand in the two forms that we were given on the plane to fill out, an immigration form and a health declaration, along with your passport. Get your stamps and be sent away. No time for chit chat or niceties. I could have sworn that I heard the uniformed woman behind the counter say, “Papers please”

Next to collect our checked baggage… We waited and waited. Both thinking oh no lost baggage would be a disaster! I was relieved when my bag finally came around the carousel.

Fight the crowds out the door and look for Altaf, the man sent by Moin Khan to collect us at the airport and deliver us to the guest house where we will stay for the next wo nights.

The path of the first leg of the flight is a broad arc over the northern hemisphere.

Taking off from San Francisco, flying over Canada…

Then Greenland

And then Russia.

And Tehran and Bagdad

First flight from SFO to Abu Dhabi on Etihad airways… International flights are much nicer than domestics. The stewardesses are beatific and exotic. My seat had a blanket, sleep kit and headphones waiting for me. Etihad gives gift bags to all of the children on board the plane. The movie system has near first run movies available at no charge.

Bagel and his seat partner!

Soon after take off they brought around a lunch menu.

Chicken Kafta… Yummi

And they handed out hot towels!

First movie “Eddie the Eagle” been wanting to see this silly but inspiring film.

Chicken Kofta best meal I’ve ever had on an airplane.

Healthy wine pour too!

They even came by and offered tiny Hagen Daz half pints. But it was strawberry, not one of my favorites, so I declined.

My seat partner Raygu.

Next movies Batman vs Superman and The Revenant. During the Revenant the flight crew came by with Turkey and Hummus sandwiches.

Wow there is plenty of time for movie watching on a flight this long. Next I watched JOY the Joy Mangano Story.

The dinner meal included a traditional middle eastern Kit Kat bar.