Sunday, December 14, 2008

I'm now in the U.S. visiting family, but found these great pictures on the Pakistani Dawn Newspaper website. When I return to Islamabad I would like to start taking more pictures like this because many of these images are what I often see in my daily life there.

Happy holidays to everyone!

A boy praying in a mosque.Animals taken to be sold for the celebration of the Eid ul Azha celebration which marks the moment when Abraham almost sacrificed his son to God. Muslims celebrate this now by sacrificing an animal and sharing the meat with family, friends and the poor.


Father and son in the marketplace on a motorcycle.


Camels being prepared in the market to be sold for Eid sacrifices.


A man collecting old tires to sell.
Tourists in an art gallery/co-op in Islamabad.


Man with a goat and a monkey performing in the street for people.


Roadside open-air barber shop.

Monday, November 10, 2008

Visit to the Village of Muree

My friend and I took a day to go to the hill town of Muree. It's a pretty town up in the hills at about 7,500 feet and about a 1.5 hours drive out of Islamabad. It was nice for us to get away and be able to just walk freely around, talk to people and eat some great local food (yummy chicken handi !)



A little history (more photos below)
Murree was founded in 1851 by the Governor of Punjab, Sir Henry Lawrence, and was originally established for the British troops garrisoned on the Afghan frontier as a sanatorium. The permanent town of Murree was constructed at Sunnybank in 1853. The church was sanctified in May 1857, and the main road, The Mall, was built. The most significant commercial establishments, the Post Office, general merchants with European goods, tailors and a millinery, were established opposite the church. Until 1947, access to the Mall was restricted for non-Europeans.
Until 1876, Murree was the summer headquarters of the Punjab local government; after 1876 the headquarters were moved to Simla.The railway connection with Lahore, the capital of the Punjab Province, made Murree a popular resort for Punjab officials, and the villas and other houses erected for the accommodation of English families gave it a European aspect.


A store selling dried fruits and nuts. They had yummy peanut-brittle like sweets!
This store is selling shalwar kameez (local dress), cloths, and other clothing items.

Kite flying is big all over Pakistan!

These trucks are what you see in Pakistan instead of heavy big-rig trucks. No semis around, just these ones. And people spend time and money getting them decorated like this. They really are a piece of art. I remember several years ago one was brought to Washington, DC for the annual Smithsonian Folklife Festival!

A man selling goats.
A meat shop with a very attentive kitty.









Saturday, November 8, 2008

Reaction Around the World and in Pakistan to the US Election Results

This year's presidential election was such an important moment in U.S. history that I can't not post some pictures on it.

(Necessary disclaimer: this post does not indicate my bipartisan leanings. It may however, indicate others' leanings; )

This first news article is from a Pakistan newspaper. I think it tells a lot about what the critical issues are here and what Pakistanis are concerned with: terrorism, the Kashmir problem, and relations with the U.S.

Also 2 reads:

Great Presidents Born from Bad Times Rick Barton

Memo to the President NPR News


Kenya

ParisChicago


Newspapers Around the World





Friday, October 24, 2008

Abu Dhabi & Liwa, UAE: Oct 10-13



Tee and I went to the United Arab Emirates for a weekend. Abu Dhabi, the capital, is a highly modern city with some really stunning mosques and a ton of crazy, fast drivers. (Over 100mph on the highways!) We went to a town out in the desert for one night. That was really spectacular. The sunrise over the sand dunes, camel herds roaming around, the warm desert night, and great food at the local restaurant in town.