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.
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.
