Archive for January 2005

Having seen four of the major cities in Pakistan, I think Peshawar is my favorite, both because of the history of the city itself, as well as the attractions around it.

Peshawar has been the cross roads of Asia for all recorded history.  Founded 2,000 years ago by the kings of the ancient Gandharan civilization, Peshawar has been visited by Marco Polo, Alexander the Great, Moghul emperors, and Queen Elizabeth.  When the Soviets invaded Afghanistan, the mujhadeen gathered and trained in Peshawar on their way to Afghanistan via the Khyber Pass.  The money, training, and weapons that the US gave Osama bin Laden to fight the Soviets entered Afghanistan via Peshawar and the Pass.

We headed out from Lahore on the newly built highway to Peshawar.  Had it not been for the Urdu on the sign, I would have thought I was in New Jersey when I saw the Islamabad toll plaza.

"How do you say please?" Sarah asked.

"You don’t say please," our hostess said.

With something less than belief in her voice, she then asked, "How do I say ‘thank you’?"

"’Thank you’ is pronounced ‘shoo-kree-ya’" she explained, "but you don’t say ‘thank you’ to a servant."

We arrived in Lahore later than expected due to visa problem at JFK, but we still managed to get some sightseeing done.  We visited Lahore Fort and the Badshahi Mosque, where we saw a tiny hair supposedly a part of Prophet Muhummud’s beard.  We also visited the Shalimar Gardens, which must have been an amazing sight when fully planted and in bloom.  Now you view it with some imagination.