Lahore- a glimpse of other people's Sundays
- A group of kids playing cricket in between the 10 train track lines, batter up! I wonder what happens when the train comes?
- A husband and wife shopping at hyperstar for the week, while the kids play and stare at me
- A carload of bearded men traveling quickly with many toots of the horn to some important destination
- A couple, possibly on a date, deciding what to order at McDonalds
- Horse and pony carts, loaded down with goods that need to make it from point A to point B. An inverse relationship between now much weight is being pulled and how much the pony or horse seems to weigh
- A grocery store clerk who pays me "coin change" in chocolate candies, because the store does not stock enough small coin change for their daily business
Unique experiences in Lahore
Last night I went to dinner on the roof top of a haveli (traditional Muslim mansion built a long time ago) at the edge of Lahore's Old Town. Many havelis, because of their height and location and old world elegance, have been converted into restaurants. There is one very famous haveli restaurant called CooCoo's Den. We decided to skip the more famous one in favor of one that we had heard about that had better food, better prices and a view equally fabulous. The friend who recommended this place was right- it was a great destination.
The experience started when we got out of the car in a narraow alley way and we were led into a wonderfully carved door at the base of a building. The foyer was quite plain, but we were greeted by a smiling woman who led us into a central staircase area. At the base of the winding marble stairs a marble, bubbling water feature gurgled and a fan sent air over the bubbling water to cool the area. The young woman led us up the winding, winding, winding, narrowingm narrowing, winding stairs. There was a small landing every 10-15 steps, and we could glimpse short carpeted chairs and cots in each of them. Maybe they are apartments for rent? Maybe they are private dining rooms?
We emerged on the roof of the haveli and if we had not already been out of breath from the ascent, we would have had our breathes taken away. As our eyes adjusted to the darkness, slowly out of the lights of the city emerged the hulks of buildings- a massive yet dainty mosque off to one side, other havelis which have been converted into restaurants and apartment buildings on the other side, the lights of the traffic darting through the narrow streets below, the evidence of people living, sleeping and working on the balconies of the surrounding areas, the hills covered with housing and the work of human existence. For one minute it was the most exotic location in the world, and we all just inspected it as if it were a bug on a microscope.
The food was equally fantastic. After we struggled to understand the menu, and failed, the waitress put us out of our misery and ordered for us. She made excellent choices, and we feasted on tandoori shrimp, spiced chicken, curried mutton, spare ribs, lime rice, nan and rice pudding. The only thing that could have made it better would ave been a bottle of wine. Next time we will have to remember to bring one along.
After we finished our meal, we wondered back to street level to catch our ride. However, the driver was delayed, and we were left standing around in the street waiting for the car, so we decided to wander around old town while we waited. The old town is an area we are not supposed to visit, especially after dark, so our security staff were not comfortable with us wandering around. The narrow street we walked down was a flurry of activity. The first building had two spangled salwars in its shabby glass showcase window. As we walked down the rode, we quickly became the center of a lot of attention, with the street occupants staring at us as much as we stared at them. One open building had some pool tables, with about 20-30 men and kids crowded around it. Another had a small television playing a Lollywood drama to another group of men and small kids. There were men getting shaved, men buying snacks at a small shop, men talking, men and boys walking along the street, men and boys on motorcycles...the one thing missing was the women. I was the only one I can remember being there.
By the time we were about half way down the street and one of our group members had almost leaned into an exposed eletrical connection, the security staff decided that we were in too much danger. So we turned around and went back to continue our wait in the ground floor of the restaurant. But that glimpse of the night life of old town will stay with me. I hope I have a chance to have that unqiue glimpse again.
