Pakistan > The bazaar of Gilmit

Breakfast on the first floor is somewhat meager. A buffet with only bread, chapati, omelet, and jam. Most of it is already gone by the time it’s my turn. I take a toasted slice of bread with egg. I also take tea with milk, following local custom. I laugh at how everyone jumps up as soon as something is replenished. Today we visit Gilgit, the largest city in the Gilgit-Baltistan region. Just outside the city stands the Kargah Buddha. It is a carved image of a large standing Buddha, about 15 meters high, in the cliff wall of Kargah Nala. The rock carving dates from the seventh century. At that time, the entire region was still Buddhist. We can get very close to the Buddha image via a staircase. The trade route to China once ran along this valley, Yassir explains. Apart from the Buddhist sculptures we visited earlier in Skardu, this is one of the few remnants of Buddhism in this region. Back in Gilgit, we get off at the Sunnah Mosque, the largest mosque in Gilgit. Here also begins the Rajah and Saddar bazaars—a maze of narrow streets full of small shops and stalls. The first street we walk into is the butchers’ street. The meat is displayed. The vendors try in vain to keep the flies away. When we pass by, everyone nods. Taking photos is no problem, although it can be a bit embarrassing that everyone is photographing the same people. I greet several people and shake hands.

Pakistan - The Sunnah mosque is the largest mosque in the Gilgit region

As we walk, we come to the clock tower. Around this square are shops and plenty of activity. Eventually, we arrive at the old bazaar. Here mainly the bookstores are open. Today is a national holiday in Pakistan. It is the prophet’s birthday. Not all shops are open because of this, but most are. Many fellow travelers still have Pakistani money left. This can be exchanged back in Gilgit. Allert and I decide to walk back to the hotel from the bazaar—a considerable seven-kilometer walk. Along this distance, there are shops on both sides of the road: tailors, garages, barbers, and woodworkers. Everything is available here. I am amazed. A man is frying small round discs. We understand it is meat. It looks warm enough to try. It turns out to be a kind of spiced minced meat. It tastes good. Meanwhile, the man presses the next piece flat with his hands. We walk past the small airport and along the main road. People wave from cars and from the shops. It’s special to walk here. This seems to me Pakistan at its best. Halfway through the walk, we arrive at Marco Polo café. Here, the other travelers are sitting on the terrace—they came here by bus.

Pakistan - Vegetables and fruit are neatly displayed

I order coffee. The coffee tastes fine, but the large number of flies makes it less pleasant. From here, we still have about three kilometers to walk back to the hotel. We are continuously greeted and welcomed in Pakistan. Tomorrow is a long day by bus to Islamabad. We don’t know exactly what time we will arrive. Therefore, we are going out to dinner tonight with the whole group as a kind of farewell dinner. Willem, on Yassir’s recommendation, has reserved the restaurant in the Serena hotel. The order has already been placed in advance. When we arrive, the bus is thoroughly inspected. Mirrors are used to check if there is anything or anyone under the bus. Because the order was pre-placed, the food comes to the table fairly quickly. I am unlucky; my dish with chicken Lazeez only arrives after everyone else has started eating. That doesn’t make it any less tasty. After dinner, we thank Willem for guiding the trip. Although it was his first time in Pakistan as well, it often seemed as if he had ample experience and already knew how everything worked. This is a good quality. Willem, in turn, thanks the group for making things relatively easy for him. Back at the hotel, I go to bed early. At quarter to four, the alarm goes off.