36 HOURS IN LAHORE, PAKISTANApril 16, 2014 · by Paul · in Uncategorized

A popular travel column in the New York Times called “36 hours in…” has covered over 700 cities ranging

from Lijiang, China to New Haven, Connecticut.

But never a city in Pakistan.

I am certainly not the New York Times, but wanted to make an attempt to change this by sharing a glimpse

of my visit.

Saturday.

8am. Airplane. Teenagers.

“Where are you from?”

“America.”

“You’re going to get blown up!”

The exchange with the Pakistani teenager next to me does not begin well. Pakistan is best known in the West

as the home of Osama bin Laden and the Taliban. It was quite high on the “I cannot believe you’re going

there” list.

Sensing the concern clouding my face, he breaks out into a wide grin.

“Just kidding, man. You’re going to love it here. You Americans have totally the wrong image of Pakistan.

Lahore is the party capital of Pakistan! Let me know if you want to go out tonight.”

Turns out teenagers have the same sense of humor everywhere.

Party capital? Not words normally used to describe Pakistan, a “dry” country. Despite being technically illegal,

it seemed alcohol might not be as taboo as one would think. Stereotypes begin to crumble.

Mountains on approach to Lahore.

9am. Lahore airport.

Crowds fill the immigration hall. Random people strike up conversation. Westerners are a novelty. Strangers

offer Urdu lessons. My brain moves sluggishly after 40 hours without sleep. The hospitality is appreciated.

After breezing through immigration, a stocky, no-nonsense customs officer waves for a bag search. He barely

glances at the large bag of malaria, cipro, and vitamin pills. My Clif bars, however, merit a thorough

inspection. He tears one open and seems ready to have breakfast. After a quick sniff, he smiles, puts everything

back in the bag, and waves me onward. Crisis averted.

10am. Garden city.

The first thing that strikes you about Lahore is that everything is green. Willowing trees and lush grass line the

streets. A comfortable breeze envelopes the city.

The streets are quiet in my Cavalry Ground neighborhood. While taking photos and daydreaming, I experience

my most dangerous moment yet in Pakistan: almost being hit by an ice cream vendor. Time to wake-up.

The mean green streets of Lahore.

11am. Caffeine and club sandwiches.

Sensing my jetlag, my host, Lahore blogger Mohammad Momekh, takes me to Gloria Jean’s for coffee. It’s

like a Starbucks in America, minus the hipsters.

Lunch is at Mohammad’s. Instead of a traditional Pakistani meal, his wife prepares club sandwiches and french

fries. She considers it a proper meal for an American. When I decline a Coke, her shock is palpable. “You

mean there are Americans who do not drink soda?!” Stereotypes can cut both ways.

1pm. Selfies and stereotypes.

We return to Gloria Jean’s to meet with a few local students, whose knowledge of world affairs is matched

only by their eloquence.

How do Pakistanis think Americans perceive them?

“Americans think Pakistanis are uncivilized, very religious, gender segregated, terrorists who live in tents.

Americans are friendly, but they have a very wrong image of us. They also eat a lot.”

“The media drives this image. They make everywhere in Pakistan seem unsafe. But most parts of the country

are completely safe.”

What worries you?

“Getting blown up is the least of our problems. I stress about school, not bombs.”

“The SAT test. Why did America invent it?!”

“My FIFA skills. I will be practicing after this.”

What about gender segregation?

“In university, boys and girls hang out until 3am. This is normal.”

“Most schools are equal between boys and girls. But in fields like engineering, it is difficult to be female. As a

girl, though, I can definitely have a career and be independent.”

Gender equality might not be quite the same as in the West, but some issues are universal.

Before leaving, the group suggests a group selfie for Snapchat. Both are popular. The Lahore McDonald’s

worldwide single-day sales record is also mentioned. Some things are perhaps better confined to America.

My first selfie.

7pm. Real food.

One of the students invites us to visit his school, the Lahore University of Management Science. The campus

would not have felt out of place in suburban America. Footlongs at the campus Subway restaurant are popular

although there is no Pakistani version of Jared.

Round table discussion.

Mohammad and his wife Haleema invite me for a proper Pakistani dinner. Meals are extended, family-oriented

affairs. Cousins, brothers, children, and grandparents all drop by and say hello. Around midnight, bed finally

calls.

Sunday. Playing tourist.

8am. No rest for the weary.

A knock. “Time for breakfast!” I am still in a jetlagged stupor and  have no idea where I am. For just one

moment, I wish Pakistanis were less hospitable.

Noon. More lunches, more families.

Today Ali, a friend of a friend from business school, his wife Mehreen, and three children are my hosts. The

first stop is lunch with their extended families. One relative seems startled. “I was just reading about this

American coming to Pakistan on Facebook… is that you?!”

Small world.

Two topics come up: Islam and women.

A consensus view on Islam in Pakistan emerged, summed up by a quote from the father who teaches Koran

classes:

“Many teachers have distorted Islam. It is often no longer direct from the Koran. Radical clerics have often

changed Islam to suit their interests.”

The topic of women in Pakistan stirs passions. A few themes emerged.

Indignation on criticism. “How many female American presidents are there? Because we already elected a

female prime minister twice.”

Discomfort with “role models”. Malala, the Pakistani girl shot by the Taliban, is viewed with respect.

However, many express concern that she is the only Pakistani that many Americans know.

Cautious optimism. Many Pakistani women are entrepreneurs who run successful businesses. While some

interpretations of Islam restrict women’s rights, a consensus emerged that the Koran teaches great respect for

women.

Family lunch.

3pm. Well of death.

Visit street carnival. Witness coolest and scariest sight in Pakistan: mot ka kuan, or literally, the well of death.

Two men drive old motorcycles along wall. Admission? 25 cents.

4pm. Border.

Experience flag lowering ceremony between two hostile, nuclear-armed enemies at Wagah Border, only one of

two land borders between Pakistan and India. Both sides paradoxically thump their chests in perfect

coordination. The soldiers ultimately shake hands and perform a synchronized lowering of flags.

Flag lowering ceremony.

6pm. Old city. Food Street.

Visit Lahore’s old city. Climb a minaret of the Wazir Khan mosque for stunning views. Visit the historic

Lahore Fort. Experience the Badshahi Mosque, the 5th largest in the world with a capacity of 150,000

worshipers.

Finally, dinner on Lahore’s infamous pedestrian-only Food Street. Cuckoo’s, a Lahore institution, is a fine

choice. As is the company: a lawyer who fights for the rights of Pakistanis detained in Afghanistan, a gym

tycoon, and an education guru and fitness coach. Laughter and merriment are guaranteed.

Dinner on Food Street.

11pm. Post-dinner workout.

Just kidding. But we did swing by Reza’s gym to take a quick peek. He claims it gives Equinox a run for its

money.

The bottom line

• Safety: Terrorist attacks have killed fewer than 20 people in Lahore since 2010. The same number of

homicides occur in Detroit every two weeks. Detroit’s murder rate is 7X Lahore’s. Despite this, the US State

Department advises against all non-essential travel to Pakistan. I personally never felt unsafe.

• Stereotypes: Like most places, these are often derived from a small population and applied to a large one. In

Pakistan, people seemed keenly aware of their stereotypes and felt passionate about correcting what they

considered grave misperceptions.

• Hospitality: Pakistani hospitality cannot be overstated. The entire country went out of the way to welcome

me. Within a week of sharing my plan to visit, hundreds of Pakistanis invited me to their homes and cities

across the country. My biggest regret is having only a week-long visa.

Pakistan welcomed me with open arms and hearts. Life seemed, in many ways, not so different than anywhere

else in the world. Next time Islamabad, Karachi, and the mountains will all be on the itinerary. I have no doubt

that there will be a next time — hopefully it will be sooner rather than later.

If you have not already, read more about my journey and sign-up for future updates and follow along real-time

on Instagram.

23 Painfully True Lessons You Learn By Age 23

APR . 12 , 2 01 4  

By SAGE MICHAELS

Shutterstock

It’s my party, and I’ll reflect on the greatest life lessons I’ve learned thus far if I want to.

Related Thought

This Guy Dancing To Beyoncé Is More Important Than Whatever You're Doing Right NowNow if you'll excuse me, I need to watch this 14 more times (or however many it takes until I can dance like that, so like, see you never.)

1. You are not your failures or rejections. You are not the boy who couldn’t love you, the job you couldn’t get, the school who wait-listedyou.2. You are, however, your passions, your convictions and the company you keep.

3. Blocking toxic people out is hard, healthy and needed. You may regret blocking people out. But you will ultimately rejoice in a toxic-free life.

4. You are unique, and your experience with people is unique. Your relationships can never be repeated, replaced; only remembered.

5. Have the courage to be yourself all the time.6. Show your love. Especially to your parents. We are all living on borrowed time, don’t waste the moment you could have said, “I love you, Mom and Dad.”

7. Don’t be the life of a pity party. No one enjoys the tear-stained favors or melancholy attitude.

8. Trust your intuition. Period.

9. Know when to fight. More importantly, know when to walk away. And keep walking.

10. Never regret speaking your mind and respecting yourself. Even if it compromises your reputation, your relationships or

“looking pyscho”. Never regret loving yourself enough to call out people who don’t.

11. She’s no you. And you aren’t her either. So stop comparing yourself, there is no comparison.

12. You can only overcome self-harm with self-love.

13. You were created to be something magnificent. Honor that.

14. Continue to be outspoken. Some will find it scary, some will find it sexy, but you will find it liberating.

15. You may not have the person you want, but you have your integrity. Hold onto it. It will get you through difficult periods with grace and poise. Don’t succumb to low levels of revenge and desperation. Continue to be dignified even when it seems unfair or unresponsive.

16. Before you do something, question your motives. We all have demons but we all have a responsibility to tame them before they turn into our monsters.

17. If you apologize, mean it.

18. Be good to the ones who are good to you.Related Thought

6 Things Men Will Literally Never GetAfter years of meticulous field research, I have finally discovered that men will literally never get women.

19. God will speak to you through other people, dreams, and music. Listen.

20. We have so many different chapters in this lifetime. People are not meant to be “main characters” throughout our story. That doesn’t mean we won’t find our happy ending.

21. Some people will take you for granted. Some will emotionally abuse you. This is their problem. Unfortunately you will be causality in someone’s personal battle, but again, this is their problem.

22. It is never too late to change and grow.

23. Forgive. Forgive your enemies and forgive yourself.