So…guess i told you about I going to Lahore and all for my training. Right? Hmm…aap logon ko daranay ko dil kia to socha do chaar pics post kar doon.
I actually went to Islamabad first..jahan par mera aik adad dost hai. Hmm, let’s see agar wahan ko koi pic hai to.
We went to a lot of places in Islamabad…we first sat in Jinnah Super and had a Soda (Limka bottle..you know that opens with that Pop! sound)..drove around the city.. (it’s beautiful..and definately green). We had dinner at Pir Suhawa a hilltop place that is about 10-15 minutes drive from Zero Point..and the path to get there is a lil bit of adventure in itself. The food was heavenly..and one can view the entire city of Islamabad while savouring delicious tikka and karhai.
We also went to Hot Shots supposedly an ice-cream parlour (waisay wahan par khasay jannati qisam ke khawateen-o-hazraat aate hain). The parlour is set in an actual bogi of a train and themed after top hollywood movies. Shugal ki jaga hai.
Next day, we went to Rawal Dam and were planning to go to a place called Angoori…we were merrily on our way (the place is like half and hour’s drive from Islamabad) when it dawned on us ke hum ghalat aa gaey hain…oops! bas jahan thay..wahin utar kar aik photo li aur fut se wapas Islambad aa gaey (i had to catch a Daewoo bus to Lahore. Remember i was there for my training..koi matar gasht karne nahin gaya tha!)
http://www.gupistan.com/gallery/1/angoori2.jpg
My friend Shoeb and I Hansne ki nahin ho rahi. Acha?
I got up early in the morning and got this view from the window of my friend’s appartment. Now who wouldn’t want to get up to such a sight!
http://www.gupistan.com/gallery/1/islamabadk.jpg
View of Islamabad from the window of my friend’s appartment
Lahore main kaafi ghul ghapara kia. Went to Old Lahore as well…there is a good restaurant that is just adjacent to the red-light area. It’s called Cuckoo’s. The place belongs to a famous artist-Iqbal Hussain. He himself was born of an inhabitant of ‘the place’ and he exclusively paints subjects from that area. The decor and ambience of the place gets to you…i am telling you.
http://www.gupistan.com/gallery/1/cuckoos1.jpg
Inside Cuckoo’s
http://www.gupistan.com/gallery/1/cuckoos3.jpg
This is Iqbal Hussain’s art at display inside Cuckoo’s
http://www.gupistan.com/gallery/1/cuckoos4.jpg
The ambience…doesn’t it get to you?
I also got a book written by Dr. Fozia Saeed..who actually lived in the red-light area to complete her doctrate thesis. The book is a must read…and since i visited the red-light area myself (it was a real eye-opener)..if only as a visitor, i could so feel the pinch in the writing. Here is the book:
http://www.gupistan.com/gallery/1/taboo.jpg
The book that tells it all
The living conditions in these dark alleys are despecable…where a few hundred bucks make farce of human helplessness day in and day out…eve is placed and traded as a commodity in these small ‘shops’ that come alive after 11:00 pm every night. Heart-wrenching indeed.
This is the entrance to one of these famous streets…I hope now we all get why phajjay de paaey are so famous. Where is phajja nanbai? 
http://www.gupistan.com/gallery/1/phajja.jpg
Here is the real Phajjay de Paey-the entrace to one of those famous alleys
To be continued…
And did u notice how cold the peersuhawa winds are? shivers
.. aik to in larkon ko larkiyon ka naam lenay ka kiyun itta shok hota hay 
! Great Pictures.. good to hav u bak :k: … Kinda Missed u around here…NOT! 
shukriya.
please meri nakal na karein…warna mujhe khud ko hansi aa jaegi. khane ki to aap bilkul tension na laein… acha aur batata hoon… we also had dinner at Freddy’s and Cafe Zeuk…aur aur i also had Rabri wala Doodh 
khofnak, khatarnaak aur baaqi-tamaam-naak mazaq hai! 
