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A grand affair
By Anisa Haji
As a coastal city, Karachi’s beaches and seafront areas have always been its biggest attraction. Be it crabbing, snorkelling or deep sea fishing; an all-day picnic or a night expedition to watch the rare sea turtles laying their eggs, Karachiites have always looked to the sea for their recreation and as a place to go for solace and to replenish their energy. That’s why, in the last few years, the Government has poured money into a number of projects to develop the sea front into an affordable recreation spot for everybody.
Port Grand is the latest in this series of initiatives. A beautifully designed outdoor mall, Port Grand is situated right on the harbour, under one of Karachi’s oldest bridges — the Native Jetty — and in the shadow of one of its oldest temples. Reminiscent of European piazzas, Port Grand is a collection of quaint shops, including an art gallery, a florist, a bakery and a supermarket built around a central square paved with old-fashioned cobblestones. Wrought iron benches set among the small green islands and flower beds with trees strung with fairy lights and a fountain as the backdrop, provide the perfect setting to linger and enjoy the famous Karachi breeze. But it’s the one kilometre long promenade, off to the left side that is the real scene of action.
Known as Asia’s longest food street, the promenade is lined with restaurants, take-away joints, stalls and kiosks selling everything from haute cuisine to Karachi’s most delicious street food. You can sit down in five-star luxury and partake of sushi, enjoy an authentic Italian-style wood fire oven pizza or order a four-course meal at a French restaurant. Alternatively, you can order take-away fish and chips or chicken wings; you can buy a burger, a hotdog or an authentically desi bun kebab and sit on a bench facing the sea, enjoying your food along with the sight of a number of ships as they slip in and out of the harbour in their never ending journeys to far off lands.
Port Grand is also fast becoming a popular venue for all kinds of entertainment events such as concerts, musical evenings, recitals, etc., and the number of people who show up for these events speaks for the joie de vivre of the people of Karachi. In a city racked by security concerns, the luxury to sit in the open and enjoy a meal, a walk or just the sights and sounds of Karachi is something novel and the people of the city are out in droves, with kids in tow, to be a part of this revolution.