LAHORE – Page 6 – TOKIDOKI (NOMAD)

LAHORE, PAKISTAN 🇵🇰: BADSHAHI MOSQUE 🕌 بادشاہی مسجد

Published on August 3, 2022 by jacquelinemhadelLeave a comment

30july22

LAHORE, PAKISTAN 🇵🇰 STREET ART: PAKISTANI STYLE

Published on August 1, 2022 by jacquelinemhadelLeave a comment

Phool Patti / Truck Art – famous Pakistani style depicted in this mural

30july22

LAHORE, PAKISTAN: DAILY LIFE THROUGH THE QUOTES OF MUSTANSAR HUSSAIN TARAR

Published on August 1, 2022July 31, 2022 by jacquelinemhadelLeave a comment

“*Stars and friends are the same, no matter how far away they are, their light reaches you.*” ~ Mustansar Hussain Tarar

“*Just as the reflection of the moon flows in a flowing river, but does not form it, so the existence of a good person flows in the river of the world, but does not become a part of it.*” – Mustansar Hussain Tarar

The joy of making Halwa Poori on a Saturday morning. It’s my favorite Pakistani dish and this is my first one upon returning to Lahore after four years!

“Until the age of twenty-five, we don’t care what people think. Until the age of fifty, people live in fear of what people will think. Fifty years later, it turns out that no one was thinking about us.” ~ Mustansar Hussain Tarar

“*Men don’t earn everything for themselves. Women don’t cook everything for themselves. Sharing happiness is the real cause of happiness.*” ~ Mustansar Hussain Tarar

“A boy asked his father: How does a man know if he is right or wrong? Because no one thinks wrong. The father replied: When you think that your sister or daughter has found a man like you, you are right. Otherwise, improve yourself.” ~ Mustansar Hussain Tarar

“*If someone around you is forced, upset, or troubled, don’t think this is a test. This is your test too.*” ~ Mustansar Hussain Tarar

“*When someone knocks on the door of the heart, do not open the door immediately. Some people have childlike habits. They knock and run away.*” ~ Mustansar Hussain Tarar

“*We have to endure hardships all our lives to survive. But they still do not live.*” ~ Mustansar Hussain Tarar

“*We are the twelfth player in some people’s lives. When no one else is available, then we have a choice. !!*” ~ Mustansar Hussain Tarar

July 2022

LAHORE, PAKISTAN: PAKISTANI FOOD, PART 1

Published on July 31, 2022July 31, 2022 by jacquelinemhadel5 Comments

I’m back in Pakistan for the first time since 2018, and the truth is, I’ve missed the food a lot! So, I wasted no time getting back to these traditional dishes, either made for me by a friend, or delivered from a restaurant…*Note*Pakistani food is spicy. Just the way I like it. 🙂

Bhaingan Bharta, Two hard-boiled eggs, and Paratha

July 2022

LAHORE, PAKISTAN 🇵🇰: STORIES ~ SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST

Published on July 24, 2022 by jacquelinemhadel2 Comments

I forgot that Pakistan 🇵🇰 is insane.
That’s my bad.
I was quickly reminded upon arrival. Imagine your worst passport entry possible and then consider the Pakistani version. Sure, they put signs up saying like “Pakistan residents in this line.” “Foreign passport holders in this line.” “Please stand behind the yellow line until you are called…” THAT ONE is a certified joke, in particular.
Everyone’s YELLING. All of the staff. Like they haven’t created the mayhem.
I ask a guy where to go if I have a visa. He said while gesturing to every line… “It’s all mixed up!” He said that like it was a good thing. I chose a line. I didn’t have a paper version of my visa, so I was looking forward to that battle.
So, we’re in line and then at any moment random people will join and get beside you, nudge you with their bags…then you step ahead, put your suitcase up as a blockade, shake your head at everyone, like “what is wrong with you?!” I fight my way to the counter. He wasn’t happy about my digital visa, BUT he ended up being the nicest part of that process.
The still pic from a video below taken at baggage claim. I don’t have words. Well, I did, and I made two videos with commentary, and everyone was looking at me and they knew I was doing my “shaking the head in perplexity” thing again.
It’s like they’ve never seen baggage before. And this happens every hour at this airport. The men, whose bags don’t come until way last, like to set up shop right at the carousel and create a wall so that no one can penetrate it to see where their own luggage is. I was so frustrated and saying all kinds of sarcastic things to them, but then I just looked at the situation and laughed. It was really funny, actually. Women in burkas with tribes of seven children, insisted that all the children come up to the carousel, too, for various activities. Some children would entertain us with their constant running away and their moms yelling at them, some would wail and beat their fists on the ground…some would push carts into the other people standing around….all of this made getting my bag so much easier. And with the human wall, I was like “Wait, I can actually see a little bit between those two men, can someone go over there and close the gap?” My sarcasm being lost on everyone.
FINALLY, when my bag came (And that is the best feeling), one of the men I was so frustrated with at the beginning, smiled and said “Congratulations!” and I remember what I learnt the last time here. None of what happens at the airport was personal. It is completely cultural. Reminiscent of the Vietnamese in these situations, but I haven’t seen Nam in a while…maybe they’ve changed a bit. But, the Pakistanis haven’t. And, the energy today says they never will.

Lahore, Pakistan 🇵🇰
20july2022

LAHORE, PAKISTAN 🇵🇰: STORIES ~ “ADVENTURES WITH RANJAH”

Published on July 23, 2022 by jacquelinemhadel1 Comment

“Adventures with Ranjah” begin.

I was so tired and nauseous when he finally found me.
He grabbed my bags and took off. I am actually running behind him to get
close enough to take this picture. Then I slowed down to human pace with a slice of exhaustion and a sprinkle of nausea…Wonderfully, he parked at the very last parking space in the airport, which included a ‘hold your breath, don’t make eye contact with three feral dogs’ moment. Haven’t had one of those in a while.
In the car, he pumps up the A/C (he knows me!), and takes off, but alas, I’m in the backseat and becoming more and more on the brink of heaving. It took every ounce not to ask him to pull over so that I could get sick. I fought it so hard. He even stopped (he doesn’t speak English, he just ‘knows me,’) for a bottle of water, gets back in, hands that to me, and takes off again. He is the BEST driver, but you can’t help to have your stomach turn with these roads – first, the potholes. Second, the lack of cars and motorbikes choosing a particular lane to drive towards you. It’s a constant game of ‘chicken,’ the entire way. And he’s fast. In a good way. He sees everything. Men trying to cross the street, cows trying to cross. He’s gentler with the cows.
I was torn the entire time between having to throw up so badly and taking note of every damn unique and beautiful photo opportunity I could be getting in each moment! Which, is only in Lahore! But, I couldn’t bear to lift a camera.
I closed my eyes the rest of the way and tried to focus on breathing and getting to where we were going as soon as possible. The drive felt like forever. But, we got here.