My Heart Breaks to Leave Old Lahore

06/02/08

Today was a Public Holiday. Kashmir Day.

We spent all day and afternoon waiting for Mamoo Sajid who has the car to return home from office on a PH. Ammi was sent off to our house earlier in the morning. Come to think of it, i dont know why it didnt occur to me to just walk around the nearby bazaar! Instead, i get to rest and relax at home, which is also another IMPORTANT reason why im on holiday. So i dont regret it so much lah.

Also, i got to join in the Pakistani's IQRA' lesson! The eldest boy who is prolly around 8 yrs old had already khatam/completed reading the Qur'an! Masya'Allah.

Bfast was black beans and rice. Ok for this one, i dont understand how they can eat w/o any meat. Aunty Farzana noticed i wasn't eating much and worried herself so much so that she offered me some more of yesterday's fried trout! THank YOUUUU

We decided to drop by the next door neighbour's house. Notice the computer in the background? Well that's where i first attempted to login to internet. and it was such a relief to finally be able to talk in ENGLISH to mature girls who prolly share the same interest and curiosity. We asked about each other's education system, culture, career.

And i shared with them my shock when i first heard the term "House-daughter"! I thought it was a joke but the term REALLY exists! It's the term for girls who have finished their education but not allowed to work, so just waiting to get engaged, and married. But... don't they get bored sitting at home?!?! Prolly not with the gazillion housework to be done managing the typically huge household they tend to have. No wonder they have very hard hands. Poor girls.

We hung out at their house for prolly 1hr! 30min of it chit chatting in the dark waiting for the light to come. Then we took pictures and before we know it, Mamoo Sajid is back and we hafta head home (or rather the doctor's) ASAP. The warmth i felt getting to know these girls made me hesitated to go and confided as much to Aunty Farzana. and she said with pushing actions, "Ok Come... come back into the house." She was almost serious. Contradictingly enough at the same time i was also yearning to come home as in Ammi's home. But... but.... I HAVEN'T GOT ENOUGH OF OLD LAHORE! i wanna make some more friends! I left Old Lahore with a mixed feeling. Although it was dark, i basked myself with the scene and atmosphere of this place trying to remember everything....

At the doctor's, it was another unbearably painful experience as yet another stitch was removed. Aunty Farzana who accompanied us cldn't contain her tears too.

Uncle Sajid wanted us to stay another night at his place to make up for the lost day earlier, but i politely but determinedly said no... i wanna spend my last few days in Ammi's home. Not that i dont like it there, i do, i really do, but - cliche as it may sound - Home Sweet Home. Furthermore, i was feeling mellow after the BIG BAD WOLF of a pain just now i just dont wanna get off from the bed.

But hey.. our day is WAY from over. Aunty Nargis implored us to her house. Already she felt disregarded when we visited Aunty Farzana, who is the youngest, before herself. So since i felt a lil better after simple keema dinner, we headed out to Township area.

To my amazement, the streets are very much wider, you can say somewhat cleaner and more organised! Now this is just what i had imagined his house to be! LOL. But then again, the inside, the design is still the same. Mostly just with two bedrooms and a kitchen with no living area no dining.

We were invited to eat this SUPER NICE Chicken Biryani with her specialty Shami Kebab and even mutton korma!

I also had the opportunity to browse old pictures! Just exactly what i want out of my Pakistan trip! I wanna get to know the Young Zubair whom i've never seen nor could imagine.

Im pretty sure you can guess which one's Z right?

It was already midnight but we have one more stop to go!

She presented me a brown sweater all the way from London!

Ammi ji's childhood friend whom Ammi visits whenever her friend feels lonely as she's living alone, her daughter in London. Again, we had to wait for 30min for the lights to turn back on in order to take pictures. it was past 2am by the time we made our way home!

Crash boom bang!