Essential Lahore....

Small on the outside and fits 5!

Old Lahore balconies.

In the distance, Lahore Fort - Elephant Gate.

Found one!

Lahore mosques

The biggest mosque in Lahore,
great acoustics demonstrated
 by the guide.

Inside Iranian mosque in old city,
Lahore.

Detail of old Iranian hand painted mosque.

Lahore Fort continued

Mirrored ceiling inside.

Steps for elephants inside
the Fort

Inner gardens of the fort

Lahore streets

  

Everything is closed on Sunday,
yet the camel waits...

Market street in Lahore.

Note the shiny suit on the boy.

The answer was Pakistan!

And this is one country I am beginning to like more and more.
On the last trip it jumped about 15 places in my unofficial rankings, despite the difficulties.
While India, especially Delhi, where I am now, keeps going down, down, down...

Dangerous places...

So...
There is no hot water because of a bomb that blew up the gas pipelines;
Saudi prince visit closed down the whole city;
Taliban is having meetings with the government;
Australian government advises not to leave the hotel or to stay in the hotel, since most have been a target of terrorist attack;
And you SHOULD BE WORRIED if you CAN'T see a guy with a machine gun.

Where could I be?
PS My biggest worry is the lack of hot water!

Normal life?

I'm back in Australia. Did the exam, waiting for semester results. Just about over the jet-lag and on normal sleeping patterns. It feels so strange to have nothing to do that needed to be done yesterday...
I decided to spend this weekend catching up to 'normal' life - unpack, clean up the messy house, wash Ziggy the car. And then what? What do people with lives do in their free time? 

Dubai-extras=Canberra and mobile Indians

Maybe I've been away for too long, or am infected with some form of brain eating virus ala Japanese Encyphilitits B, but Dubai minus all the high rises, glitter, expat workers, etc., is a lot like Canberra.
Oh and it doesn't have as many roundabouts, I didn't see one actually. Tuggeranong Hyperdome instead of Mall of the Emirates? ;-)
I have a photo of the view from my window, but again technology surpasses my abilities. Manana...

Catching taxis today, all of the drivers here were from India too, I started to wonder who is it and what about are they constantly on the phone on? Every driver today had a headphone in his ear and was going off in Hindi or Bengali.
Ask and you shall have.
(Talking to the wife in India about buying furniture. Put on your best fake Indian accent)
- Cream, cream! Nay! Something, something, something, something. Nay! Cream not white!

And here I thought they were talking about India-Pakistan nuclear arms race....

Photos of my Istanbul cemetery cats!

Real Love!

I think all these cats are reincarnations
of people like me.

Tolerance

One of the Bangkok Cat Purr Cafe is ready!

My friend N and I enjoy Brzezinski, or at least pretend to!

I almost ended up with a cat! 

World through Asian eyes...

Not many places to escape
 the paparazzi...