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To my distinguished readers I apologize for not writing very much in Pakistan but the internet there was a real challenge, even for a patient person like me. Now in India I've finally come across an internet connection that is not too bad and I will try to catch up with the events of the last two weeks. I'll do it in different parts but prepare for some long ones.
Food experiences in China. The last night in Kashgar a few of us decided to visit a restaurant we'd been to two nights before where both the food and the service were good. However, after ordering and getting two starters the waiter seemed to disappear. He came back two-three times making some facial expressions like he'd forgotten our food. And still we waited. We were getting tired and hungry and finally we decided to just walk up and leave. As we did the waiter appeared again saying "two minutes, two minutes". Nope, sorry, we're leaving. The waiter followed us down the streets and suddenly a car just drove up in front of us and this angry man came out shouting at us (apparently the owner or something). I think the whole issue was that we didn't pay for the drinks and the starters we had (which we easily could have and probably should have) but at the time we didn't think that they deserved it. And when they started to get a bit physical and pushing two of us we surely didn't want to pay. So we just left - again. We soon realized we had another two guys following us, not very discretely either. So we jumped into two taxis back to the hotel, only to hear someone shouting "hey!" as soon as we got out. They even followed us there! So we went up to one of the rooms and hid (!) there for about an hour. And I was still hungry. After that we just went down to the cafe just beside the hotel just to get something in our stomachs. But not even these people could get it right. Even though we ordered at the same time the food was served a bit here and there. I got my rice fairly quickly but wanted another dish to go with it. It was only after I inquired after it they realized that they had served it to another table. So finally I just said "leave it" and finished my rice and went to bed. Still not happy.
From Kashgar we went to Karkol and after Karakol we had a stop-over in Tashkurgan. Not much to say about that place, other than it is the s***iest town in the most beautiful surroundings (as one of the guys so well said it). For our last supper in China we all agreed to go for hot pot, even though I've had it before and wasn't really impressed by it that time. And even less so when we had to squeeze ten people around a table for six and fight like chickens for food in that small bowl of boiling oil or whatever that was. Each of us with a pair of chopsticks trying to cook bits of food in there. Just hopeless. I soon gave up and just sat there with my tea when one of the guys said he would go somewhere else for food. Yes, please! So four of us went down the street to this simple streetside place and ordered shaslyk and lagman (meat on stick and noodles, a safe bet!). And that was just the best meal I've had in China so far. Maybe because I was hungry but it was just great. And the place was very charming as well, just a few tables on the street and the cook in this local outfit. Very good.
Toilet update. The day after we went to Karakol after waiting quite a while for that useless Chinese guide that was supposed to go with us. Fortunately we got another one that was much more helpful and in Karakol I was really glad we had him. At lake Karakol it was just a mess! I thought the people were just going to tear him apart when he tried to find some yurt we could sleep in. The toilets there were surely an interesting and not so appetizing experience. I've gotten used to the squatters and the lack of appropriate facilities but this was the first time the pile of s*** was actually coming up and out of the whole in which is was supposed to be dropped. Not nice at all. However, the rock and stones weren't much better because there weren't too many of them where you could sit behind and be covered. So where you actually found a rock big enough you could be sure that the place was covered in s*** anyway. Still not nice.
Even though lake Karakol was really beautiful it was ok that we didn't stay from more than one night and the following day we moved on to Pakistan. The border crossing between China and Pakistan is a long way and actually going up 4800 m in altitude. But it was a very nice drive just watching the scenery and listening to old hits with Bonnie Tyler and Prince. The actual entering into Pakistan was really easy compared to the China entering and from the first moment we just loved Pakistan. Of course, I had to go to the toilet first thing and that was already pure luxury. Western toilet that flushed, toilet paper and soap and water, what more can you ask for? And when we got to Passu we were served a fantastic supper with different kinds of curry and rice and pudding! Fantastic! And it was just a taste of more to come...
Stay tuned for more Pakistan experiences.
PS! I'm currently not in Passu, but near Dharamsala in India
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