Day 53 Lahore

8:44 am and we are stopped at a service station en route to Lahore from Islamabad. M2 motorway. Services are sort of western, but a bit crap at the edges. Almond Magnum ice cream for breakfast. Hot last night (30 degrees in my tent); still hot at 4 am when we set of this morning.

5:20 pm Lahore. Staying at the Parkway hotel, near the station. Just got back from visiting the main mosque up town, to see the Sufi dancers. In fact not so much whirling dance as just music - characterised by complicated rhythms combined with a (droning) pedal note which seemed to emanate from a wobble board, involving some sort of squeeze box instrument (with keyboard). Observations:

• walking barefoot on pavement is almost unbearable - burning my feet


• strong segregation of men and women
  

(Geoff and I sort of got drawn into the 3 pm prayer call: stood then sat at the back of the mosque; massive prayer room - 20 deep x 50 or 60 wide in terms of people. A lot of sweat.)

• back to the music (which was in a basement beneath the mosque / prayer rooms): seemed to be something of a battle of the bands going on...


• usual poseurs in the audience: here it was a couple of witch doctor types


• few dancers; just one old guy doing some sort of trance thing; another (younger) guy whirling around a bit - eventually falling over.

Got a motorcycle rickshaw back - 100 rupees for something of a thrilling ride across Lahore. Also much better value than the taxi (200 rupees). By the way, had a good lunch - some sort of sweet and sour dish with rice, air conditioned restaurant next to hotel. Need to change some dollars and find internet.