Rawalpindi. If this shopping Mecca does not carry it, then you do not need it.
Continue reading “Dangerous Days in Pakistan. One Final Day”
Originally I had thought Peshawar would make for a wonderful, if long, day trip from Islamabad, but common sense prevailed and I scaled back this day’s plan to Wah Gardens and Taxila.
Continue reading “Dangerous Days in Pakistan. 3.000 Years of History”
I left a pair of linen pants to be laundered before heading to breakfast with Tony. After the long flight they were misshapen and coated with flight funk and I wanted them fresh for my return. Laundry cost, €2.86 equivalent. A gal could get used to this. Continue reading “Dangerous Days in Pakistan. Tea Time”
With a little help from the Concierge I was able to track down Zulfiqar, my driver/guide. He had simply gone away for the weekend, but was fully committed to being at my service for the next four days. Phew.
Continue reading “Dangerous Days in Pakistan. Wherein I Become a Curiosity”
Now that I have your attention… 😉 I’ll just run with this spoiler: the extraordinary hospitality and friendliness of the Pakistani people is dangerously addictive; their cuisine, even more so. Leaving Pakistan was like wishing a good friend farewell, my heart heavy wondering when I might return.
Not only was I treated to splendid weather and cherry blossoms at near bloom while in Japan, but the Imperial Palace grounds and gardens were open for touring, a rare event that not even many Japanese have experienced.
“Sakura” means “cherry blossom,” and by good fortune the timing of my visit to Japan. This day thus, was all about the blooms. We began with a lovely champagne brunch in a Ginza restaurant high atop Tokyo to put us all in good blossom-viewing spirits (it worked!). JF, the Kawagoe friend and I brunched with another of JF’s friends who will be relocating to Vienna, so we had much to chat about.
Continue reading “The Chopstick Diaries Japan: Sakura and Ohanami!”
This was my second visit to Japan. On the previous visit in 2008 the four of us spent 12 days divided between Tokyo and Kyoto, and with day trips; so on this holiday my itinerary was a little more free-flow. JF had suggested Kawagoe to me and it sounded appealing, so off the three of us (one of JF’s friends, as well) set on my first full day in Japan.
Continue reading “The Chopstick Diaries Japan: From Dynasties to Shogunates”
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