Saturday 22 March 2014

Journey back

At this time I am together with Dilawar waiting in london Heathrow for our flight back to Belfast.  I feel very tired, we woke up at 3 am and we could not get much sleep on the plane.

After 3 hours our boarding will start. I cant wait to be in bed and sleep for a year.

I want to thank you all for following my journey to Pakistan.

21/03/2014

Yesterday was thmemorial of Dilawar's dad. All the men in the family went togheter to the mosque for praying.  When they came back they brought a mullah (priest) to reciting the quran. All the woman where in the living room listening to the reciting.  After the reciting the mullah went back to the mosque and we eated all together. 

This is how the memorial ended.

On the same day we went to the little village house to dine all together.
We stayed there till 12 pm.
When we came home, me and dilawar started packing for our flight back and went to bed.

P.S I enjoyed the family of Dilawar and
will miss them a lot.

Thursday 20 March 2014

20/03/2014 in Pakistan

Today we rested of our journey to Lahore.
We went shopping for gifts for my family, sadly I did not find anything.
My planning is to go tomorrow morning again to another city to get the gifts and return soon as possible home. Tomorrow will be the 4th year remembrance of Dilawars dad. It will be a hard day for the family I have to support them tomorrow.

So today I will not write much of my day because of the fact that we just went hunting for gifts.


19/03/2014 in Pakistan

The first thing we did when we reached Lahore is we went to an orphan institute.
Here we gave the kids stuffed teddy bears. When we entered into the hall where the kids where they greeted us with a small song and sat in a circle. One by one very shyly they come to get one teddy bear.
I am happy that me and Dilawar donated the stuffed teddy bears in Pakistan. These kids don't even have pencils or uniforms. Dilawar and me have seen what the kids need in this institution and will try to fulfil their needs by giving them pencils, colouring books, school bags and maybe try to find any sponsor for uniforms.
If any of you have colouring books or pencils you don't use and would like to donate this to the orphan institute in Lahore then contact me on 101-dm@hotmail.nl. Thank you.






After we visited the institution we went to see the walled city Lahore.
We went trough a gate to see the old city.
The first thing we noticed when we entered is the big garden and the big gate that leads to the mosque.
The name of this mosque is Badshahi Masjid. The mosque was build in 1673 by the Mughal emperor.
I have never seen such a huge mosque, it has beauty and grace.
When we took our shoes off we went in the mosque and it provides such beautiful views over Lahore over viewing the Minar-E.






After viewing the mosque we went to see the Sheesh Mahal (Palace of mirrors).
The palace gained its name because of the Favourite hall of the kings, this hall is made of white marble and decorated in mirror work of the finest quality.  This palace has been inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1981. The palace is build in 1631-1632.

Its a very beautiful palace I mostly liked to see that they already did water engineering in the 16th century.
In the palace there where holes underneath the palace where the water comes out and leads to a fountain.
It is a beautiful experience to see the palace.

after our trip to Lahore we went to eat.
I have bought one sandwich, here the sandwiches are double deckers (two sandwiches on top of each other).
I did like the sandwich and we eat halwa (Pakistani sweet).

When we come home we where so tired we went straight to bed to sleep.







   

Wednesday 19 March 2014

18/03/2014 in Pakistan

Dilawar has showed me Head Marala, this is a long river which the water originates from India.
In year 1968 Pakistan has build large dams to control the floods.
The most enjoyable thing here was taking a boat journey on the river.

After our boat journey we went to relax in one small park and enjoy the view of the river.
We stayed here for twenty minutes then we went to the field that belong to Dilawar's family.
I don't know how much hectare the field is, the only thing I know its the same size of a football field.
Dilawar has showed me that they grow weed and corn this period, the next period they will grow watermelon and mango's. And like thus they change it every period different crops.
I could see that the previous crops where potatoes because there where some left over potatoes on the ground. I did enjoy walking in the fields it was a very nice experience.

On our way back to home Dilawar bought coconut from a man that sells coconuts on the road.
I have never eaten fresh coconuts like this before. I did like it even if chewing was hard.
Tomorrow we are going to Lahore and will giving teddy bears to orphan kids.














Monday 17 March 2014

17/03/2014 in Pakistan

On Monday we came to pick up the bride and Dilawars brother from the brides house.
As usual we have been greeted by the family with two drops of oil on the entry door and raining rose pedals.
We have been given lunch and dessert. After eating we talked with other people from the family to know them better. Today my hay fever was a real bother, my nose was blocked and I used so many tissues that you can create the tower of Pisa with it.When we come home me and Dilawar went for a walk in the village, he showed me how people milk the cows and explained me what field has what  crops growing.
It was interesting to see how unions look as crops. When we came home we relaxed with the family and the bride. The sister of Dilawar gave me 3 new suits which they will give to the tailor tomorrow so he can make the suits in my size. I can't wait till tomorrow, Dilawar will give me a sight seeing tour of the city Sialkot.
I will make pictures for you so you can enjoy the tour as well.


16/03/2014 in Pakistan

Today was a joint celebration of marraige of me and Dilawar and the new couple.

After setting my hair and make- up we went today to the same hall like we went yesterday.
There they greated us again with rose pedals ( I enjoy when they trow roses on me).
Here me and Dilawar sat togheter next to the new couple on a big sofa aswell infront of the hall.
After that our pictures hase been taken we haven been blessed by our marriage from the family and
have recieved money. After all the camara's, blessings and greating people we have been given food.
They gave us fried chicken, rice, keema, salad, curry with beef and khir.

I especialy liked the khir, it was very creamy and sweet. After food we came home but not togheter with the new couple.
They went to the bride house (village house).
I was verry happy to be at rest after all the venue's. At home I had conversasions with
diffrent people in the family to know them better.

I am very happy to be part of Dilawars family they are very loving and caring.





Sunday 16 March 2014

15/03/2014 in Pakistan

15th of March, Today the brother of Dilawar will get married.
The day has started with breakfast at the brides house and from there the family of Dilawar came back.
The celebration was big and crowded. There where baggers, dancing horses, dancing people and drums.
It was little too overcrowded for me. It was sweet to see that the mother and sister of Dilawar took care of me even if there where so many people. When we arrived by car at the wedding hall we have been greeted by girls throwing rose pedals at us. The sister of Dilawar took me to see the bride on her nikah (islamic marriage contract). The bride was shaking a lot and could barley speak the words.

After the nikah we went to the hall. to sit on our (me, the sister of  Dilawar and the mother) seats, these where located at the front of the hall . We have been given food to eat like keema (minced meat), chicken curry, rice, naan, salad and khir (rice pudding). After eating and drinking the groom arrived and has sat next to us. Then the bride came and sat next to me. There where camera's all over me and the new couple. There was a lot of people come to bless the new couple, give them a gift one by one and have there photo be taken together with them.

When we went home the bride and the groom has been taken to a separate room for a photo shoot, in this time their bedroom is being decorated with fresh flowers. They hanged flowers on top of the bed and created a pathway of flowers leading to the bed. On the walls they stick pink and red flowers.

I have made pictured for you all of this beautiful event, I hope you will enjoy the pictures as much as I have enjoyed the event.











14/03/2014 in Pakistan

On Friday we went to visit our friend that come from Belgium to see his parents in Pakistan.
The family of this friend are very nice and loving, before we left they gave me and Dilawar a gifts.
I feel really embarrassed and shameful that we left very fast, this was duo to the medicine. I took my medicine without food and this made me have a severe pain in my stomach.
I have rested home for few minutes and went waking outside, this helped my stomach.

As we walked we approached the graveyard and Dilawar showed me where his dad's grave is located.
It was very moving to see Dilawar pray for his dad next to the gave.

When we returned home we saw television with grandma. I noticed that the commercials here are very different, for example first they show a woman in a red shalwar kameez living in a perfect house with a perfect husband. Then suddenly she says to her husband that she is in love, her husband is acting shocked and asked ''who!!''.Then the woman said ''do you want his phone number?'' the husband said ''yes''. Then the woman putted her head next to her husband and says the phone number of MacDonald.

After watching tv we went to the little village to greet the other family. There all the girls had henna on their hands. I feel stupid that I did not take my camera to make pictures for you.

We stayed there for one hour and went home. At home they where waiting for me to apply henna.on my hands. They made a great henna designs on  my hands, the only thing I disliked was that the henna made me feel cold (I am always feeling cold by the way). When my Henna finally has dried I have changed my shalwar kameez for the Henna Night. 

All the family of Dilawar come to our house and all the close family of the bride went to the brides house (the little village house) When the groom was ready to go he walked in front with a red dupata (sort of a scarf ) above his head carried by his close relatives. Behind him where girls holding a silver plate with a candle.
The groom then went outside on a podium for henna. The podium was decorated with fresh flowers.
This was very beautiful to see, especially the part when the groom was heading toward the podium with a dupata obove his head and girls carrying candles behind him.
After the pictures the groom went to the brides house.
Here there where people playing drums and dancing in bangra style.
This went on for one hour then the bride came. She went to the podium and sat next to her fiancé.
When the bride was settled the people come to her one by one to bless them and make pictures with them.
After the function we went home very tired and fell asleep very fast.