Skip to main content

Week 20 = Wednesday in Karachi brings travel plans for Tassy

 Edited BY


G P Kennedy


Tassy - Karachi, Pakistan

 The week began with a number of changes. The Government announced that everything would be open with immediate effect! The move resulted in jubilation for most people, and increased wariness from skeptics like me. A number of people actually believe that the Corona virus has been eradicated like small pox! Mask wearing had not been strictly observed all this time for the majority and now even the few who have been wearing them will be less strict. It really makes me shudder.

 

 During my walk with my friend on the seaside promenade, we noticed numbers of people who had thronged to the beach, all maskless. Previously this area had been cordoned off for pedestrians and cyclists to use. We cut short our walk to return home as we felt uncomfortable with the huge congregation, and my friend and I decided that that would be our last walk there. Funnily enough while most people around the world have used the time of the lock down to get out in nature and walk and hike outdoors, public parks in Karachi were closed this entire time! Now with the lockdown effectively over parks have reopened. The logic still defies me!


Camels decorated for Independence Day

 Just one day after the new measures were announced we were invited to a friend’s son’s wedding reception next week. Weddings in Pakistan are very elaborate affairs and last several days with daily festivities. When I got married we had a ‘small’ wedding by local standards with only 500 people. The last wedding I attended in February was for 2000 guests! My friend whose son was getting married was very disappointed that they had to restrict the guest list to only a100 people bearing in mind the current situation.

 

 My first reaction was one of horror, as to how I would be able to face a 100 people after meeting only the 3 or 4 friends we have been meeting this entire time. My personality is outgoing and I thrive on company. I fear though that the last five months of hibernating in my house has made me uncomfortable meeting larger groups, and I am now quite satisfied with my own company.

 This week we had a public holiday as Pakistan celebrated its 73rd anniversary of freedom from colonial rule by the British Raj. It was the day that the large subcontinent of India was bifurcated into India, West Pakistan (present day Pakistan) and East Pakistan. The idea being that Pakistan would be primarily for Muslims.   (East Pakistan subsequently got its independence from Pakistan in 1971 and became Bangladesh). For the run up to the day itself street vendors got a chance to sell flags. It is common for everyone to attach a small flag to their car and many have larger flags on their walls.


Selling flags to celebrate Pakistan's independence

 

 At least two-dozen people however were shot and wounded in Karachi alone as a result of apparent celebratory aerial firing. We have now developed such apathy to news of people dying because of celebratory firing be it on new year’s eve or celebrations such as this one that it hardly creates a stir other than a few lines mentioned in the news.

 The week was a busy one for me with back-to-back classes. I’m enjoying being busy again. I have more people now wanting to resume in person classes. I am allowing them to as long as mask wearing is strictly enforced even while doing yoga. Since my classes are all taught one on one and most of my students come to do yoga for therapeutic purposes, it is not of the vigorous, sweaty variety that you may see or read about. The classes are going well, mask wearing and all.

  My parents decided to fly to London next week. My sister who lives there is keen that they get out for a bit, have a little break and visit her in the UK before the impending second wave. A number of friends decided to travel to the cool mountainous region of Northern Pakistan. Everyone is suffering from cabin fever. On Friday my husband told me he had some work in Dubai next week and that I should accompany him. Needless to say I am thrilled and very excited.

 

Delicious fruit for sale

 We fly tomorrow and will be in Dubai for a week. Dubai is only two hours away from Karachi by air. It used to be my home until I went to England for my higher studies.  Being a small city and a strict government, Covid-19 cases have been brought under control there. The city is welcoming tourists and strict protocol is being followed to keep the virus at bay. We had to get tested for Covid-19 by an approved laboratory and we travel with that Covid free certificate on the plane. I am familiar with what to expect on the flight as our daughter left for Canada just a few weeks ago. My next week’s report will be from there. I can’t wait to simply sit in a café and sip a cappuccino and people watch. Until then it’s over and out from Karachi.

 

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

A hearty entrée from Karachi

 Edited BY G P Kennedy Qeema Matar by Tassy  It's food week, so I am very happy to share a recipe of one of my go-to comfort foods. It is hearty, wholesome, and hugely satisfying. Not surprisingly, one of my favorite foods to cook while we live in uncertain times.    The dish is called Qeema Matar in Urdu, roughly translated to mince with peas. It is a rich and aromatic dish that is cooked with a lot of spices. The dish originated at the time the Mughal dynasty of Turkic and Mongol origin ruled the vast Indian subcontinent from the 16th to mid 18th century. On average we have Qeema Matar at least once a week, usually with a "chapatti", flat bread made with unleavened wheat flour.    It is pretty much a staple dish for us and also for a vast majority of Pakistanis. The dish is so popular that it is often prepared even as a festive dish on special occasions or at weddings. When I first learnt how to cook, this was probably one of the first recipes I wanted to...
Post a Comment
Read more

A Turkish dessert for all to enjoy

Edited BY G P Kennedy            AŞURE, NOAH ’s ARK TO SHARE                                 from Gul   This month you see an odd food traffic around, a dessert swapped continuously between neighbors. It’s called aşure (pronounced as aah-shoor-ey) ,   or Noah’s Pudding in English. Every year, Turkish women compete each other to create the best aşure while I wait fo r my neighbors whose names I don’t even know to bring one to me .    Luckily, our summer neighbors are more generous than the winter ones. I have already received three different aşure so far. The other day one of our neighbors dropped a tray in his hand as he was walking 20 bowls on it. Luckily my share was in his wife’s hand. Yummy...   ONE FOR ALL AND ALL FOR ONE  Aşure means one for all and all for one. It’s cooked in appreciation to God and the celebration of diversity and equal...
Post a Comment
Read more

The finest coffee from the caffeine capital of the world

Edited BY G P Kennedy Coffee by Ellie    If you have been following these stories for a while, dear reader, you already know that I have mentioned coffee in several of my coronavirus reports. That is because coffee  is not just an important drink or ritual in Italy but an essential item, too. A marker of life, social standing and measure of sophistication even.    Since coffee shops were closed during the lockdown, coffee was necessary sustenance that often went unfulfilled. Since we didn't make coffee at home (long story), we resorted to tea. And you might remember that once the prohibition was lifted, coffee shop bonanza opened and we could flock to the so called "bars" (that is, coffee shops), we were utterly disappointed to discover that coffee was now served in reusable cups. Blame it on the prohibition to stay inside. Luckily, it was only temporary.    So, the irony is, once the clouds of the lockdown were lifted, we actu...
Post a Comment
Read more