“Give me money!”

I do not wish to generalize, nor state that the people of Islamabad have a particular trate. I’m sure that there are many people who have a wonderful experience here in the city, but I reckon the first words from most peoples mouth was “Give me money!” Not “Hello”, “Hi” or something alongs the line… money without working seems to be the norm.

The only people that treated me with respect were the Suzuki cab drivers, shop keepers and mosque/museum keepers. Anyhow, I spent my first day purchasing my flight outta Islamabad to Skardu, ASAP. At least the PIA office was slightly air conditioned and the staff were kind enough to sell me a overpriced foreigner friendly ticket.

Anyways, the rest of my day was spend checking out the Shah Faisal Mosque which is quite a sight to see. On the other side of Islamabad, the Shakarparian and Pakistan Monument overlooks the city and is also minutes away from the Lok Virsa Museum which displays a good number of traditional handicrafts and artifacts. Anyways, by early afternoon, I’m exhasted and hungry. Oh yes… I’ve arrived during Ramazan which is fine, but not many shops open for business during the day. I head back to my hotel, hoping to get my energy back and be ready to hit the streets when it’s cooler in the evening. Unfortunately, I awake in the middle of the night… Oh well, I reckon that I’ve seen enough of Islamabad anyways.