Spring Break 2016 has started off a bit rough. Trip cancelled, Lahore had a suicide bombing, and a brother's motorcycle accident. Rick is fine and we're all safe, so in the big picture we are grateful. But unpacking clean clothes can nearly bring one to tears.
Our spring break started out fine: 9am departure from school to Islamabad so that we could fly out the next day to Skardu from the Benazir Bhutto International Airport. We had a nice lunch at the Serena Hotel, where the Iranian president Hassan Rouhani was also staying. Then an even nicer dinner at La Maison, a French restaurant that not only had cheese and wine from France, but also a cute puppy named Nancy, an aviary from which Talula accidentally released a quail and an owner generous with his Easter candy. The next morning we groggily headed to the airport for the more adventurous and much colder focus of our trip- Skardu.
Due to either snow conditions or mechanical issues with the airplane (we never had clear confirmation), we would not be able to fly until several days later. Obviously this would not allow for enough time any longer. So all we accomplished were the annoyances of travel- long drives along familiar territory for the destination only, too-short stays at nice hotels in which we even sacrificed the wonderful looking free breakfast, and the check-in and wait at the airport- with none of the excitement.
Here is where we were supposed to go and stay:
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| Khaplu Palace |
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| Shigar Fort |
This is where we'll be spending some time instead:
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| view from back terrace at home in Lahore |
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| view from side terrace |
We did manage a few pictures at the hotel on Saturday afternoon.
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| checking out the hotel grounds while waiting for a late lunch |
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| Anastasia, the big girl, who did cry at the airport when she understood our situation to the jealousy of most of the adults who also wanted to cry |
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| sweet sisters |
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| nice blooms |
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| a happy girl with pollen on her nose |
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| What's sadder than an unused boarding pass? |
A few other photos from happier times- Easter at our house on Pakistan Day (we had school off on Wednesday and decided to seize the moment for some fun) and my goodies brought home from Space Camp.
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| just before the search |
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| the loot |
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| an Anastasia design and creation for Easter |
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| gifts to myself from Turkey: scarf, necklace, Pope Francis rosary case |
Here's hoping this post serves its cathartic purpose.
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