According to Best-medical-schools, Pakistan has its own ancient and very rich history, in which many civilizations, cultures and religions have been replaced for many millennia. In every region of the country you can visit and see interesting sights – from ancient thousand-year-old monuments to unique national parks with picturesque nature. Acquaintance with Pakistan should begin with its capital – Islamabad. This is a modern city with a developed infrastructure, where you can see a lot of interesting things. There is a huge man-made Ravalskoe Lake, around which there is a real park with paths, alleys and clearings for picnics. You can also visit Simpli Lake, where people go boating and water skiing. In the vicinity of the capital, there is the Daman-e-Koch hill, where there are many terraces and observation platforms built specifically for so that you can admire the breathtaking view of the southern districts of Islamabad. You should definitely visit the famous Rose and Jasmine Garden, which is famous for the fact that an incredible number of roses and other beautiful flowers are planted here every spring. Among other cities in Pakistan, Karachi stands out, being the largest in the country. Karachi is Pakistan’s largest seaport; from 1947 to 1959, the country’s capital was located here. Karachi is now the capital of the province of Sindh. In Karachi, you can visit the very beautiful Mausoleum of Kuaidi Azam, dedicated to the founder of the country. The Mosque of the Society for National Protection, whose dome is considered the largest in the world, is unusually beautiful and spectacular. You can also see the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity and the Church of St. Andrew, left in Karachi from the time of the British colonial rule. The Towers of Silence, where the Zoroastrians once left their dead for the vultures to clean the remains from the flesh, also make an extraordinary impression. In Karachi, you should definitely visit the central district of the city of Saddar, which will help you understand the spirit of the real East. At the local noisy and bustling bazaar, you can buy beautiful oriental carpets, fur and leather products, snakeskin handbags and wallets, and various picturesque handicrafts of local artisans. While in Pakistan, you should definitely visit the Mohenjo-daro Archaeological Museum, a monument of an ancient civilization that arose in the Indus Valley. Archaeologists claim that the city of Mohenjo-Daro was built in 2600 BC, which means that it can compete in its antiquity with the civilizations of ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia. Another unique feature of Pakistan is the abundance of national parks. The country has 14 parks, many of which are located very close to large cities. About a hundred kilometers from Multan, Pakistan’s sixth largest city, is the Lal Suhanra National Park. Here you can see 3 different ecosystems at once: lakes, meadows and desert. About 500 black antelopes live here, considered the most beautiful among their species, and many lions are also found here. To the east of the park are ancient abandoned fortresses, once built by the nomads of Cholistan. In the vicinity of the capital of Pakistan, there is another impressive park – Margalla Hills. Leopards, macaques, wild boars, mountain goats are found here. The park is so huge that it may not be enough for a whole day to explore. Another attraction of the country is Punjab, an ancient region with a rich history and culture. It is better to start acquaintance with the province from the city of Bahawalpur, from where you can go to the Cholistan region, where tribes of warlike nomads once lived. From here you can also drive to Harappa, where there are also the remains of ancient cities recognized by archaeologists as the second center of the ancient Indus civilization. In the northwest of Pakistan is Peshawar, a city known throughout Asia. In the Old City of Peshawar, there is a famous bazaar, considered the largest in all of South Asia. Having been here, you will be able to fully taste all the flavor and unusual originality of the oriental market.
National cuisine of Pakistan
Traditional Pakistani cuisine has many similarities with the culinary areas of northern India. At the same time, the influence of the cuisine of Iran and the Middle East affected the traditions of cooking. Such a powerful cultural impact is the reason why in Pakistani cuisine one can trace an amazing variety in recipes and methods of preparing the same dishes. But there is one thing in common in Pakistani cuisine – the locals refrain from consuming pork, and all dishes are in strict observance of Halal, the canonical Islamic prescriptions for cooking. Among the street snacks served in Pakistani cities, lamb or poultry grilled on coals or in a clay oven (“tikka”, “samosa”), served wrapped in a flatbread or on a plate with rice and salad, is popular. Very popular are various types of shish kebabs (“shish-kebab”, “shami-kebab”), boiled lamb served with spices and cottage cheese (“dam-paht”), stew of lentils and meat with spices (“halim”). You should definitely try the dish “Kashia” (marinated lamb fried in oil with spices), which is usually prepared in Kashmir. Varieties of khandi-sag (variations of meat stewed in pots with the addition of spices, herbs, ghee or cottage cheese) are very popular. A very significant place in Pakistani cuisine is occupied by rice, which is consumed both separately (boiled or fried), and as an ingredient in complex dishes. All kinds of vegetable salads are very tasty, which are often prepared according to unusual recipes. It is worth trying “bainga-ka-rait” (eggplant with yogurt), “kadu-ka-salan” (pumpkin cooked with tomato-onion sauce), “shabdek” (mashed meat and turnips). The composition of many salads necessarily includes legumes and rice, which gives their taste an unusual piquancy. Desserts prepared according to Pakistani recipes will make you remember the tales of oriental sweets. They know how to cook “burfi” from ordinary milk, very tasty “mitai” (sweets made from syrup, milk and flour), “halva” (made from eggs, nuts, cream and carrots), as well as many dozens of varieties of sweet pies, sherbets, biscuits and cakes. The national drink in Pakistan is tea, which is drunk here very strong, adding milk, a lot of sugar and various spices. During the hot season, they drink “lassi” (a drink similar to yogurt), “nariyal-ka-dud (a drink made from coconut milk) and fruit drinks. Of the traditional alcoholic drinks in Pakistan, “arak” is found, but you need to remember that the use of alcohol is not at all welcome here, and public drinking of alcohol is even considered illegal. Alcoholic drinks, popular in Europe, are practically not found on sale here, and you can buy them only in special bars or expensive hotels.
Transport
The transport infrastructure in the country is developed at a high level. Pakistan has an extensive network of rail and road routes, which began to be built by the British at the time when the country was part of British India. The total length of the country’s railways reaches 8,000 km, which are operated by the state-owned Pakistan Railways. The country also has a huge number of roads, the total length of which reaches 250,000 km. Approximately 60% of all roads in the country are paved. Bus service between cities is carried out around the clock. The cities of Pakistan have several types of transport links. In the city of Karachi, there is a metro built back in the 40s of the 20th century. By 2020, the authorities promise to launch a subway in the city of Lahore. Buses are very popular in cities, which contain both public and private carriers. From personal transport in Pakistani cities, small scooters called “tuk-tuks” are very popular. It is better for foreigners to travel in cities by taxi, which, as a rule, is yellow in color.
