Lahore is about 30 minutes by local bus from Wagah. Lahore is a rather large city of over 5 million. Being cosmopolitan, it was not hard to find many a woman without any head cover, wearing jeans, and sporting sunglasses. Lahore is clearly one of Pakistan’s more open cities.
ワガからローカルバスに乗って約30キロ離れたラホールへ。ラホールは人口500万人を超える大都市。スカーフで頭を隠さず、ジーンズにサングラスで颯爽と歩く女性も見かけた。パキスタンの中でも「開けた」都市らしい。
We decided to stay at the place in Lahore where “all the backpackers” stay: the Regale Internet Inn. And to be sure the place is overflowing with backpackers, given that it has all the backpacker essentials-cheap beds, Internet access, a kitchen, washing machine, and more a very knowledgeable owner who often takes guests out to cultural events. All kinds of p
as well as people going our way to China-it is a great place to exchange information. Lots of interesting characters here, many falling into the meditation and yoga-liking range. On the downside, the building itself is a dump. There is no power generator, so when the power goes out (which it does every other hour or so) you are left to sweat in the dark. Very unpleasant in plus 40 degree weather. Also, there are only a couple of private rooms, and the “dormitory” rooms are simply large rooms with beds crammed right next to each other. There is absolutely no privacy, and the dorms are mixed sex. More, while we were there drainage water from the washing machine on the roof was leaking right into the dorm room below. Conversely, when the power goes out, all water stops-even cold water (think shower time).
宿は、ラホールを訪れる「全ての」バックパッカーが集まると言われているRegale Internet Innに泊まることにした。ネットもあり、自炊ができるキッチンもあり、洗濯機もあり、オーナーが地元の文化的なイベントに連れて行ってくれる、しかも安い、ということで世界中のバックパッカーに大人気。実際、この小さな宿にはいろいろな国の人が宿泊していた。イランや中国からパキスタンに入り、これからインドに向かうドイツ人もいれば、私達のようにこれからパキスタンを通って中国に向かう日本人などなど・・・。なので旅の情報交換にはもってこいの場所。朝になると、瞑想にふける人などなかなか濃い人が多くて面白い。ただ、宿泊施設としてはちょっと・・・。自家発電器がないので、停電になると扇風機も回らず、暗闇で汗だくになりながらひたすら電気が戻ってくるのを待つしかないし、個室が満室だったのでドミトリーに泊まったけど、大部屋にベッドをずらりと並べただけの部屋でプライバシーなど皆無（しかも男女混合）。宿泊中には大規模な水漏れがあり、下の階の部屋は水浸し。逆に水が全く出なくなり、シャワーどころか手も洗えなかったりした。
Typical Lahore Street/ラホールの典型的な道
Typical Lahore Food/ラホールの典型的な食べ物
A typical Lahore Man/ラホールの非典型的なおじさん
Speaking of bad air, as bad as Delhi is, it has nothing on Lahore, nor is Lahore beat in terms of heat: every day was plus 40 degrees. What this all came down to for us after Delhi was a physical beat down, such that we restricted ourselves to only the most famous sites.
ちなみに、ラホールはデリーに勝るとも劣らず空気汚染がひどく、気温も40度超。上で書いたとおりホテルも快適とは言えなかったので、デリー以降衰弱気味の私達にとっては体力的にさらに衰弱。体力の限界までがんばる気力もなく、名所巡りも必要最小限となってしまったのは言うまでもない。
Badshahi Mosque/バドシャヒモスク
One of the most important things to see in Lahore is the 1673 Badshahi Mosque (one of the largest in the world), and we went there by autoricksaw. We mention this because we couldn’t help but think that these ubiquitous black/purple plume-spewing rickshaws are not one of the root causes of the horrid pollution in Lahore. It is so bad
that you need to cover your nose and mouth in order physically to stand the journey. The mosque is a Mughal empire era building, and as such is an amazing architectural achievement. Upon entering the mosque, we were called upon by a guy identifying himself as a guide who proceeded to lament the low number of foreign tourists coming to Pakistan as it meant a dearth of work for him. Without being asked, the guide went on to take us around and provide explanations for various aspects of the mosque. We, having just come from India, feared that he was soon going to ask for money and were looking for any opening to refuse the guide’s services. But it turned out that we had nothing to fear for the guy was just being nice and disappeared without any request of any kind. Leaving the mosque we were again called on, this time from a different person. Again we feared a hidden agenda, and yet again our India-induced prejudices had gotten the better of us. Turned out that the guy was simply a food fanatic who was looking for some information on Japanese food. Indeed, after teaching us some of his favourite recipes, he too was off with nothing but wishes of good luck to us. Unlike India where small frauds are the order of the day, in Pakistan there is not the same need to be always on your guard against being taken. On the contrary, you cannot help but be moved by the genuine warm welcome Pakistanis offer to foreigners. What a nice surprise after India!
おそらく空気汚染の根源と思われる、真っ黒い排気ガスを吐きながら走るオートリクシャに乗って行ったのが、世界最大級のバドシャヒモスク。ムガル帝国時代のモスクで、とにかく巨大で美しい。モスクに入ると、ガイドと名乗る男性から声をかけられた。彼はパキスタンを訪れる外国人観光客が減り、仕事がないと嘆いていた。彼は頼んでいないのにモスクについて色々と説明してくれたので、インドから出たばかりの私達は「絶対この人お金を請求してくるぞ」と恐れ、断るチャンスを狙っていたが、結局彼は全くお金を請求することなく行ってしまった。モスクを出ると、今度は別の男性に声をかけられた。インドを出たばかりの私たちは、「この人、絶対なにか下心があるぞ」と恐れ、構えていたが、料理好きの彼は日本食について質問してきたり、得意な料理の話をした後、何も要求せずに行ってしまった。ちなみに、彼は酢豚（パキスタン人はイスラム教徒なので豚肉は食べない。なので正確には「酢鶏」）の作り方をこんこんと説明。まさかパキスタン人にモスクで酢豚の作り方を教わるとはおもわなんだ。
インドでは小さな詐欺が日常茶飯事で、毎日騙されまいと肩肘張っていたけれど、パキスタンではそんなに構えなくてもいいみたい。逆に、パキスタン人の外国人への歓迎ぶりと親切心には感動さえ覚えるほど。
Pakistanis: always ready with a smile/いつも笑顔のパキスタン人