Monday, November 2, 2009

Reality Check

I just thought that I would shift gears away from NaNo for this post. I hope that it's not too much of a downer. And I warn you that this may again fall into that elusive 'probably of no interest to anyone but Alan' category. But I will jump up on my soapbox again...

I notice in the news yesterday that the 133rd Canadian soldier to be killed in Afghanistan arrived home yesterday. I think that it's really nice that the government offices here still lower the flags to half-mast in remembrance. That may be what has got me on this line of thought today. I donated my bit of money and picked up my poppy yesterday. Remembrance/Veteran's Day is only 9 days away...

I also read in the news today that another suicide bomber attacked a bank in Rawalpindi, Pakistan. It's believed that 35 died there. This follows the attack on October 28 in Peshawar, Pakistan where about 100 died. And the 6 who died in Islamabad on October 20. The article mentioned the last large scale attack in Pakistan was in October 20007 in Karachi when Islamic militants killed about 135 people. I think, though, that in North America and perhaps Europe they would be referred to as Domestic Terrorists. I think, also, what has caught my attention is that I travelled through all of those places back in the fall of 1990.

I don't doubt that there have been hundreds of news stories and blogs on these occurrences debating the issue of whether or not our military should be over there. I think that debate should be left to greater minds than I...

I've probably brought it up on my blog before, or perhaps on the blogs of others, that I was in Pakistan for three weeks back in 1990 as part of an overland trek from London, England to Kathmandu, Nepal (16 weeks in total). It was a wonderful time and I would highly recommend that sort of travel to anybody (as long as you like riding in the back of an old Bedford truck and camping every night). I will attach a few photos below to give you some views of Pakistan in more peaceful, happier times.


At the Rohtas Fort, about 16km NW of Jhelum, Pakistan.

The Shah Faisal Mosque in Islamabad, Pakistan can accommodate 300,000 worshipers

Market along the main street in Murree, Pakistan (one of the locations in the book "A Thousand Splendid Suns," by Khaled Hosseini)

Along the Grand Trunk Road en route to Peshawar, Pakistan.

A little girl in the Jhelum Market. Her father motioned to me while we were driving slowly through the market and wanted me to take her photo. So I did.

10 comments:

BT said...

20007 - forecasting prophecies now... ;c)

Not one to get into politics - I tend to annoy people when I do, so I stay away. Nice photos!

Rebecca Nazar said...

I have very strong political feelings/leanings that I keep close to my chest too. :-)

The photos are wonderful.

Aaron Polson said...

One wonders where that little girl is today. Thanks for the photos; it's important to keep the world in mind.

Sylvia Dickey Smith said...

Great photos. Thanks for sharing. And I was interested in your topic. As a mother, my heart cries for mother's all sides of this situation.

I believe if men felt that fetus growing inside their wombs, and went through the pain and agony of childbirth, and the love of a true mother's heart, our world might have less wars and murders. My feeling. Don't claim it as fact.

Laura Eno said...

You have wonderful memories to keep of a land that may never be the same again.

Laurita said...

I was also wondering about what happened to that little girl. It is sad to know that a place you once visited in peaceful times is now in such turmoil. Makes me glad to live here, and this is a good reminder to never take that for granted.

Alan W. Davidson said...

BT-As they always say, religion and politics...

Becca-Thanks.

Aaron-I had the same thought as I posted the photo.

Sylvia-Well said, and probably true.

Laura-I haven't looked at the photos for a long time and dug them out of a box.

Laurita-Yes, they're having a rough time of it now. Though, it's been a way of life in Afghanistan for a long time. We do take things for granted...all I had to worry about this weekend was getting my son to a cadet function and whether or not our house would get egged by teens on halloween...

EC said...

I find it strange how fast things can change and then sometimes too slow to change.
This sounds like it was the trip of a lifetime - thanks for sharing.

Elspeth Futcher said...

That little girl...who'd be all grown up now. I'm hoping she's fine and away from it all.

Elspeth

Katey said...

I thought I commented on this before, and I see now that I didn't. I loved this post, as I'm sure you know, this being one of my favorite parts of the world. And it's a reminder we can all use. It's far, far too easy to be comfortable, to forget, to think we have problems.