Friendly female faces

A lot of Shai shenanigans during the night, but we slept well. They were chanting in a mournful way till dawn,

Off out at 9 in bus for a lift up as far as possible towards the fort, then a 400m steep climb. We were pleased we did it no bother as 8000ft. The fort was very interesting. Dated 700 years ago. New bits added late 1800,s. V low doors - people small, made it hard for intruders, and bowing a mark of respect. The last emir left in 1950s to build a more modern palace in town, and it fell into disrepair until money from Aga Khan, and various govts was provided for restoration. This was completed in Sept 1996, but an earthquake in 2005 caused damage and it is still being repaired. We saw the grain store hole in the floor, and jewel store behind the wife’s bed. Old pans like we had at Whitton when we had the coal fire grate.

On the way down we saw a lovely old wooden structure, carved, and Irfan went in to ask the owner if we could go up to look at it. It had the swastika shapes. He was an old 74 but had excellent English. His grandfather had brought the carved wood bits from somewhere else.

After a hang about for people to buy stuff we started a walk along the levada-type irrigation channels. We met nice people - the women and girls were happy to chat, one was taking home a got of wool, another was doing tapestry, some girls were collecting walnuts and one girl was sitting on a higher wall. She shouted down “hello, are you eating apples?” She ran along to the tree and threw me down some which a little girl passing by caught in her tunic, after I’d missed the catch! We wound our way round the channels then got to a gorge which we crossed then wound round some more till we reached a house in a nice garden. It was Irfan’s family’s. He has 4 younger brothers, and a son there, plus daughters in law and children. Some live in Islamabad and are here for the holiday. The young girls brought out a great spread of chips, pakoras, pancakes and apples and a fruit that’s a cross between apple and pear. It was lovely. I had a chat with the youngest daughter in law, specially chosen by Irfan. She has a degree in economics and had a job in Islamabad and is now moved here as her husband is a director of administration at the govt here. She’s not sure about living here, especially in winter, as she loves the city. She says it and Lahore are quite liberal.

It was a long hot walk. It was a great walk with fabulous views to Rakaposki and the other mountains. However it was tiring walking on the dusty sandy tracks in such heat.

Back at the Hunza Embassy Hotel about 2.30 and got bags taken down, a quick wash and we were off up the 7km to the next hotel, The Eagle’s Nest, 800 m from the valley floor. A room with a balcony looking down the valley. So pretty though a bit dusty with flies buzzing about.

All the phones and WiFi have been cut off the whole day because of the Shia flagellations. So that they can’t contact each other to cause trouble we have been told.