I happened to be in the lead coming over a hill and was startled to find myself face to face with an armed man. It was just a momentary shock. A lot people hunt here, so carrying a shotgun is no big deal. We smiled, greeted each other, and continued on. The hike gave us good views down on Booni, like the view Brad is enjoying in the pix. We had better views when flying, but on the hill we could stop and gaze as long as we wanted. We saw a fox and watched some kids play cricket. It was a fine day. Here are two particularly good memories:First On the outskirts of the village we met a smiling, mud-spattered man along the path. He's an electrical engineer by profession and was muddy from working on his mill, a water-powered mill which, with the change of a belt, provides power for grinding grain (lots of corn & barley here) or for powering an electric generator. The village is connected to government electricity now, but before that was available his generator supplied electricity for lights for 80 houses. People have more appliances now, including TVs, washing machines, etc., and he supplies supplemental electricity to 8 houses, primarily for heat in winter.
He invited us to have tea. He showed us his 100 y/o house, with its dark apricot wood for the
columns and octagonal ceiling support. We met his sister-in-law, preparing our tea at the outdoor fireplace. With the tea we also had apples and walnuts from his land, and we met his wife, his father, and two nephews. He is Ismaili. He talked about the importance of relationships between people. He also said he doesn’t practice Ramadan fasting. Btw, the tea here isn’t like English tea, but is more like chai. After tea, conversation, and play with the kids we thank them and leave, carrying a gift - two bags of walnuts from his trees.An aside: Booni religious make-up. Most people here are Ismailis, but there’s a sizeable Sunni population. The calls to prayer, broadcast by loudspeakers 5 times, a day are for the Sunnis. Though produce, meat, bread and groceries are sold throughout the day, we don’t see people eating outside (except an occasional child).
Dinner time: Of the two restaurants in town, one is always closed and the other only opens after sunset. We decide to try it. It’s dimly lit, smoky, and has no tables. The 15 – 20 patrons (all men) squat on a large, sturdy, raised platform beside the cooking area. This is also the lobby of the hotel with rooms above. We order dinner. There’s no menu, you just get a plate of
what’s being served. The food (rice, chipotti and a spicy, greasy meat dish) is palatable and relieves my hunger, but doesn’t make me want to come back. Actually, after this meal we decide to do our own cooking from now on. Brad enjoys cooking, even if it's the two burner propane stove on the floor in the kitchen at the hotel. His meals are simple, but tasty and healthy.Maury and Pat: The second good memory While eating we looked up to see an old white man (older and whiter than me) walk slowly down the stairs and go outside. His name is Maury. He’s 74; his wife, Pat, is 72. They’re from New Zealand. Brad met them in Karimabad and recommended Booni for a non-tourist experience. They are retired farmers who take a trip every year, and (being a little heavy and moving with some effort) they don’t look like your average traveler visiting remote areas and staying in “basic” accommodations (as he described it). He said in a minibus they take up the seats of 3 Pakistanis, but they haven’t been charged extra. It’s fun and inspirational to meet such interesting, impressive people.
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