Local traditions and culture in Pakistan

I don't think I saw a single truck in the whole of Pakistan that wasn't decorated to some extent. Most of them are gorgeously painted in a variety of eye-searing colours, and often have huge overhanging canopies over the cab, which must add lots of weight not to mention drag - and then there's the vast quantities of scrap metal, formed into chains of decorative symbols, dangling from the rear bumper; these create a cacophany of jangling, and not infrequently set off sparks from the friction with the road! Look closer and you'll see that the doors of the cab are actually elaborately carved wood as well.

The vehicles are frequently the old English Bedford-style truck, and are a real icon of Pakistan's roads.

We were told not long after arrival in Pakistan that we should both wear shalwar kameez! Shorts are definitely not a good thing to wear, for men or women, and skirts, even long ones, make climbing in and out of tuk-tuks quite tricky (tuk tuk floors are a lot higher in Pakistan than in India I noticed!).

We both finally bought shalwar kameez in Rawalpindi, where there are lots of shops and market stalls, and we did find them very comfortable and useful for the rest of our stay in Pakistan. The dupatta is handy for women when you go somewhere where you need to cover your head, like a mosque.

Thanks, Besal!

I used to sign Death Certificates in Washington State for seven years and sometimes talk to funeral directors. They sometimes tell me that they are embalming the body because the family wants to be buried in Vietnam or in the Philippines, etc. These are regulated by county because of Public Health- human remains should be embalmed or buried at a certain period of time...

State laws differ but over here, there is a tax, however, of transporting human remains. If a family is from King County and they wanted to bury the dead in Pierce County. The tax is only one dollar but it adds up when you transmit the body to several counties...

Segregation of the sexes is much more prominent in Pakistan than in neighboring India. If you're coming straight over the Wagha border, you may find the gender separation a relief after battling unruly mixed crowds in any major Indian city. In Pakistan, you can expect ladies only seats on the bus and ladies lines at ticket counters. This is especially helpful as people usually push and shove while trying to get the counter. The ladies may be more vicious than the men sometimes, especially when it comes to buffet dinners, but generally standing with ladies is more comfortable. At some places, like the post office, the majority of the customers are men. This is great for women, as we can walk right up to the front of the ladies line while twenty men are standing in the queue.

On public buses, ladies should always get seats in the front near the driver. Most restaurants, excluding high end ones, will have a separate "family section" for women and children. You may find this family section to be slightly dingier and filled with screaming babies, but ultimately its better than being ogled at while the surrounding men drool over scantily clad Bollywood superstars. In the Northern Areas or NWFP, the "family section" may in actuality be a room in a hotel. You may languish in a cramped dank room while the men get to sit outside overlooking a waterfall. Being a lady brings many advantages in Pakistan, but it also has its disadvantages.

Read more tips here:

Tips for Women Travelers in Pakistan

If you've been invited to a Pakistani wedding, you may be wondering how people can celebrate for three or four days continuously. Here's what you can expect when attending a Pakistani wedding.

Mayun and Mehndi

Couples may or may not choose to celebrate mayun, which usually takes place the day before the mehndi. The mehndi celebration is by the far the most exciting of all the wedding functions. The choreographed dancing you see in Bollywood movies resembles what happens on mehdni. Some conservatives families may not allow dancing or may have men and women dancing in separate locales, but usually mehndi amounts to a frenzy of dancing into the wee hours of the night.

The groom tends to dance around with his guy friends, while the bride sits somberly on a bench or in chair. Guests feed the bride and groom sweets, rub oil on their foreheads, and pray for their blessing. Everyone takes the same posed photo with the bride and groom. Although the government tried to ban the serving of food at wedding functions, I've never attended a wedding where there were not generous servings of food. The bride's family hosts the party and welcomes the groom's party by throwing rose petals on them when they arrive.

Barat

This is day when the bride and groom usually sign their marriage agreement in the mosque or church. The bride's family again hosts the party, and the start of the barat is usually hours later than has been signified on the invitation. If you show up on time, you'll probably be the only one there. Everyone stands or sits around gossiping waiting for the bride to finish her make-up and hair and get herself to the party. If the event starts at 7, the bride may arrive at 10, or even midnight. The groom may arrive riding on a white horse, which is a great photo opportunity.

Continue reading and see wedding photos here:

What to Expect at a Pakistani Wedding

In American culture and many other Western cultures, staring is considered very rude. My fellow travelers, be ready for the stares in Pakistan! They are very curious people and interested in things that are different. Although they do have some tourists, due to the political instability, they do not see many foreigners, and they find foreigners to be very intriguing. I happen to be very white with red hair, and I felt like a cross between a freak and a celebrity. Please do not take these stares as you are unwelcome. No, just remember, in Pakistani culture, it is not rude to stare and try your best to ignore them.

Hello.

Its customary to gift money in marriage ceremonies. Go to a bank or money exchange and have the US D cashed in PK Rupees. I would say the proper amount to give would be about 1,000 to 3,000 Rs. as a gift. But it would be best for you to gift 1,000 Rs. to the bride and groom at the actual ceremony day. Then give 500 or 1,000 Rs. to the woman or man of the house which you are staying you can give it to them when you are sitting together talking as is proper. Throughout the stay, offer to buy them a dinner outside, ice cream, or some refreshments. And before leaving you may again give the bride or groom another 1,000 Rs. under the table as a blessing to their marriage. Its very customary and very proper to give this way.

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Thousands of kite lovers celebrate the famous and traditional Bassant Festival in Lahore by flying kites, battling kites in the skies for air superiority, wearing colorful clothes, arranging parties and musical shows.

Public parks and rooftops get crowded with revellers. Hundreds of thousands of kites make it to the air and people use their expertise with threads and moves to cut others' strings. Each time a kite is cut, the winners' party goes wild.

The bassant marks the beginning of the month long Jashan-e-Baharan (Spring Festival) in Lahore that includes Horse and Cattle show, cultural shows, sports events, fruites and flowers exhibitions, music shows and lots of related entertainment.

Thousands of visitors from within the country and abroad reach Lahore to celebrate the function.

In the pictures, young Pakistani women dance to the beat of a drum during the colourful spring festival locally known as 'bassant' in Lahore (courtesy: Arif Ali, AFP) and the colorful kites await customers (courtesy: Arif Ali, AFP).