Good evening

Days are longer and, February has been very mild. The days have been very warm and sunny. The nights, too, aren't freezing cold. We aren't even using the gas heaters at night. 

For the life of me, I can't remember whether February was this mild. 

Major Road and East Service road junction

CDA has been developing this green belt for a while now. The walking paths have been made and cleared. The park has been levelled and swings & slides have been renovated. 

Lots of folks are out and about enjoying the green belt in the evening. 

Portrait of Kavita 

We have arrived at the playground to make some more "30 minute friends"

I saw this kid with the brightest red hair! 

Here's me

See this video: Swing Time

The street with the blue guardhouse on the corner 

I am seriously amazed at the amount of digging, destruction of constructed streets, footpaths is done regularly each time a new cable has to be laid, water pipes have to be replaced. I've been in Islamabad at a stretch for 2 years now and, all I see is constant digging and destruction. 

These are the pipes which are going to be laid

Then we decided to go to F-11 Markaz and hang out there for a bit 

We doodled at Burning Brownie while having our drinks. No heaters at the café, just lots of people 

spending 400-500 on a drink. Kavita's unicorn pen is glowing, you might notice. 

Dyeing! Here, dupattas and suits are being dyed. While fashion is fast and cheap now, the tailoring business is still there and, with it, the other small shops selling lace, fabric, etc. 

Our supermarkets are brimming with imported products. Pakistanis can't do without imported peanut butter, cereals, jams, condiments, fancy teas, cleaning products, you name it. And, then, they don't have prices for anything. People are so rich, they don't need to check the prices. I've also noticed that there are usually more staff than customers in supermarkets like D. Watson and Shaheen. Which was how it is with the big supermarkets in Monrovia, too. They are all just loitering around, almost doing nothing. 

Look at all these lights in Street 55. Probably there's a shaadi. And means gunfire at night.