This is my second contribution to the 1001 Places To Remember Project by @archisteem !
We arrived to Karimabad in Hunza Valley by bicycle from China!
We had followed the Karakorum Highway through ash grey mountain roads, and when we arrived to Karimabad it was like an oasis in the mountains. Everything was so green and fertile!
We were supposed to be in one of the poorest parts of the world, but this area seemed so rich and lush!
the contrast between grey and green!
The road up to the village was very steep and we were struggling, pushing our bicycles. On the way up we got taken over by two guys on a motorbike. They owned a hotel and wanted us to come to their hotel. We bargained a bit, since we usually stayed in very cheap hotels or got invited to people's houses.
I think they took pity on us, struggling with our bikes and they had no problem with giving us a room in their hotel for 150 Pakistani Rupees a night! (that was around 1€ back then!), so we were not disappointed when we reached the top and got welcomed to a room with this view:
The mountains in this part of the world are so powerful and magical and the air is so fresh and clean! People drank water directly from the melting glaciers, which at first was a bit scary, since this water is grey with little shiny particles, but we tried it, and didn't get sick.. maybe we actually got a bit stronger!
The people here are very very nice too and surprisingly well educated. Allmost everyone spoke English, also the women whom we had difficulties getting contact with in other places. Here we got invited in several times by women who shared so many stories with us!
Their religion here is also special. The majority of people are ismaili muslims, which is a very mild form of Islam. Furthermore they still have a lot of contact with nature and religious practice is a very social activity that binds the community together.
one of the beautiful women who shared their stories with us. She was amazed, though, how we could choose to marry or not. She didn't want to be married, because she didn't want to leave the house of her mother and belong to someone else
Karimabad left a big impression on us, Living underneath those majestic mountains really makes you feel small as a human. Makes it obvious how we are just a small part of nature and that every part of nature is important.
We have to do our part to fit in, and the great mountains are always there to guide us!
The Great Rakaposhi
Karimabad, one of the most beautiful places on Earth!