Islamabad

[Nervous_Dog]

Good Luck Fidel, hope we cross paths soon, maybe in Pakistan!

 

DOG

[teddy]

The_Munchmaster said:

teddy said: I worked out there in the British Embassy for a while and was able to drink at the bar at the Embassy and we were often invited to the Aussie, French Embassies etc. and also the United Nations bar, had a few laughs but most of the people there were total wankers.

So what made you decide on the change of career path from the diplomatic corp to construction accounting?

 

Construction Economics, not accounting you dipstick. Someone has to build the Embassies. In the case of the Islamabad Embassy they had to build an extension to the visa section so they could process more and more visas for immigration to UK. It made me so mad looking at all those smelly goat farmers who couldn't speak a word of English queing up for a free ticket to a life in UK funded by the taxpayer.

:banghead: :cussing: :cussing: :cussing:

[candyfloss]

Teddy - you are not a taxpayer.

[The_Munchmaster]

candyfloss said: Teddy - you are not a taxpayer.

Is he British?

[Kite_Flyer]

Fidel,

 

I haven't been to Pakistan for a bit over a year so some of what follows may be out of date.

 

In my experience the opportunites for sanuk outside the ex-pat community are pretty limited. I have always stayed at the Islamabad Marriott when in Islamabad (except for a few days after it was bombed). There is a bar called the Bassment in the Marriott which serves a very limited range of alcohol when it is open. Guessing when it would be open was the hard part. They don't check to see if you're a hotel guest so you can just wander in.

 

The local beer, Murray Classic, is disgusting. I was there during Ramadan in 2004 and all the bar had to serve was Murray. Myself and my friend has two 600ml cans each and the next day we both had diarrhea and projectile vomiting. We then held off until until they bought Heineken in after the end of Ramadan.

 

Locally distilled spirits are also available for consumption in your room in the Marriott. They all taste much the same and are low end products.

 

I made enquiries about the UN Club but at the time you needed to put up a joiner's fee of US $150 and needed to be nominated. This would be worth pursuing if you're there for an extended period.

 

My English colleague made enquires about the British Club and was told that he could apply but would have to be put up before the committee and this would take some time.

 

There is also a place called the Chinese Club. It is NOT associated with the Chinese Embassy so don't go knocking on their door by mistake. The Chinese Club had a bar downstairs which served a limited range of beers, spirits and wine. Prices were reasonable. They had a restaurant upstairs and also had a small number of girls available (mainly Eastern European I believe).

 

There was also an Italian restaurant called La Luna which served beer and wine.

 

On the positive side the Pakistanis have some great sweet dishes. There's a strip of shops in the Blue zone (I forget where) that specialise in making these dishes. From memory one was called Jamal something. Worth visiting.

 

The great mosque is also worth visiting. A very impressive building.

 

Good luck with your time there. It drove me mad each time I went there and I'd work long hours 7 days a week so I could get out earlier.