Sunflower fields line the historic Grand Trunk (GT) Road, near my sister and brother-in-law's property in Mian Channu, on the road towards Sahiwal, formerly Montgomery, Pakistan.

My siblings and I were born in Montgomery in the 1960s and spent our early years with our parents making road trips to Lahore from Montgomery, Renala Khurd, and other towns in the area.

The last time I was on this road was with my Father, soon after my Mom had passed away in 1992.

I passed again, taking the same trip, thinking of both of them, after the passing of my father, end of December 2008.

Many tears, many smiles, many deep thoughts and beautiful memories accompanied me on this drive past a once familiar, then distant, but always close to heart area.

© 2009 IMRAN
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The Nikon D300 DSLR was able to capture this zoomed photo through the rolled up rear window of a car taking me to Lahore on a dusty Sargodha, Pakistan, road at about 80 kmph/50 mph. I changed the speed settings for the shots I took that day. These were taken at 1/3200 to 1/4000 seconds.

I hope to make a road trip through my country of birth one day, capturing scenes like this at liesure.

References to my favorite Pink Floyd song aside, the brick kilns are a primitive industry in which time has stood still, like the smoke barely floating above the chimney. Generations of poor people work there, and I believe the scourge of bonded or indentured labor still may exist in some areas.

It used to be kilns like this near Lahore that I used to go pick out brick lots for my home under construction in the early 1980s in Lahore.

© 2009 IMRAN
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All puns intended. ;-) This is one of Lahore's, even Pakistan's, best known icons. The Mughal era Baadshahi (King's) Masjid was the world's largest Mosque for centuries (also neighboring the historic red light district!). Though another mosque may fit more people, nothing compares to the majesty, and architectural wonder of this mosque, especially when visited in conjunction with the adjoining Lahore Fort. We managed to visit it with the privilege of all visitors having already gone late at night.

Unfortunately, lacking a tripod, the pictures taken inside did not come out very good. But, compare the shot above with a night photo taken in New York at night.

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© 2009 IMRAN
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Hot Lahore summer day, clouds on the horizon did not bring rain on the first day of Ramzan/Ramadan. Too bad there was no way to take this picture and avoid Zardari's mug in the background while driving home from the PIA office.

© Imran Anwar

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The Summit Minar (Tower/Monument) built in the time of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, then Prime Minister of Pakistan, after the Islamic Summit in 1974 or so, if I recall correctly. He was hanged (judicial murder) by dictator Zia-ul-Haq a few years later. Would make a good spot to hang dictators and crooked politicians. Pay Per View anyone?

© Imran Anwar
© IMRAN 2008
Web: www.imran.com
Blog: www.imran.com/media/blog/
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