Walking in Lahore

The artificial borders drawn in 1947 not only gave birth to Pakistan, but also separated countless families with an iron gate and sowed the seeds of trouble for decades. For years, the tall and strong soldiers of the two countries have been kicking their legs on their respective territories every day. Although it is amusing, it is not fun at all for the people of India and Pakistan. When wandering around the Lahore Fort and the Badshahi Mosque, once you agree to take a photo with someone, you should be mentally prepared to never be alone again (crying bee emoji). They will keep asking for photos non-stop, giving you no chance to breathe. The only photos of the fort and mosque I have were taken on my second visit. The first time I went to Lahore, I stayed at the Pearl Continental. I don't know if it was good luck or the situation was stable at the time, but there were no security requirements to leave the hotel. However, the second time I stayed at the Four Points, just minutes after checking in and going out to take a taxi to meet a friend, the security at the door demanded that I report to the police and they would assign a bodyguard before I could leave. WTF I have to complain about the Pakistani concept of time. The night before, I repeatedly reminded them that we needed to leave at nine o'clock in the morning. However, the police assigned to us didn't show up until almost eleven o'clock, by which time it was incredibly hot. It happened to be the weekend, and the fort and mosque were crowded with people. With two policemen carrying guns, one in front and one behind, we few Chinese felt like walking targets (crying bee emoji). The point is, after wandering around all day, one of the policemen asked, 'Madam, are you happy today?' I said I was not happy. He took out a translation app and asked for a reward, saying he had protected us all day. I said this was not our request, but their own decision, and they had restricted our freedom. From initially demanding 25,000 rupees to later negotiating down to 5,000 rupees (because the other three friends had to catch a flight to Kabul from Islamabad the next day), we didn't want to cause any trouble, so we gave them the 5,000 rupees. Don't argue about what if something happens, police accompaniment only makes the target bigger. ⚠️ The India-Pakistan flag-lowering ceremony takes place every day, with different times in winter and summer. If you don't want to be followed by the police, make arrangements with the guesthouse owner not to upload your passport. Carry important items close to you and play with your phone less when outside.