Beautiful lawn prints. That was my biggest drive behind going to Peshawar. Seeing my Peshawari friends wear those ready-made shirts, which were rapidly finding their way to the stores, I decided to spend a weekend in Peshawar.

The journey from Islamabad to Peshawar is roughly two-and-a-half to three hours long. Your arrival in the city is welcomed by the Fort Bala Hisar, which I was unable to capture with the camera (I was told that stopping the car at that point may not be seen favourably by the security guys).

The Fort is closed off to civilians, and along with all the important buildings that follow, was very heavily guarded. Once you cross the checkpoints, you enter a cantonment, and the beauty of a Cantt area is that it is the same everywhere, so that is one part of all Pakistani cities I have already seen.

Shortly after some rest, we made our way towards Shafi Market, Saddar. We crossed Mall Road on the way and I could not resist taking a picture of the Dawn office, which looked very surreal in that moment.

Dawn Office, Mall Road.

Entering Saddar.

Saddar.

Cloth vendor near Shafi Market.

Cloth vendor near Shafi Market.

A street vendor in Saddar.

Saddar.

Entering Saddar, you will notice the London Book Company, a beautiful little bookshop painted in a blue that you wouldn’t normally appreciate. There is also a haveli situated behind this block of Saddar, which shares its boundaries with a church and a school. You can catch glimpses of it through the gaps between the shops.

London Book Company, Saddar.

Saddar, leaving Shafi Market.

Saddar, main road.

People walking in the rain on the university road.

Hayatabad.

Having parked our vehicle, we headed towards the heart of the market. I would describe this market as a cross between Ichhra and Anarkali in Lahore, but with better variety and prices!

After spending a considerable amount of time picking out bed sheets and shirt pieces and beautiful laces, we started making our way back to the car.

Here is a tip: take someone who speaks Pashto when you go shopping, as the shopkeepers tend to charge Urdu speakers more than normal. In my case, thankfully, my friend’s mother was there to help me with that.

The next morning, we made our way to Islamia College, and what a stunning campus it has.

It was Sunday, so unfortunately, most of the buildings were locked, but my friend’s father arranged for a VIP tour of the place, and I could not have been more grateful.

Islamia College, Peshawar.

Corridor, administrative wing, Islamia College, Peshawar.

Administrative block, Islamia College.

Islamia College, Peshawar.

Islamia College, Peshawar.

It was a treat to be strolling across the magnificent and green campus; from the hostels to the clock tower, to the mini gardens and the grand arches and the gargoyles guarding the rain drains, and on to the many fountains and fairy paths. As luck would have it, it was drizzling that day, so everything appeared lush and refreshing.

Inside the college premises is a white masjid; beautiful and peaceful beyond words. When we went out onto the main lawns, I was told that the building I was viewing was the same one that is printed on Pakistan's thousand-rupee note. The grand architecture demands attentive viewing.

The 1000-rupee note in the foreground with the building it carries in the background.

White Masjid, Islamia College, Peshawar.

One of the many tiny water canals on campus.

Another water canal designed as a seating spot.

Water fountain.

Gargoyle-guarded rain drain.

We also saw the house that my host family had spent a lot of their childhood in, before they all shifted to a new place, and it looked like a scene out of a storybook.

Peshawar is a small city, so I covered most of it in a day, but three things I feel really deserve a mention are:

Central Perk

Jan’s Deli

Charsi Tikka

The first one on that list is just a namesake of the coffeehouse in Friends (the TV show) and other than the board, bears no similarity to it.

Jan’s Deli is a must try. It served as the perfect setting to the rainy night we were about to end.

Charsi Tikka is also a must have. An absolute must. We brought it home and had it for dinner, and it was absolutely scrumptious. For those who grew up in the Middle East, it is a very close relative of the ‘Mishkaak’, which should be reason enough to try it, though the tikka might be much better tasting.

Central Perk.

Central Perk.

Jan's Deli.

'The' Charsi Tikka.

The weekend ended before I could go to the Bara and Sitara Market and all that that part of the city has to offer. Given the kind of stories I hear about the treasures they hold, I can’t wait to spend another weekend in Peshawar.