Askoli village, 8 august 2022.
@haibatlucky
Askoli is the lastvillage before wild region of Gilgit-Baltistan natural park, famous to have many of the the most beautiful mountains on this planet: Baltoro valley, in which, after some walking days, you can get in touch with K2, Masherbrum, Gasherbrum, Broad Peak, Chogolisa and many other mountains, of which I have been talked a lot in many of my previous (and future) post.
Askoli is a very small village, where we stay two nights, before starting trekking.
Here people are very kind and hard workers. They live in touch with a great nature. Hospitality is strong, and I feel like at home.
The first day, I met @haibatlucky, and he, with his friends, took me for a tour. We visit the museum, the fields of peas and wheat, the amazing panorama of the valley, and he invited me at his home, with his family.
They offered me tea with biscuits.
I know I have already written this pakistani proverb in an another post, but I like to write it again: "when you share the first cup of tea you're a stranger, with the second cup you are a friend, and with the third cup you become family".
Here Haibat, me, and his small brother behind:
And here with his father:
I felt like at home here and we talked about the village and his study at the college in Skardu. He likes plants and biology, and he wishes to be doctor.
Family has been very kind. Father stayed in silence near the fire, he didn't speak English language. The mother appeared and disappeared suddenly.
Small brother was proud to show me his school report:
Sociality has a great value here, and it is the normality. I have asked Haibat who was the man living there with them, I thought he was the grandfather, but he replied to me he is a poor man, almost blind, who lives with the family:
In our society he would be alone in a retirement home, here he has a family, and I feel happiness in your face, and an happines that we have forgotten in our society in Europe, maybe we have more things and opportunity, and a more apparently welfare, but we leak of affection actions, and with a growing loneliness. Are more important money or love and help for each other? I know the answer.
After the tea Haibat took me to visit fields nearby the village. The place was like a big terrace on the valley. Many boys and children were running to these fields, to watch a landslide from the glacier on the highest mountain and glacier just above and in front of the village:
Here the landslide from the seracs above, creating a great fall of water in the river downside, with a loud sound amplified by the large valley:
After, we took some pies together with family and friends:
Finally, we went to the mosque:
And showed me some plants and berries used here to heal people.
This berry is against hepatitis:
and the leaf of this plant is used to heal bones pain:
Sunset was coming, I came back to my tent, but with a new friend.
Returned in Italy, I kept in touch and I'm teaching @haibatlucky to use Hive.
Hive is a bit complex, and he is not very confident with Hive rules at now, he has done some mistakes (as all of us at the beginning), but he is learning quickly and he trusts this social, so if you have read my post till here, give an hand to him, reading his story, let him grow and find new friends! Feel free to help him with friendship and advice, he is a very good boy!
About Askoli, I think this village is the place neareast to paradise where I have been in my travel.
Pictures taken with Sony Alpha 7iii and Nikon D800
i really like how they all looks lovely and happy together!!
the landscape of the mountains are really impresive
💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💖💖💖💖💞💞💞💞💞💞💖💖💖💞💞💞💞💞
This two men belongs to our village very nice picture
Mesmerizing country, Pakistan. And your stunning photos do it justice.
Traveling Pakistan by motorcycle and hiking to the Nanga Parbat basecamp is one of my dreams. I now have many questions for you, but I'll have to check your other posts first, maybe they're already answered. Cheers, man!
thank you! Wow, I have been on Fairy Meadows, under Nanga Parbat, but not to Nanaga Parbat base camp. Road to Fairy Meadows is very dangerous, but landscape is wonderful! If you want any information tell me, I have travelled Karakorum highway two times also. Road now are better than 17 years ago, but the road to Nanga, as I said, is a white road without protection, not safe but possible to do with an offroad motorbike