Taxila

A colleague and I drove out to Taxila, site of an ancient Buddhist/Greek/Parthian/Scythian/etc., etc. civilization, dating from the 6th century BC. I went on line to learn more about it, but the UNESCO World Heritage site was the best I could do, and it was annoyingly coy.

Though it is a world heritage site and quite extensive, it isn't much to look at. The best pieces have been carted off to the Taxila museum, leaving only broken stone walls and a few stupas with carvings no more than eight inches high. But, the Buddhas and other carvings in the museum were stunning, and I particularly enjoyed the display of ancient childrens' toys -- terracotta animals pulling terracotta chariots with wheels that actually turned.

We visited three of ruined Buddhist monasteries: Dharmarajika, Mohra Moradu, and Jaulian. At each we were greeted by official guides demanding baksheesh, which we ended up paying as we had little choice. The curator at the museum was most adept in his demands, barricading us inside the gold room until we paid up. When my colleague's tribute wasn't enough and he showed his empty pockets, the man whined that he'd like an "American" pen. I offered my Pakistani ballpoint, but he turned his nose up at it, and we left.

At Dharmarajika, the first person we encountered was a palsied old man selling replicas of the stone carvings. His hands shook so bad I felt I had to take the tiny carvings before he dropped them, and I ended up buying two stone Buddhas I don't need just because I felt bad for him. I confirmed that these were replicas, as I don't want to be arrested at the airport for smuggling antiquities, and he assured me they were... but he had some real ones if I'd prefer them instead. Er, no. Men selling these knicknacks were at the other two sites as well, so I feel reassured that I will not be tossed to the ground and cuffed by zealous customs inspectors as I pass through the Islamabad Airport this week.