This is the main street in Gilgit. The bazaars are all on side streets.
You can see the minaret from the main street mosque. Note the expensive
4x4 vehicles. These are very common up here where the police are not likely
to ask for license and registration. They are all smuggled from Afghanistan
and are essentially illegal imports. |
 This
is the clothing section of the Gilgit bazaar. These are mostly cheap imports
from China, via the Karakoram highway. Most shops are about the size and
shape of a single car garage. Unlock and open the metal rolling door,
and you are ready for business. The clothing is hung from the roof using
a long stick with a nail in the end. |
 This
is the gentleman who sold me my Hunza hat. He gave me a series of different
colors. They laughed the loudest at this one, so I knew I had found my
color. As usual, everyone was very happy to post for a photo. |
 While
bouncing down the KKH, the water pump went out on the jeep. Fortunately,
we were near the Willy's Jeep center in Gilgit. This is a large courtyard
with jeeps in various stages of repair. After some gupchupping and examination,
the mechanic spent an hour taking a scary number of parts off the jeep,
removed the water pump, and replaced it with a used one from another engine,
and returned all the parts to their proper place. The jeep started on
the first try, and we were back on the road. Total cost, about $40. |
 This
bridge is one of the few crossing points of the Gilgit River. It is a
narrow suspension bridge that goes into a tunnel on the far side. There
is a guy on top of the bluff with flags telling you to go or wait. |
 This
is the view while driving across the bridge, it is about 8 inches wider
than the jeep, and sways back and forth about 6 feet. It feels like the
jeep has become a boat. |
