A vendor prepares traditional tea for his customers at his stall in an old neighborhood of Lahore, Pakistan. (AP)

Students walk through a street as they head to their school in an old neighborhood in Lahore, Pakistan. (AP)

People walk past heritage buildings, which are converted into modern restaurants, in an old neighborhood of Lahore, Pakistan. (AP)

Local residents walk through a market in an old neighborhood of Lahore, Pakistan. (AP)

LAHORE, Pakistan, Jan 3, (AP): In Pakistan, an old saying goes: “He who has not seen Lahore has not been born.” To feel its heartbeat, one must wander the city’s winding alleyways that are alive with movement and color. Centuries-old homes were built with small, weathered bricks instead of mud and lean gracefully into the streets, their walls etched with the delicate patterns of history.

Many have been restored, painted with frescoes and motifs, allowing the grandeur of the Mughal era to shine anew. The alleys are narrow, sometimes barely wide enough for one person to pass. But within these tight corridors flows a quiet, enduring rhythm of courtesy, as residents step aside for one another with an unspoken grace. These streets were made for foot traffic, for summer shade, and for defense - narrow passages slowing invading armies. While massive gates like Delhi Gate were once closed at night, today they remain open, welcoming life to flow uninterrupted round the clock.