Ali Abbas, 27, sits proudly for a photograph on a mock up of the Iron Throne.
A diehard Pakistani Game of Thrones fan, he says it is a "treat" to visit the cafe inspired by the hit American television series in the suburbs of Islamabad.
The restaurant, aptly named King's Landing, was launched in January by four college friends who were surprised to see fans coming in with their families, despite the sometimes very violent and explicit nature of the series.
Abbas, on holiday from eastern Lahore, is surrounded by heraldic banners, dragon eggs and a menu that features homages such as 'Cersei's Vanilla Poison' — a toast to the evil sovereign of Westeros.
Meanwhile in a tavern-like basement, a screen displays gory, blood-stained combat scenes and autopsies.
Abbas says he is thrilled to see it all "with my own eyes".
"I'm here on vacation so when I came to know about this cafe, so I thought that I should visit it because I've been following the show since the very start … it's a great experience," he told AFP.
The fantasy medieval saga produced by US cable network HBO tells the struggle of several families to conquer the "Iron Throne".
It has more Emmy Awards than any narrative show in history and has become a worldwide success, including a massive fan base among English-speaking Pakistanis.
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"Game of Thrones is very big here," said another patron, Haseeb Mahmood, 25.
"When you come here to the cafe, you feel like you're a character of the show.
"They have the Iron Throne, when you sit on it you feel like the king. When you see these dragon eggs, you feel like you're part of the show and it's something that's very unique and very interesting."
The show, he says, "feels so real … That's one thing I love".
The explicit and violent nature of the series has also not prevented customers from watching episodes in the cafe — but with some precautions in the conservative Muslim country, admits one of the owners, Arsalan Sajid.
He says they edit some scenes to make it appropriate for all age groups.
"Initially the response was great," he adds, though he admits that after two or three months enthusiasm died down somewhat.
Luckily, however, the highly-anticipated finale of Season 7 will air on Monday — at which point he expects his tiny cafe, which only seats around a dozen people, to be besieged with customers once more.
Results
Women finals: 48kg - Urantsetseg Munkhbat (MGL) bt Distria Krasniqi (KOS); 52kg - Odette Guiffrida (ITA) bt Majlinda Kelmendi (KOS); 57kg - Nora Gjakova (KOS) bt Anastasiia Konkina (Rus)
Men’s finals: 60kg - Amiran Papinashvili (GEO) bt Francisco Garrigos (ESP); 66kg - Vazha Margvelashvili (Geo) bt Yerlan Serikzhanov (KAZ)
Tips for job-seekers
- Do not submit your application through the Easy Apply button on LinkedIn. Employers receive between 600 and 800 replies for each job advert on the platform. If you are the right fit for a job, connect to a relevant person in the company on LinkedIn and send them a direct message.
- Make sure you are an exact fit for the job advertised. If you are an HR manager with five years’ experience in retail and the job requires a similar candidate with five years’ experience in consumer, you should apply. But if you have no experience in HR, do not apply for the job.
David Mackenzie, founder of recruitment agency Mackenzie Jones Middle East
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How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
Five famous companies founded by teens
There are numerous success stories of teen businesses that were created in college dorm rooms and other modest circumstances. Below are some of the most recognisable names in the industry:
- Facebook: Mark Zuckerberg and his friends started Facebook when he was a 19-year-old Harvard undergraduate.
- Dell: When Michael Dell was an undergraduate student at Texas University in 1984, he started upgrading computers for profit. He starting working full-time on his business when he was 19. Eventually, his company became the Dell Computer Corporation and then Dell Inc.
- Subway: Fred DeLuca opened the first Subway restaurant when he was 17. In 1965, Mr DeLuca needed extra money for college, so he decided to open his own business. Peter Buck, a family friend, lent him $1,000 and together, they opened Pete’s Super Submarines. A few years later, the company was rebranded and called Subway.
- Mashable: In 2005, Pete Cashmore created Mashable in Scotland when he was a teenager. The site was then a technology blog. Over the next few decades, Mr Cashmore has turned Mashable into a global media company.
- Oculus VR: Palmer Luckey founded Oculus VR in June 2012, when he was 19. In August that year, Oculus launched its Kickstarter campaign and raised more than $1 million in three days. Facebook bought Oculus for $2 billion two years later.
MATCH INFO
Barcelona 2
Suarez (10'), Messi (52')
Real Madrid 2
Ronaldo (14'), Bale (72')
Ticket prices
- Golden circle - Dh995
- Floor Standing - Dh495
- Lower Bowl Platinum - Dh95
- Lower Bowl premium - Dh795
- Lower Bowl Plus - Dh695
- Lower Bowl Standard- Dh595
- Upper Bowl Premium - Dh395
- Upper Bowl standard - Dh295
If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Company%20Profile
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Company%20Profile
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
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More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Baby Driver
Director: Edgar Wright
Starring: Ansel Elgort, Kevin Spacey, Jamie Foxx, Lily James
Three and a half stars
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre 4-cylinder petrol
Power: 154bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Transmission: 7-speed automatic with 8-speed sports option
Price: From Dh79,600
On sale: Now