Wednesday, September 29, 2010

The Museum of Innocence.....

Pakdokter came back from sunny Hakodate to a gloomy and rainy Tokyo on Monday afternoon. The rainy spell continued on to Tuesday morning and pakdokter did not feel like getting out of bed at all. Despite the sun which came out in the afternoon - pakdokter remained under the duvet, reading almost three quarters of this book by the Turkish Nobel Laureate, Orhan Pamuk, called 'the Museum of Innocence'.

When this book was first reviewed in the NST in early 2010 , pakdokter felt that it would be one that pakdokter would enjoy reading. Unfortunately when pakdokter looked for it at the MPH, Borders and Kinokinuya stores, they were all sold out! During the trip to Kerala in February 2010, pakdokter found and bought a copy at the local bookstore in Cochin. It was a rather big book for taking along on a trip - so when the newer and smaller paperback editions came out recently, pakdokter bought another copy for reading during this trip - in case pakdokter have the time for it. And pakdokter did finally get the time in this rainy, windy and cold autumn of Tokyo. And what a read it turned out to be!



Orhan Pamuk was introduced to pakdokter by Rastam many years ago - when he was still in secondary school or college probably. He highly recommended Orhan Pamuk's book called " My Name is Red". If pakdokter remembered it correctly - Rastam said the book was the equivalent of an Agatha Christie's mystery in 'old Istanbul' setting or something to that effect. Pakdokter used to read a lot of Agatha Christie's books in school - so did Rastam. So pakdokter took out "My Name is Red" and read it. But somehow, pakdokter never finished the book - pakdokter remembered having difficulties with the details of the many (?too many) characters and the meticulous descriptions of the miniature art of the Ottoman years. So despite of so many rave reviews about ' My Name is Red' - the book did not make a mark on pakdokter's mind and heart.

Not until ' Snow ' - which Orhan Pamuk wrote in late 1990's? or early 2000. That was pakdokter's type of book. It was a political thriller and some romance thrown in. And following 'Snow' pakdokter must have bought a few more of Orhan Pamuk's books, all yet to be read.


"The Museum of Innocence" is a love story. It is the story of a rich young man from the upper class of Istanbul society, who fell in love and became 'obsessed' with love for a young pretty teenage shopgirl of a boutique who also happened to be a distant relative, just a couple of weeks before he were to be engaged to a 'suitable and educated' girl of the same class as him , that he compulsively 'stole' or 'collect' any article or item he could lay his hands on that belong to his beloved or to events that would remind him of the times he spent with her. When she finally died in a tragic car accident - he immortalised her life and their 'love story' in the 'Museum of Innocence' where he housed all the articles and items he 'hoarded' throughout the years of their 'tumultous' love affair.

Although the writing was detailed and meticulous - never once was pakdokter bored by it. In fact the style helped capture the 'obsessions' and 'compulsions' arising from the ' passion of love'

On another level this book is also not just about 'love and passion'. It is also a keen observation and commentary on the sociological changes that was taking place in the 'westernising' Turkey after Ataturk as againt its deep-rooted 'conservative' Islamic and traditional values.

''The Museum of Innocence' would seem to pakdokter to not just be to exhibit items and articles to tell the 'love story' but would also exhibit materials to remind its visitors the history of Istanbul which is fast turning out to be like just another European city.


Pakdokter has been to Istanbul 3 or 4 times since early 1980's - the last one being about 4 or 5 years ago. And pakdokter has never lost pakdokter's fascination for Istanbul. Istanbul has always and is still, in pakdokter's mind, a romantic city. This book has rekindled pakdokter's wish to go back to Istanbul - if not for anything - it would be to pay a visit to 'the Museum of Innocence'....

foot-note: perhaps pakdokter should go back and re-read " My Name is Red"...

An Early Dinner at the Shinjuku Beer Hall...

Wednesday, 29th September 2010

We had been on our feet for almost four hours walking the 'Culinary Street' of Tokyo and apart from a mug of coffee in the morning, we had not had any food the whole day yet! So we decided to hop back on to the train and headed back to Shinjuku as upon our enquiries, there were no restaurant along the 'Culinary Street'.
As it was only about 530 pm, and most restaurants were not yet open for dinner, we decided to go into the Shinjuku Beer Hall, a 6-storey block consisting of many pub-cum-restaurants which were already filling up with their 'happy hours' customers.

Pakdokter settled for a plate of garlic pilaf rice and beef steak while pakdokter's partner chose the set of beef burger that was served with a bowl of rice. Pakdokter has grown to like the 'black yebisu' and settled for a pint of that malt beer. It cost 800 yen for a pint ( about RM30) and this compared quite well with the price of a pint of Kilkenny or Guiness in KL which would cost about RM 26 during our 'happy hours'. Each of our dinner meals costs about 1000-1200 yen ( about RM 40) which would be what the main course in KL restaurants would cost also.



pakdokter's plate of garlic fried rice and a tender beef steak....




pakdokter's partner's bowl of rice with beef burger, fried egg and salad..

The Kappa-Bashi Dougu (Culinary) Street of Tokyo...



We came back from Hakodate on Monday afternoon to a rainy, gloomy and cold Tokyo. This weather went on like this the whole of Tuesday that pakdokter decided to stay home and read one of the books pakdokter brought from KL.
Wednesday was forecasted to be a little sunny so pakdokter and partner decided to venture out to the Kappa-Bashi Dougu Street of Tokyo. It is located at the opposite end of Tokyo, away from where our flat was and it took about 20 minutes by train to reach the place.
Tokyo has some streets or districts specialised in certain stuff - and the Kappa-Bashi Dougu Street is translated as the 'Culinary' Street. It is not a street of restaurants - but is actually a street where all the stuff you need for your kitchen or your restaurant if you are in that business - are available. Although all these shops look like they are wholesalers - they also allow you to buy single items for your personal use and needs.

The whole works of stuff from dining table and chairs, chop-sticks to order froms and receipt books, pots and pans, ceramic wares, signboards etc etc - you name it, they have it.
It was quite an experience walking this street actually.
Pakdokter ended up buying one chef's shirt and a cook's head-scarf ( which looked quite suitable for golf also..) and pakdokter's partner bought some headwear and a ceramic pot for cooking rice. The Japanese are into Morroccan food it seems from the abundance of small ceramic tajine pots made to suit Japanese size meals...
order and receipt books...


disposable chopsticks..


table and chairs for your cafe?...

sign-board to write your menu of the day...

plastic models of the food on offer...

ceramic wares...

notice the lovely little colourful tajine pots...

various munchies for wholesale...

rattan baskets...
macam-macam ada......

Sunday, September 26, 2010

Dinner at the Hawkers' Corner of Hakodate...

For dinner on Sunday night, we decided to check out the 'food street of Hokkaido' which happened to be quite near to our hotel. It was actually two short narrow lanes lined by hawker stalls serving different types of food. In Malaysia, this would be quite similar to our food courts, like the ones in Taman Megah and in Subang Jaya.
The stall serving 'Genghiz Khan Lamb' was fully occupied. Pakdokter had specifically asked Rastam to look for this as our taxi driver cum guide the day before had told us that this dish is another specialty of the city. We chose to eat in the open air table despite the cold night air because we wanted to be near the ' Genghiz Khan Lamb' stall.

narrow lane lined by food stalls serving food at the bar...
one can also sit t the open air table...



crab salad...

gyoza...
steamed dumpling with potato fillings...

the Genghiz Khan lamb..
a disappointment actually...
this small plate of a few slices cost 780 yen..
a plate of fresh sashimi...
sea urchin, scallop, prawns,
salmon, squid and white tuna..
Genghiz Khan gyoza..
dumpling with lamb fillings...
Ika Yakisoba..
actually mee goreng with sotong rings...

a plate of mixed tempura...

'sejuuuk....'

Walking Hakodate on a Sunday Afternoon....

Hakodate city is small enough for one to walk through the main touristic areas. And this was what pakdokter and family decided to do on Sunday afternoon.
Pakdokter noticed at at many main intersections and squares the city has decorated these places with bronze sculptures, mostly of children. What these sculptures represent or what stories were attached to these sculptures, pakdokter has the least of an idea about it. Unfortunately, back home such sculptures would be deemed a threat to one's faith of one's religion.....
At one of the little park, several school bands/orchestras were playing classical/march music. Why can't our beuareaucrats in the City Hall think of organising the many school bands in KL to take turns to perform at the Lake Gardens or the KLCC Park on Sundays so as to promote a musical appreciation of the public?










school bands playing classical and march music...


at the waterfront, the oldest ferry that used to
ply between Honshu and Hakodate is now a museum..
a panonaramic sweep of Hakodate port..



the red brick warehouse during the day..
pakdokter had dinner here on the first night..

the Hakodate Factory..
a supermarket below and a seafood restaurant on top..
from the water-front pakdokter walked up to the
Motomachi district where the historical sites were..
there were many European style homes here..

it was quite a steep up-hill walk...

a view of Hakodate port on a clear Sunday afternoon...


the old Governor's House seen in the day...


the Catholic Church seen from the gardens
of the Orthodox Russian Church...

the Russian Orthodox Church seen in the day..

the modern church seen in the day...

pakdokter with the elders of Hakodate city...
at the Motomachi Park...

the Russian Orthodox Church at night...

the modern church...

the Catholic Church...

the Catholic Church...