Good Morning, Old Lahore!

03/02/08


I woke up at 7am and straight away asked for a shower before everybody else wakes up and need to use the bathroom too. I didnt sleep too well bcos i felt really sticky and uncomfortable.


about 3hours later, i had a very nice bfast!!

This is Halwa poori and i dont know what that's small filled poori's called but its something like murtabak crossed with epok2 (curry puff) basically its poori with minced mutton inside.

But i was surprised that they called this bread poori cause the poori in Spore are very small! this is wat we would call Battura and if you know me at all battura is my favouritest of favourites!!! I will always eat the crispy top half first and the bottom later.

To my surprise, i didnt hesitate to try the halwa and it tastes nice too!! Its made of milk and nuts. When i asked Z what is it called he said, "Kanjer halwa" and made me repeat after him. Then i heard gasps and chuckles. "what? what did i say?" i stammered. Z didnt wanna explain just laughed at me. So Kind Salman said, "No! Cannot say that word. It means prostitute!" The story is something like Uncle Sajid (Aunty Farzana's husband) went out to buy the bfast and the stall happens to be located at a red light area. Aiyohhhh

Like an hour after that, i started having loose motions again!!! Do you know how tiring that is?!?! Poor Ammi also got tired cos she had to help me wash. All 3 of us retired to the King sized bed and i lost half of the afternoon. Darn! My medicine for tummy is also at home 1 hr away.

Rizwan came to visit all the way from Quanchi Amer Suddu but i was asleep~ i could hear his voice but i was just too tired to do anything. So in other words, i havent really seen him all week. Always working lah that guy.

Suddenly i came awake at 3pm all refreshed and i announced, "I want to jalan jalan!" Yup My Pakistani family alreay know what jalan jalan means which literally is Walk Walk.

a 300yr old building

In a jiffy, we were off to Ammi's old friend's house. Her name is Rani and i joked, "Rani Mukherjee?" and they all laughed and she blushed! hehe.. Basically she is Ammi's childhood friend. Bcos Ammi and all her ancestors used to live in Old Lahore. Also, Z said that actually their original house is the other one and then they moved bla bla bla... i got confused but he wasn't able to explain it well to me. Humph. Later, i got the answer from Mamoo Afzal.

Mostly the houses here, you will first be greeted with a staircase that leads you to the 2nd floor. The area is small enough for just 1 bedroom and another utility room but spacious rooms they are. There was a balcony on the 3rd floor. and we looked out to the small street bazaar. If only i could capture how atrocious the traffic condition is...

I noticed that even though their houses look shabby on the outside (the buildings are 200 - 400yrs old, mind you) they actually have air conditioning on the inside! And although the boys playing on the streets look dirty and unkempt, they are not poor kids. Their house has air-con, remember? I think its just the dust and such that make them look so.

I also observed that the pple here prefer to drink Sprite / 7Up as opposed to Pepsi / Coke variation. Anyways, i was presented with a lovely two shaded purple chiffon material studded with beautiful handworked embroidery.

Then i saw a girl who got henna on her hands! ARGHHHHHHHHHHH... I LOVE I LOVE I LOVEEEEEEEEEE HENNAAAAAAAAA.... if only my hand wasnt bandaged i would have asked for a real elaborate one! GRRRR

Boiled eggs, samosa and pakoras (like keropok)

The shops along the bazaar are rather open. If you have weak stomach, better dont eat after being exposed with air pollution. but among other things, i saw fried chicken stalls, kebab joint and there was also a butchery! I got to see the skull of a goat!!

Next stop: M Arshad's house. He is Z's cousin from his father's side. A well known musician also a child star in pakistani movies like 20yrs ago. It has been a long time since they've met esp Ammi. I dont suppose they are very very close because there were several silent moments. But we were to wait till they served us tea.

In a way, I salute these people. We came in unannounced but they accepted us gracefully and willingly and wont let us leave till we've eaten something from their house. Such is the mindset and culture of these kind pple. Me? If im alone at home, I wont even peek to look who's ringing the bell, let alone open the door and serve them tea!

Mamoo Afzal called earlier to say that he's gonna pick us up that night at about 7pm. His turn to play host. His place is just some 10min walk away and i got to explore more of the narrow streets. I kept telling Z that if i could i would like to knock on every door and take a look inside! Very curious. Bcos The alley might be dark but they are definitely IN the house cos at a corner i heard some TV noises...

Again, we were greeted with stairs direct to the 2nd floor to the living room. The other room is the kitchen. 1 floor up is one bedroom, a bathroom and a utility room. another one up is a tahfiz (Qur'an memorisation) school!!! On the roof is the classroom for small kids learning to READ Qur'an equipped with ablution area and a small room for the teacher and a garden corner, home for a few pots of plants. Masya' Allah...

Once again i was lavished with flowers on my arrival.

On the right is Nudrat aka Nida the eldest daughter. Middle is Abdullah. In the bckgrd in Mamoo Afzal.

It is so nice to know that Mamoo rents out a part of his house for religious education. However, it makes the house feel somehow separated into two different storeys and that the staircase is NOT part of your personal house area. Its for public. Privacy has again been violated.

This is Aunty Fauziah and Nashmia, the youngest daughter. She's Super cute and Super friendly and likes to tease pple.

This is Aunty Fauziah's sister. Sorry, i forgot your name.

SHE greeted me with an "apa khabar"? Which means How are you? in malay. Turns out her bro in law worked in Msia for 2 yrs and taught her a few phrases to talk to me with! How sweet. She was excited to meet me also. So much so she gave me a bangle of flowers of carnation n such as a sign of friendship!

Here, i got a lot of attention bcos mostly its just me and Mamoo Afzal talking.

1. Why there is a power failure at least 5 times a day in winter and summer?

Because the electricity in Pakistan is generated from water high up in the mountains. In winter, the water freezes up and thus could not produce much current to supply to the cities. In summer, the snow melts and results in much power supply. Unfortunately, the demand is higher still bcos air conditioning is much needed in 50 degrees celcius climate!

3. Why is it that sometimes there's no water in the pipe?

My Karachi friend explained to me before that its bcos the water truck wont come if u dont remind him to or something to that effect.

My uncle however said that Lahore's water source comes from deep wells. It pumps up the water using hydraulic technology. This technology requires electricity. So there.

Every house usually has a water tank on their roofs that can normally last the household 3 days. But if you've forgotten to pump the water, and clashed with loadshedding time, it spells no shower for the day for you. Ergh!

3. How many houses did Grandpa Tufail have?

Initially, he lived in the other house some 3 doors away in Old Lahore. Then the family became too big for the house so he moved away to the house in which Aunty Farzana and her family as well as Mamoo Akmal are living in. Subsequently, he bought a house in Quanchi Amer Suddu, the one Mami Nargis, Mamoo Ijaz and Mamoo Ilyas are living in.

Mamoo Afzal said now, "Well.. enough about us and Pakistan. Tell me more about your father and Singapore." So i told him what my father works as, what are the languages spoken here and how the education system here is. All this over two bowls of chinese soup much like shark fin soup.

And now is time for main course. Aunty Fauziah can cook western and its fried rice and pasta with chicken manchurian. OMG! I can just pass out from refraining these delicious food! I hafta keep in mind that i dont wanna regain all those kgs i've lost as well as must maintain a demure appearance and not a piggy one! LOL

THIS dessert is called Kheer in Thuttee or clay bowl. believe it or not, this pottery is DISPOSABLE!!!! I said, "REally? Isn't it wasteful?" Mamoo said, "No, not really. Cos its real easy to make and very cheap too." I cant imagine!

Anyway, Kheer is made of rice, milk, sugar and almond. I LOVE almond jelly and did think twice about trying this dessert but i also bared in mind that almond has a peculiar and acquired taste. At first, i said to Z we just share 1 bowl. After 2min, i licked the bowl clean! :D Nice nice nice!

This is an absolute masterpiece from Nudrat. This framed work of art is made of recycled material. Do you believe if i say that round brown thingy is actually the residue of sharpened pencils???? I said to Mamoo, "Not only is she intelligent. She's creative too!" He is blessed with great, clever children. After all, he himself went to the top Uni in Pak and Aunty Fauziah has a master degree in English! Masya'Allah Masya'Allah....

After dinner, we took a tour around the house. And then we settled in the bedroom where he played the CD of Z and my pictures and asked me to explain who is who and what nots. Nashmia would laugh at each picture and mimick each of our poses, esp the funny ones. It really really REALLY broke my heart that i cldnt understand what she was trying to say to me... And i really really really hope she would still remember me when we visit the next time.


It was past midnight when we finally said our goodbyes. Mamoo walked us halfway. Actually i was worried that he sent us off at all cos that would mean he hafta walk back all on his own and it was super duper dark! I dont know is it bcos there's loadshedding or the alley is indeed unlit. it was so very dark, even Salman's old hp's light was bright!


We breathed out a sigh of relief when we reached the comfort of our bedroom. Z said, "Tired from visiting huh? This is how i felt when you go visiting during Hari Raya." I told him tired lah but i actually enjoy looking at pple's houses and keen to know how these pple live their lives.


I really love the fact that i am not exactly here for a mindless holiday strewn with motiveless shopping. But to get an insight of how it feels to actually LIVE in Pakistan. Not in a rich environment too... cos it would just feel like s'pore... but in middle class. Fabulous. Just fabulous.