I feel nostalgic... I always feel nostalgic whenever I read a Shyam Selvadurai book. Within the story he speaks of places in Colombo that are still standing, and therefore, what is the reason for me to feel nostalgic?... I guess because it reminds me of the places that I loved, that used to be there, but for no apparent reason (that I can understand) have simply.... disappeared!!
This was the third book of Selvadurai's that I have read, and I think (although I maybe wrong) he has only written three novels... The name is "Swimming in the Monsoon Sea"... It was a very captivating book for me, as has been his "Funny Boy" and "Cinnamon Gardens"... I guess his books possess a certain charm for all Sri Lankans as it is our country, and our culture that he is writing about and hence we find it easy to "move with the flow".
I would like to point out an instance where I find it very difficult to "move with the flow"... I have tried so many Russian novels, my latest being "Dr. Zhivago"... and their fate is always the same... With a struggling and resisting mind, I do try (I really do try) to proceed... Yet, around 20-30 pages (the maximum being 44 pages) it just gives out... I simply can't handle all the people and OH MY GOD, THOSE NAMES!! I am sorry (that is if you are Russian), I just can't find the capacity to remember all these names and with so many characters!! *URGH*... and to top it off, they MUST have two names all the time... Nikolai Nikolavich, or something... and why is it a must that you have to ALWAYS mention both names??? *GROAN* (Mental Note: Research on this phenomena)
Ok, getting back to me feeeling nostalgic... This was the second novel in which Selvadurai mention the "Green Cabin"!!! I bet all you Sri Lankans know what I am talking about... One word comes into your mind:
LAMPRAIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
YES!! The best Lamprais in the whole wide world, and Green Cabin has it! It has to be from Green Cabin for me to eat a Lamprais, everything else, just doesn't measure up...! :) The whole experience is, for me, a time travelling voyage into the Colonial Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka may have been under the rule of the British empire, but being the hopeless romantic that I am, I am charmed by even that! This woderful landmark in my past and now my present is still standing and I wish Green Cabin many more years to come!
This reminds me of another wonderful place that I used to go with my whole family, and it is that place that I remember with nostalgia - The Fountain Cafe!! Situated in the Elephant House building behind Hotel Taj (You are given all these details simply because I have no idea what you call that area), this was a place that reminds me of good food and great times!! :) Their Hot Dog still remains the BEST hot dog I have ever eaten and their Mixed Grill was a slam dunk as far as food is concerned!
When I was small and my whole family was living in a place called Lunuwila to the North of Colombo, about 50 kilometers from the capital city, I used to attend school in Colombo. My father used to come fetch me and my sister every friday evening to go back home. And on the way, he always bought us an Elephant House Hot Dog! :) That was a treat we always waited for impatiently! *SIGH* Yet, this wonderful wonderful place is now boarded up! It is indeed a shame to see this place (I believe this does not apply only to me) and hence our memories shut off!! Yet, I have NOT given up! I still sometimes go and have a look at it, whenever we are passing that way, with a glint of hope that maybe - just maybe - it will have those magical words hanging on its door - OPEN !!!
Some good things in life, are worth not giving up! :)
P.S: My name happens to be Russian.. !! :) Isn't it ironic? ;-)
This was the third book of Selvadurai's that I have read, and I think (although I maybe wrong) he has only written three novels... The name is "Swimming in the Monsoon Sea"... It was a very captivating book for me, as has been his "Funny Boy" and "Cinnamon Gardens"... I guess his books possess a certain charm for all Sri Lankans as it is our country, and our culture that he is writing about and hence we find it easy to "move with the flow".
I would like to point out an instance where I find it very difficult to "move with the flow"... I have tried so many Russian novels, my latest being "Dr. Zhivago"... and their fate is always the same... With a struggling and resisting mind, I do try (I really do try) to proceed... Yet, around 20-30 pages (the maximum being 44 pages) it just gives out... I simply can't handle all the people and OH MY GOD, THOSE NAMES!! I am sorry (that is if you are Russian), I just can't find the capacity to remember all these names and with so many characters!! *URGH*... and to top it off, they MUST have two names all the time... Nikolai Nikolavich, or something... and why is it a must that you have to ALWAYS mention both names??? *GROAN* (Mental Note: Research on this phenomena)
Ok, getting back to me feeeling nostalgic... This was the second novel in which Selvadurai mention the "Green Cabin"!!! I bet all you Sri Lankans know what I am talking about... One word comes into your mind:
LAMPRAIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
YES!! The best Lamprais in the whole wide world, and Green Cabin has it! It has to be from Green Cabin for me to eat a Lamprais, everything else, just doesn't measure up...! :) The whole experience is, for me, a time travelling voyage into the Colonial Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka may have been under the rule of the British empire, but being the hopeless romantic that I am, I am charmed by even that! This woderful landmark in my past and now my present is still standing and I wish Green Cabin many more years to come!
This reminds me of another wonderful place that I used to go with my whole family, and it is that place that I remember with nostalgia - The Fountain Cafe!! Situated in the Elephant House building behind Hotel Taj (You are given all these details simply because I have no idea what you call that area), this was a place that reminds me of good food and great times!! :) Their Hot Dog still remains the BEST hot dog I have ever eaten and their Mixed Grill was a slam dunk as far as food is concerned!
When I was small and my whole family was living in a place called Lunuwila to the North of Colombo, about 50 kilometers from the capital city, I used to attend school in Colombo. My father used to come fetch me and my sister every friday evening to go back home. And on the way, he always bought us an Elephant House Hot Dog! :) That was a treat we always waited for impatiently! *SIGH* Yet, this wonderful wonderful place is now boarded up! It is indeed a shame to see this place (I believe this does not apply only to me) and hence our memories shut off!! Yet, I have NOT given up! I still sometimes go and have a look at it, whenever we are passing that way, with a glint of hope that maybe - just maybe - it will have those magical words hanging on its door - OPEN !!!
Some good things in life, are worth not giving up! :)
P.S: My name happens to be Russian.. !! :) Isn't it ironic? ;-)
2 comments:
You are soooo right about Dr Zhivago!!! First time I started reading it, half way through I lost track of all the names, and I had to keep flipping back through the pages to remind myself who this 'Pavel Pavelnovich' (or something like that) is. So I gave up!
Some time later I watched the film, so now I know the story I again took up reading the book, and that time I found it to be really good!
And the question of why they always use both names even to address your best friend, I have no idea, but it's the same in every single Russian book I've read, so I'm assuming it's the Russian way.
And funny you should mention "Fountain Cafe" I thought I was the only one who was in love with that! I used to love the milk shake there. When I was small, it was my ultimate joy to go there!
Even now when I drive past that place I always automatically look in that direction for some reason. It's really funny though, decades have passed since then and I've had the chance to eat at loads of other restaurants, hotels in and out of Sri Lanka, but still the memory of that Fountain Cafe is stronger than that of a time at a 5 star hotel. Nostalgic it is!
Hey! You know a friend told me that they use both names so that you don't get confused... I guess there are so many Nikolai's or Pavel's :) But it leaves us feeling even more confused, doesn't it? :) heheee :)
So this is what I will do: Watch the movie, then read the book again! Thanks Sas! :)
I know, no matter what place comes up in Colombo or anywhere else for that matter, you still dream about Fountain Cafe... Man, talk about making impressions for generations! :) Is it because when we were young there were not many restaurants, and certainly good food like that in many places, and we just got attached to it so much? I wonder...
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