I see so much changes in the city I lived in (Kuala Lumpur). Some so subtle that when I realised it I had to stop momentary and wondered 'Oh but it was here the last time'. I realised then I am becoming a stranger in a place I thought I knew like the back of my hands. I take great delights in coming back to familiar places. It doesn't matter the people there do not know me. The important thing is that I remember them.

Why am I feeling so nostalgic? I am talking about the passing of one of my favourite haunts the 'PAGE ONE' book shop in Lot 10, a shopping mall. I remember it so well, a decade ago. It was located then on the ground floor right out in the front. I was so delighted and awed by the wonderful books on displayed. So many to look at. Some with pictures so incredible it took my breath away. There were books that spoke of long forgotten places and strange people. Some tomes gave me insights to past great masters and creators of awesome new visions. Of course I never leave without looking at those of beautiful dwellings and delightful gardens. Like most good things these books were not cheap. I must say I succumbed many times to their siren songs. I remember too those crazy tilted book case that make me a little dizzy. Design and novelty values aside the proprietor had the good sense to straigthen them eventually.

I said my goodbye to the books on the eve of the closure. The shop was filled with more than usual number of people mostly bargain hunters. I did not stay long, just wandered around the well remembered aisles, running my fingers lightly over books I coveted but could not afford. So goodbye to an old friend .............and Kuala Lumpur changed a little without many of us knowing it. 

I have a door curtain (noren) printed with a famous picture. A gift from a Japanese friend, Hiroki Kageyama san. This is a very famous picture and it is called ‘The Great Waves of Kanagawa’. It is a wood block painting made by Katsushika Hokusai (1760-1849). Why is this picture so famous? The picture depicts the great force of nature. It shows huge harbour waves (okinasumi) towering over small boats and even smaller people. The artist was very clever. He put the snow capped Fuji-san in the background. He made the mountain very small, as if about to be swallowed by the water.

I have seen this picture before, printed in books, on t-shirts, postcards etc. In fact you probably have seen it too. Like you, I never paid much attention to it. But now this picture is very powerful. Everyday it reminds me of how strong and terrible nature can be.

Early morning on 26th December 2004, the big cousin of such a wave came crashing onto the shores of 8 countries. His name - Tsunami. Within a short period Tsunami-san killed more than 350,000 people, made an equal number homeless and damaged an unaccountable amount of properties. This killer was the result of a very big earthquake in the Indian Ocean just west of Northen Sumatra. Now Malaysians are so frighten of earthquakes and giant waves. Imagine that.

Two days ago, on the 29th March just after midnight another earthquake struck almost the same place. Although this time the force is lesser yet the shock waves reached the Malaysian Peninsula. Maybe we were so spooked by the previous tragedy, many Malaysian rushed out from their homes onto the streets when they felt the tremors. Fortunately no one died and only minor damages were reported here. This is enough to make everyone worried about the next big one! The government is talking about setting up earthquake guidelines for new buildings. This is all very new and strange to us because Malaysia never experienced earthquakes and such. I slept through the whole incident. LOL.

Whenever I go into the kitchen I still look at the curtain. To think that someone, in a foreign land, had 170 years ago warned us to take heed of nature. Somehow I did not hear the roaring waves, drowned in my everyday domesticity and pettiness. Sigh.