Day 3 in Islamabad

１１月７日　イスラマバード３日目　7th November Day 3 in Islamabad (English followed after Japanese)

今日はパキスタン風朝食３日目。そろそろ大丈夫かな、と思い、生野菜食べたかったので少し食べてみた。パキスタンの料理はインドの料理に似ているんだけどどうも脂がすごい。朝から結構こってりのスパイスきいたお料理で、どっしりしてるから量が少なくてもすぐ満足になる。でもやっぱりせっかくの野菜の味が全然わからなかったから生野菜が恋しかった。水道水で洗っているだろうからおなかが慣れてくるまでは出されても食べないでいた。久しぶりに食べたらやっぱりおいしかった。でもちょっとずつ慣らしていかないとね。


今日はホテルオーナーの督永さんが毎週行っているサンデーマーケットに連れていってくれるということで一緒について行った。やはり人がたくさん集まる所に 行くには色々と注意がいるので朝一番にまだ人が集まっていない時にボディーガードとドライバーとの４人で向かった。イスラマバードに着いてからの初めての外出ということもあり、車の外を見ると何もかもが新鮮だった。みんな同じような服を着て外で並んでしゃがんでいたり、ほったて小屋のようなお店にたむろしたりしていた。私が行った中東の国々と比べても全然違う雰囲気が漂っていた。

市場はItwar Bazarといって政府が週に三回運営しているらしい。かなり大きな敷地に古着、新しい服、ショール、靴、果物、野菜などジャンルに別れて長い店の列が７列ほどあり、客はまだ少なかったが品物はずらっとならんで色とりどりでとてもきれい。洪水の時はこの市場も被害があり、野菜なども一ヶ月ほど手に入らず周囲の住民はとても苦労したと’おばはん ’は言った。野菜や果物の価格が高騰して大変だったという。今のこの活気のある景色からはとても想像がつかない。ここは他の市場よりも女性の買い物客が多いという事で督永さんもよく使うらしい。

おばはんは古着が好きという事で一緒について行ってみる。色とりどりに天井からぶら下がった洋服やタイツ、ぬいぐるみや下着までを眺めながら歩いた。パキスタンの衣装も売っていて色が本当に鮮やかでうっとりしてしまう。私も北の地方の活動場所に行く時には地元と同じ服装にしようと思っていたので何着かここで買おうと決めていた。やはり地味なものがいいと思い、色鮮やかな若い女性用の服をうらめしそうに横に見ながら、６０代くらいの人が着ていそうな（というかおばはんが着ているものと同じような）色のシャルワールカミース（ダボンとした膝丈のシャツとズボンとショールの三点セット）を４着購入（８００ルピー＞８００円くらい）。日本では着れなそうだがめちゃくちゃ安いから帰る時は誰かにあげてもいい。そして帰る時はきっとあっちの華やかな方を買っていくんだ！と心の中で決めてはやる気持ちを落ち着かせた。パキスタン製のショールも二枚購入。

もっと奥の方に進むと果物が並んでいた。日本にあるものとあまり変わらないものが多かった。りんご、なし、柿、ぶどう。強い香りを放つ私の大好物グアバ！そしてありえないくらい大きなざくろ！あとはなつめやし、ナッツなど。ざくろもグアバもあとで食べたがすごく甘かった。野菜はかなり種類が豊富で色がとても濃かった。トマトは真っ赤に輝いていてレモンとパクチと一緒に並ぶとなんとも美しかった。督永さんは色々な野菜を次々に買っていた。さすがに地元に根付いた人ならではの買い方で超かっこいい。ゴーヤも売っていてカレーにするとすごくおいしいんだとか。今度試してみよう。

買い物が終わる頃になるほど人が増え始めていた。帰りにスーパーに寄って帰宅。２時間くらいでスーパー楽しいお買い物ができた。このItwar Bazaar　とってもおすすめ！督永さんありがとうございました！


It has been 3 days since I started having Pakistani food and I decided I have somewhat already gained an immunity for the local water so I can start eating a bit of uncooked vegetables which I was craving so much for. Pakistani cuisine is usually very greasy even in the breakfast. It is always nice to balance it out by eating something light together. Though every time I was served with some salad, I had to hesitate because usually vegetables are washed with tab water. This morning, I ate a bit of cucumbers and tomatoes and they were really good. I should start little by little though.

The hotel owner, Mrs. Tokunaga kindly took me to a Sunday market called Itwar Bazaar. She likes this market because it is very local, it has a wide variety, and there are many women visitors. Even in the capital city, we have to be careful when we go to a crowded area, so we went there when it has just opened with a company of a driver and a body guard. This was my very first going out ever since I arrived in Islamabad, so everything I saw from the car window was inspiring. Everyone in the street were wearing same clothes and just sitting and hanging out around old shucks and tiny shops. The view was nothing like I had ever seen. It was a very strange site to me.

Itwar Bazaar lined up in a big property and contained various things; second hand clothes, new clothes, textiles, carpets, shoes, fruits, and vegetables. They were lined by categories and making about seven long lines. There were not many people yet, but the products were all making a beautiful color gradations. The Bazaar is run by government and it was severely damaged by the flood over this summer. Mrs. Tokunaga said that it was very hard to get vegetables for about a month after the flood and the price went really high, it affected so many people in the area. It was hard to imagine from looking at this lively view in front of me.

Mrs. Tokunaga wanted to see some second hand clothes, so I went along looking around those clothes, stockings, stuffed animals and even some under wears. There were also various kinds of Pakistani dresses which I wanted to buy for when I visit the northern Pakistan. I wanted to dress like everyone else so I won't stand out. I so very much wanted to get those beautiful color ones, but of course, that will not satisfy my purpose, so I ignored them and bought very very low tone colored ones like those that elderly would wear. I bought 4 sets of them for 800 rupees (about $10). I convinced myself that I will come back to the bazaar when I was going back to Japan and buy those beautiful ones. I also purchased 2 Pakistani made textiles.

When we went deep into the bazaar, there were fruits playing in sunshine. Most of the fruits I have seen in markets in Japan such as apples, oranges, pears, grapes and persimmons. There were also my favorite guavas and huge pomegranates. I ate them later and they were soooo sweet!
In the vegetable section, tomatoes were glowing red and when they were lying next to lemons and celentros, they just looked glorious. Mrs. Tokunaga was buying many kind of vegetables just like the way any locals were and she was looking so cool. I should learn that knowhow some time during my stay. She told me that the bitter melons make really good curry. I want to try it in the future.

As expected, by the time we were done, there were many people coming into the market. We were just on time. She is just great! We stopped by a super market to buy some more and returned back to the hotel. It was only some 2 hours event, but it was a super fun shopping! Itwar Bazaar, highly recommended!
Thanks to you Mrs. Tokunaga!

End of day 3