Although i could credibly argue there is nothing mundane about Singapore. Everything is pretty superlative, even if you don't want to agree with it. So this posting includes breakfast at Serangoon Garden's market, a trip to the hairdresser and watching people do their 7th month thing, the water park at Nex, a trip to Geylang fruit sellers and then Plaza Singapure, Singapore's first shopping centre.
 |
| First, some lazing |
This was taken in the evening of the day before. Oisin and Ghin spend a lot of time on TV. Why can't we get StarHub at home mom, said Oisin. Well because it is Singaporean.... but i know, is it the same as Sky, no it is not. It is Singaporean. As i was saying....
 |
| Ma watches India love story |
My mom watches all kinds of soaps and she isn't fussy. It started off with the Bold and the Beautiful, which is no longer on TV. Then it moved to Ai, and now it is India Love Story. The implausible, slow moving and ridiculous plots do nothing to deter this devotion. In fact i'm pretty sure that it is the attraction.
 |
| Ghin in a temper tantrum |
Ghin has a temper tentraum at least three times a day. It mostly is due to either not having what Oisin has, provking Oisin and being provoked or not doing what he wants to do, which is either play the iPod or watch TV. My reaction to these is to see if there is a real issue. Then to attempt to rectify the situation, if it needs to be rectified. If it can't then i try and calm him down. And then if that doesn't work, i just let him have his tantrum. Usually, as i hold him. Unless he is hitting me. In which case i just let him cry on whatever surface he is on. The floor it was yesterday morning. He usually gets over it after fifteen long and very noisy minutes.
 |
| As you can see... mee chiang kueh to the rescue here. |
Serangoon Garden's market is where we go for breakfast, if it isn't the prata place near the bus stop. That is a Chinese pancake covered in peanuts and sugar. In Indonesis this is known as murtabak, which completely confused me as murtabak is a prata filled with meat and onions.
 |
| Oisin has noodles, well just about. |
Oisin is vying for the world's fussiest eater, a competition he has with his dad. Here he has only noodles and half of the time was spent picking out 'bits' in it and asking me 'what is this'? Sometimes i just want to tell him don't eat it, if you don't want to. Yesterday my mom said, if you look at food like that you will never have any luck.
 |
Soup's on! with chin chow
|
 |
I had a very civilised tauwhey. It was divine.
|
 |
| Haircuts for everyone!!!! Except the bunny. |
We went to AMK for the haircut. You cna get one for around $3.80. Which is about a pound and fifty p.
 |
| Before shot... |
 |
| Oisin in clips. |
His hair was so thick it had to be clipped back as the hairdesser layered it. Pleas,e i have to take a photo of you... don't you dare, he said. Too late... this will embarrass him in years to come.
 |
Aren't i gorgeous?
|
 |
| Outside, the hawker centre |
As they cut their hair, i thought i would get some pictures of Singapore in. That is the hawker centre. Despite being a Thursday morning the place was heaving. Where do there people come from, i asked my mom.
 |
| Then i had to take photos of stalls. Because stalls in Singapore are so cute. |
Here is one which has it's good covered because of the sun.
 |
| That is a shop which is in violation of every article in the CITIES convention. |
 |
Snack time....
|
 |
... at the bak kwa stall
|
 |
| Storage solutions |
 |
| This is a genuine store display. And people love it. |
Singaporeans are eminently practical. And everything has its place and purpose. William Morris would have been so proud of us.
 |
After the 7th month is the 8th month. The mid-autumn festival is celebrated with lanterns and moon cakes.
|
 |
| Eat your heart out Ikea |
I never understand why things are like fifty times cheaper in Singapore than they are in Belfast. You can get a bucket for like a dollar and the stool for the same price. There is no discernable difference between the bucket and stool in Belfast apart from the price. It has made me wish i could carry back some of these shops with me. No one does storage solutions like Asians. Honestly.
 |
| Oil for candles, so pretty |
 |
Paper money and paper stuff for the dead.
|
 |
Then there was this tank of giant terrapins. What they are used for i do not want to know.
|
 |
They were found outside the altar.
|
 |
The altar. Doing great business during the 7th month.
|
 |
| Singaporeans are a very religious bunch of people. We believe in all manner of spirits, forces, manifestations, etc. I think i'm very Singaporean in that way. Joan of Arc would have felt right at home. |
 |
Love the industrial sized josstick holder...
|
 |
This is how practical we are. This shop was NEXT to the altar. What, it's just panties and bras....
|
 |
More species extinction going on.
|
 |
Ghin and Mama
|
 |
Oisin is now done
|
 |
| Next stop Nexx |
Nexx is a huge shopping centre in Serangoon. At the top of it is this water park. It is a really good idea, and the kids most certainly think so.
 |
Take off your clothes and do some splashing...
|
 |
Ma and Pa... don't they look so happy?
|
 |
Splash!
|
 |
Ah that's better now... all cooled down and ready to eat...
|
 |
| Too cool for anything |
 |
I had Yong for lunch... ummm....
|
 |
Oisin had nothing... he did however admire his iPod cover
|
 |
Ghin had an egg and sausages... we shared a watermelon juice
|
 |
My new hairdo! And my new glasses and hat... well, does that work for you?
|
 |
| Geylang!! |
Geylang is the fruit centre of Singapore where you get all kinds of local food. I thought that we'd go there to see the displays, but it was a bad idea. My dad took the 'shortcut' which took us to Tuas and by the time we got there the kids were ready to explode with boredom. So we only stayed for the very short while. I managed to escape at 5.10 to Plaza Singapura... We did manage to get some really excellent nangka, longan and langsat though... it is all gone now...
Yummy!!!
 |
Such colour and abundance... i think that is what i will always remember about Singapore.
|
 |
More amazing local fruit...
|
 |
I took this because of the weighing machine. I love the fact they're still using this weighing machine in the 21st century
|
 |
| Plaza Singapura |
I arrived at Dhoby Ghaut and made my way to Plaza Singapura, except i wasn't sure if it was PA because i walked underground and one shopping centre merges into the next. We went to see Wu Xia there. It is now my favourite film after the Matrix. It cramms all possible Asian genres into one film, and then updates it. It was like Hero, meets Reservoir Dogs, meets CSI, meets the One Armed Swordsman. And it had a kick ass soundtrack. One of the highlights...including Donnie Yen. Never heard of him before yesterday but i want to marry him now.
Comments