Day Two in Singapore
I spent the morning at my old office along Maxwell Road, and it felt good to be back in familiar territory, with familiar faces around. My time in the organization corresponded to a fair bit of turmoil and tumult in my life, and strangely enough, it was the office which provided a semblance of stability, and it was there where I met some of the best people I’ve come to know, individuals whom I now consider close and dear friends.
I wasn’t able to catch up with everyone I wanted to. But we’ve made plans to get together again next Monday evening over a few pints. Our usual watering hole at the Union Bar along Club Street may have closed, but I’m sure we can convene at another apt location.
Leaving the office, armed with a cup of Rafee's Corner coffee, I was caught in a heavy tropical downpour, the intensity of which is rarely seen in London. And after a few minutes, it was all over. Meanwhile, the high humidity continues – humidity that you feel enveloping your entire being oppressively – and my mind’s drawn back to those lovely Spring days in London not that long ago.
Checking up on The Times, I then came upon this forecast that summer in the UK this year is expected to be a scorcher. Let’s hope it doesn’t get too bad. We don’t have air conditioning in our rooms at Goodenough College. I may have to leave the fridge door open if things get really bad.
A bit of time was spent browsing the shelves of Times the Bookshop at Centrepoint, where I picked up a trio of new local titles – Neil Humphreys’ Final Notes from a Great Island, Romen Bose’s Kranji: The Commonwealth War Cemetery and the Politics of the Dead, plus Tan Shzr Ee and Desmond Foo’s Lost Roads Singapore, which explores some of the less well-known areas of this island nation.
It then struck me that all three volumes focus on Singapore’s history and human geography – something I’m pretty interested in – and I foresee I might have quite a bit of material to discuss with the Hot Geographic Mama when I’m back in London.
Meanwhile, here’s the tally of my attack victims today – mee siam, you char kway and kopi peng in the morning from Maxwell food centre, ju kweh and tou huei zui in the afternoon from Tiong Bahru market, and xiao long baos and zha jiang mian later this evening from Din Tai Fung at the Paragon.
Yes, I know, I know - it’s a pathetic list. I can surely do better. I’ll certainly try harder.
I wasn’t able to catch up with everyone I wanted to. But we’ve made plans to get together again next Monday evening over a few pints. Our usual watering hole at the Union Bar along Club Street may have closed, but I’m sure we can convene at another apt location.
Leaving the office, armed with a cup of Rafee's Corner coffee, I was caught in a heavy tropical downpour, the intensity of which is rarely seen in London. And after a few minutes, it was all over. Meanwhile, the high humidity continues – humidity that you feel enveloping your entire being oppressively – and my mind’s drawn back to those lovely Spring days in London not that long ago.
Checking up on The Times, I then came upon this forecast that summer in the UK this year is expected to be a scorcher. Let’s hope it doesn’t get too bad. We don’t have air conditioning in our rooms at Goodenough College. I may have to leave the fridge door open if things get really bad.
A bit of time was spent browsing the shelves of Times the Bookshop at Centrepoint, where I picked up a trio of new local titles – Neil Humphreys’ Final Notes from a Great Island, Romen Bose’s Kranji: The Commonwealth War Cemetery and the Politics of the Dead, plus Tan Shzr Ee and Desmond Foo’s Lost Roads Singapore, which explores some of the less well-known areas of this island nation.
It then struck me that all three volumes focus on Singapore’s history and human geography – something I’m pretty interested in – and I foresee I might have quite a bit of material to discuss with the Hot Geographic Mama when I’m back in London.
Meanwhile, here’s the tally of my attack victims today – mee siam, you char kway and kopi peng in the morning from Maxwell food centre, ju kweh and tou huei zui in the afternoon from Tiong Bahru market, and xiao long baos and zha jiang mian later this evening from Din Tai Fung at the Paragon.
Yes, I know, I know - it’s a pathetic list. I can surely do better. I’ll certainly try harder.
2 Comments:
Crab Bee Hoon ... remember to eat that, okey? :D SSG
oh...the crab bee hoon! but not bak kut teh ok, esp late in the nite after all the "happening" drinkingz!
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