Singing in the rain in Singapore

Woke up in this lovely condo to the pouring rain.  And it continued to rain all day long and into the night.  Strangely familiar and yet way too warm and muggy to be home. 

I took a long time today mucking about on the internet trying to figure a room for Bali and look for a reservation that will pick me up at the airport in Colombo, Sri Lanka where I am landing at 1AM in three weeks. 

After Umi the maid laid out some cereal for me (I could hardly digest milk, my stomach acted all upset  and me a massive milk consumer from way back).  I got instructions on finding the post office.  My goals today were:  Post office to ship off stuff to home and a meal of Peranakan specialties.  The Peranakans are mixed Chinese and Malay and the melange has its own district and cuisine. 

Goal one:  bus to Civic Center.  Not THE civic center,  the Woodlands civic center.  See the city has been developed with central planning so that each district and there are like 50 some districts has its own center  fully equipped with schools, shopping, religious institutions etc...Totally organized, very good for families,  Really a bit dull.  This town reverses the old adage.  Great town to live in but I wouldn't want to visit.  People are prosperous here on a level of Western Europe and Japan.  They don't need to cater to tourists.  We are just annoyances that slow down the pace of business.  No one shouts come ins and come ons.  In fact I felt a slight chill being a browser and not a buyer.   Anyway, I broke the law right off the bat.  I jumped off the bus without paying.  I just could not figure it out.  I will probably be beaten with a cane in effigy once word gets out.  I best not send this missive out until I get on that plane. 

Once I found the post office everything was quick and efficient work from the muslim women who seem to do all the clerical work.  Not too expensive also which is good since most of my package is T-shirts.  This time I broke international law.  I sent off pirated DVDs I bought in Vietnam.  The ones I could  not  send there but here they let me seal the package without inspection. 

On the way to the train I saw the only two homeless people on the Island.  They were at least eating something and not on the street.  They were set up between malls.  In fact the streets are pretty much impossible to just cross at will.  You are directed by barriers and signs to cross only at the crosswalks and overpasses.  And here I broke the law again.  I did not wait for the light to turn and signal crossing.  I just went!  My God, I am a damn revolution in human form. 

One of my favorite things in any city is the mass transit.  I love the ease and  comprehensibility of subways, skytrains and trams.  As is only to be expected Singapore has a very nice system.  The one oddity is when you buy a one way ticket it charges X amount and then when you leave at the other end you take your ticket back to the machine and it gives you change.  A reward for returning your ticket?  Go figure. 

I followed a friendy Indian fellow who led me to where I needed to change trains then got off at the closest stop to the Peranakan area called Katong.  I then caught a bus (all instructions very clear by those I asked).  I found a restaurant selling the Otah Otah and the pasi Lamek.  All I can say is Otah Otah must mean Dog food paste on banana leaf and pasi Lamek means more of the same with fish bones.  I forced down the meal because I am a coward and the counter lady was watching my every move.  I  stopped in at a Peranakan house and perused the beaded slippers and rosewood decor and the jars of dog food paste for sale.  I then found the really good deal - Teak furniture.  Lovely stuff and relatively cheap, but alas not to ship. 

Returning to the train, I scooted off the Raffles Station.    Well wouldn't you expect the famous hotel to be at a station of the same name.  UH NOOO!  fool that I am.  I did find some nice skyscrapers there.  I was is such a poor humor after the food and the frustration that I had no choice but to stop in and have my hair washed.  Yes, that is right.  I stopped in a salon and said "wash my hair" and you know what.  I did feel better. 

Upon returning to the burbs Tom and Kathy had dinner ready.  Well, Umi had dinner ready which was Gado Gado an Indonesian specialty that I really enjoyed.  Along with a couple of glasses of wine and the day didn't seem nearly so bad.