Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Another Hungry Ghost Week

This week I have missed finishing the tale of my Aussie adventure because I have been busy (a rather unusual state of being for me in Singapore, I will admit). So, instead of continuing that story (which I must finish), I will write an update of the Singaporean things I've done this week.

This week I have:
  • Lounged in the living room with my roomies while sipping Australian sparkling wine to help digest an unreasonable amount of Shanghainese dumplings. Taught them the concept of "that's what she said" when Shabnam said "I'm always in and out so fast I can't even enjoy it...." (referring to Singapore, of course...)
  • Watched a romantic comedy with Shabnam. "The Proposal" with Sandra Bullock was ok and made Alaska look a hell of a lot more appealing than I suspect it would be in, say, February. My favorite moment is when she tries unsuccessfully to feed a husky puppy to an eagle to get her cell phone back. Fortunately, she doesn't succeed. Unfortunately, I want to have a husky puppy now.... My favorite moment in the entire experience was not actually in the movie, but the "turn off your cell phone" message before it where they showed an asian girl with a chain saw covered in blood screaming and then showed the message on the screen "turn it off or she'll cut it off..." You just don't get weirdness like that in the US unless someone is really trying.
  • Gone to an Irish pub called Muddy Murphy's across from the four floors of whores. Having long heard lore of one of the most famous government-sanctioned brothels in Singapore in one of the ritz-iest part of town (prostitution is legal here), I was confused to learn upon a brief look at the building that there are about 12 floors, not 4 - why is it called four floors of whores? When describing the location to a colleague he asked if it was across from the Starbucks..and indeed it was. Those Starbucks really are everywhere....perhaps some people need a pick-me-up before they go in?
  • Bought 5 bottles of wine at the Fair Price because they were under $20SGD - seriously? They are giving it away....
  • Walked home for 20 minutes contemplating what day of the week it was, and ended up being wrong....
  • Discussed the hungry ghost festival with my neighbors in the lift as they stood there with burning incense for 26 floors. "It is good. Anyone can do it, Singaporeans and other people." Enjoyed the burning piles of paper, incense, and open hawker take-out boxes all over the street for their fantastic cultural value. Singapore really does have some real character sometimes.
  • Watched the "dancing dragon" festival with my roomies in front of a mall at Orchard, in which people in dragon costumes have to jump across a difficult obstacle course and not let their head pieces fall off (we didn't see anyone succeed...).
  • Listened to Thai classical music in front of the Thai embassy for the "Thai cultural festival"
  • Viewed the online wedding album of Pavla, my Czech pen pal who I "met" in 5th grade on the last day of school when my teacher received a packet of letters from the newly formed nation of the Czech Republic.
  • Bought a ferry ticket to Indonesia for tomorrow!



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