I've had a request to write something about my life here and what I actually do when I'm not at work. I suppose this is not unreasonable so I shall indulge.
Today was a bank holiday in Singapore. This week has been a killer (had to watch football at 2.45 AM three days in a row) so the lie-in was much needed. I had no particular plans so I went along to an expat gathering for lunch. I've joined a couple of these expat groups on Facebook - it's a bit weird going along on your own but it's a great way to meet people. Last week I went to the Friday Night Drinking Club which was quality ... ended up in a club in a converted power station till 4 am, followed by a McDonald's breakfast on the way home. Sweet.
So, lunch today. Actually ... more about McDonald's first. They bloody love it here. I can't get over it. I'd have thought that a country that takes its food so seriously would know better, but they're absolutely mad for it. I guess the Supersize Me effect never reached South East Asia. Most of them are open 24 hours (including my local one) and there is even a 24h delivery service. Amazing. I haven't used it yet but I think we all know it's only a matter of time.
Anyway - lunch. It was very enjoyable. We sat overlooking a sunny beach eating chicken satay and drinking fresh lime and coconut juice. There was a point in the afternoon when I found my British self sat in a pub drinking beer with a Frenchman, a Swede, a Thai, a Canadian (hottie), a Dutch girl, an Indian bloke and two Singaporeans. Now if that's not a gathering that broadens your horizons then I don't know what is.
Once the party broke up I went for a little potter around Little India. It's one of my favourite places here. Singaporeans tend not to like it for all the reasons that I love it. It's absolute chaos. The streets are packed, people are shouting and pushing past each other, loud tacky music blares out of every shop, there's litter everywhere and the traffic is gridlocked. It's like Brick Lane on crack. And the smells emerging from the restaurants defy description. It's awesome.
So I bought some cumin, fennel, curry powder, dried chillis, tumeric, cardamom, bay leaves, cloves, ginger, garlic, coriander, cassia bark and star anise. Then I went home and chucked it all into my new wok along with some beef and coconut milk. Was rather pleased with the outcome.
So that - plus another beer and an episode of the Sopranos - was my day. Not a bad one methinks.
And in terms of general activities ... last night I played football with some Brits and will be joining them for a match on Saturday. Tomorrow eve I'm having dinner with a friend then joining up with the FNDC for some good old expat boozing. Last week a few people expressed an interest in getting a game of poker together so I'm hoping to develop that. I'm also intending to go Dragon Boating (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dragon_boat) and to get my PADI qualification in the next few weeks. Once I've got that I can just pick random weekends to go scuba diving in Thailand / Malaysia / Indonesia.
I've also befriended a professional footballer and a girl who sweats like nothing I've ever seen.
So to conclude: it's shaping up to be quite an experience. How's London?
I've also befriended a professional footballer and a girl who sweats like nothing I've ever seen.
So to conclude: it's shaping up to be quite an experience. How's London?
3 comments:
well. today, on may way to work, I voted.
won;t tell you for whom but last night I dreamt that you had to fill in your polling slips at a kitchen table while being watched by a gratifyingly mute Boris Johnson.
Then, on southhampton place, I walked past a portable toilet (the ones that look a bit like tardises) that had been on fire and was all melted open. I nearly took a picture.
Outsize the british museum, two pigeons were fighting over half a bagel, like a see saw.
In Russel square, a crowd was forming around a grey squirrel eating a nut. They were all tourists, but not a group.
That's all for now. may try Skype over the weekend, now you're back on line. Oh and go to the Zoo at night. They do special tours, and its fun.
Dave,
When you set out to write that post about what your life consists of outside of work, did you intend to just write about food or is there nothing else in your life outside of eating?
Anyway mate, I'm going to call/skype you this weekend and hurl abuse down the phone/computer at you. I bet you're excited already!
Peas and rice
JR
I remember little India!! I'd forgotten about that! Have you visited the restaurant where the chef is the funniest guy in the world and the menu tells you all about his past as a bodybuilder (complete with pictures)/ architect/actor/whatever else he could think of. Very small man syndrome. (he is indeed very small but makes up for it with large muscles and ridiculously long hair.) Please go there and report back. I can't tell you the name though so you may need to start working your way through all of the restaurants there. C'est la Vie.
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