Weird Things that are Different - Part 2 - Coffee

Our Seattle friends will be horrified at this state of affairs for SO many reasons...
Here is what passes for a large black coffee in Singapore:


And for the record, this is how they gave us the coffee....half empty! And, I will also tell you this has happened a number of times from a number of different establishments. How is one to survive on this level of caffeine I ask you!?

Weird Things that are Different - Part 1 - Going to the Movies

On a rainy Sunday night Mike and I ventured for the first time to our local movie house. One thing to note, all movie theatres are located above shopping malls. Guess that has more to do with the cost of urban property rather than it being a uniquely Singaporean thing. Upon purchasing our tickets (American Gangster – movies here are really behind North American release dates) you are then asked if you prefer aisle or middle. THEY HAVE ASSIGNED SEATING! I chose aisle…just in case the soda got to me before the movie ended.

So, we have our tickets and stroll over to the concession stand (and lets be real here…I only go to the movies for the popcorn and fountain pop) They have nachos, hotdogs, pop and candy, but they also serves MASHED POTATOES. With gravy. Did I mention this was at the movie theatre??? Despite this interesting option, I decide to stick with the popcorn. But its not even that easy! We now have a choice between SALTY popcorn, or SWEET popcorn! How crazy is that?

Mike insists we stick to the salty option, which turned out to be extremely salty. Not to mention SMALL! We got the combo, which included popcorn, pop, and a notebook. A notebook! Maybe that’s why Asian kids are smarter than North American kids? Cause their combo includes learning tools as opposed to junk food? But I digress. Typically, back home Mike and I get the Large popcorn combo with the free refills, where we finish the first bag before the previews end, and quickly refill the bag before the movie starts (please don’t judge!). Here…clearly not an option.

So we get into the theatre and find our seats. And they are the hardest, most upright seats in the world. We are in G14 and G15. And we are the only ones in the theatre! This is because we have showed up 30 mins early, ostensibly to get good seats! (So the assigned seating means that people show up 2 mins before the movie starts, because they don’t have to scramble for their favourite spots) Its strange too because with the assigned seating, people sit in huge clumps, and I hate it because even though there are only 10 people in the theatre, they are sitting right next to you! I hate that! Also crazy: a guy comes in looking for his seat, which he discovers is occupied! Rather than sitting in one of the 100 other empty seats, he actually approaches the couple, asking them to move! People here will never diverge from the rules, its ridiculous.

Another annoying thing, during the movie people are constantly texting and checking their cellphones. When you are sitting in the dark and a blast of light hits you in the corner of you eye its SO ANNOYING.

So, I guess that was a long rant. And I don’t mean to rant. Things are just different here. Im not judging, just taking notice.

Bar Nite!

So this was our first night out on a weekend in Singapore. Near our house is a whole area of great bars and restaurants. The first place I HAD to check out was Clinic. A hospital-themed bar, where you can order your drink "on the drip". Thats right. That is me enjoying "Sex on the Drip". It was quite delicious!


We also checked out this place called "Forbidden City". It is actually in a heritage building, which has something important and heritagey about it.

Juicy Journalism 2

This really isn't journalism, neither is it juicy. But it is pretty funny, and thats why Im including it here.

While perusing the cultural offerings coming up at the Esplanade Theatre, I came across this jewel:

February 4 - A Closer Walk with Anne Murray.
For $12 S. dollars, one has the opportunity to see Singaporean Cat Ong “as she brings you the lovely and inspirational songs of Anne Murray like, Just a Closer Walk with Thee, Danny’s Song, I Just Fall in Love Again, Over the Rainbow and many more.

Canadian culture wins again!

Trash Disposal

In our kitchen is a garbage chute. Above the chute is an illustrated diagram of all the items one cannot throw down the chute. Among them is listed recyclables, cardboard, plastics, bricks and fire. Bricks and FIRE. It is forbidden to throw out FIRE. And BRICKS. Thankfully, all of the bricks I had brought from Canada I threw out in the airport washroom (along with my chewing gum).

OH YAH

In my excitement to tell you about White Chicks on the bus to KL, I forgot to tell you about the best part! At the outset of the journey, the hostess described the protocol for clearing customs, safety, and washroom facilities. As she explained, washroom facilities were for "light usage only"! If one needed to have a "heavy usage" we were to notify her, so that the driver could pull over at a roadside stop! Seriously.
It never occurred to me that in other countries they might not have the terms #1 and #2.....

Juicy Journalism

I decided to start this little portion of the blog to share some strange and funny articles I come across in the local paper. I wont retype the whole thing, just the “juicy” bits.
So here is Part 1.

New Straits Times – Jan 22
“Why are Sexes Still Mixing at Cashier Counters?”

Irked by shoppers who blatantly ignore the decade-old rule for males and females to pay at separate check-out counters in supermarkets and department stores here, the menteri besar yesterday called for stricter enforcement. (…) Nik Aziz said the ruling on separate counters was necessary to curb social ills among young couples, who, among others, kissed openly. It would also prevent perverts from groping women while queuing up. (…) We want to instill the understanding that men and women cannot rub shoulders. By segregating the shoppers, these problems can be avoided and there will be fewer cases of adultery, pre-marital sex and rape.

Ahh...if curing the world's social ills were only that easy...

Thaipusam

Mike and I went to the Batu Caves outside of KL, which is a large shrine, at the top of a stairway of 272 steps. We chose the perfect time to go as the city was gearing up to celebrate Thaipusam, which is a Hindu festival of penance and a day to fulfill their vows for prayers answered. The festival didn’t start until the next day, so we had the benefit of seeing all the action without having to deal with the crowds (which are expected to be in the 100s of thousands). Pilgrims carry bowls of milk, fruit and flowers to the shrine. Other devotees shave their heads and cover them in a yellow paste. The most famous part of the celebrations are the massive piercings that some devotees receive…through their cheeks and faces mostly, but many of them also get giant hooks into their bodies, and pull a platform with peacock feathers. It’s a pretty big deal especially this year because it was proclaimed a holiday in KL for the first time. We had an amazing time…there were so many monkeys around the summit, begging for food and causing mischief. I also ate a coconut. Yum!

We are hoping to get a site up with more pics...we will let you know as soon as that happens!

Bus to Kuala Lumpur

Saturday we took the bus to KL, a 5 hour ride from Singapore. We booked a space on a First Class bus, and for a mere $60 CAD we were on our way! The bus was roomy and very comfortable, with lazy boy recliner seats. It also came with a meal, pictured below:


This was rice, with sketchy chicken and bean sprouts, green beans, and tofu. Kind of edible. But not really. Luckily I had packed a tin of Pringles...which I KNEW would come in handy!



The bus also featured a TV, which once crossing the Malaysian border played a movie. Can you guess from the picture below what this movie was? Bearing in mind this is a largely Muslim country, conservative. Bear in mind also that this is the year 2008. Can you guess????




Wait for it.....








WHITE CHICKS. No joke. Bus to Malaysia - White Chicks.

This is my new boyfriend, the octogenarian Singaporean, Philip. (Philip, as in the television and screwdriver - as he explained)
We met Philip in the subway station - he was curious to know where we were from, how we liked Singapore, and when we intended to have babies. Philip claims to stay young by learning languages (he is fluent in 5), and doing yoga and tai chi. He also likes to ballroom dance with his many girlfriends.

He also commented that my shirt was a bit low-cut, and it was making my husband jealous. He then asks if he can hug me. How could I say no?

So here is the first portrait of my new boyfriend.

I should also mention that he asked us to mail him this picture, one copy small, one copy portrait size, and then proceeds to write down his address for us.

Ahhh...another example of the wonderful nature of Singaporeans!

Our little apartment

1 Leg and 2 toes

This was our first glimpse at Singapore wildlife! Kelly spotted this gem from the window of the Grand Plaza Park Hotel. I thought it was a jet lagged induced hallucination, but she presented this photo evidence.