Rich's blog

Aug 15 continued. Roeland, the food at Samy's was really wonderful. You would have eaten yourself sick as I nearly did. On Monday, we rose late (surprise!) and after a huge breakfast at the hotel that was very expensive, David and his very, very beautiful grandaughter, Aurea, aged 17, picked us up; off to Thompson Plaza, near where Dad and Mum used to live (Windsor Park) wher we had a truly tasy dim sum lunch. The beautiful, slim, tall Pat (think "The Girl from Ipanema") eats like the proverbial horse and still manages to keep her gorgeous model's figure. The three eggs soup, the pork/prawn dumplings, steamed peanuts, carrot cake,portugese tarts, chicken's feet, and all ten other dishes varied from good to wonderful. I paid not realising that it would seriously incur David's real wrath. He wouldn't speak to me for half an hour. Pat's daughters are all lovely. The little ones, April and Ashley are very well behaved children and I think Pat is quite a strict mother. April is adorable because she could be a sister to my twin grandsons, physical beauty allied to a lovely loving personality.
After the lovely lunch, back to the hotel, me for a nap and Sue down to the pool for 20 laps of the 25 mwtre pool and finishing her book. At dusk we took the MRT to the shuttle bus pick up in Coleman Rd and off to the Singapore Flyer. This is a 565 metre tall Ferris wheel at Marina City which provides a breathtaking view of Singapore by night. When we post some pics you will see what I mean. I forgot the universal cable and Sue is off now buying one for the rest of the trip. I am supposed to be the one frightened of heights but oddly Sue was the one who felt very uncomfortable on the rotation which took forty minutes. I enjoyed it very much and very selfishly, I am glad that Sue mentioned her fear only after the trip had finished or else I would have had my own enjoyment curtailed. Still, she said the experience and the views were worth the money and the discomfort.
After that we went to see the world's biggest fountain at Suntech City. The laser light display was very disappointing after the wonderful show that was put on for the year 2000 celebration but it was still worth a look. Wewnt to the food court afterwards (what else) and had a tasty bowl of Hokkien Mee soup, only $3.80, and not really as good as the last time but it had he authentic flavour if a little weak, soup not rich enough.
Tuesday August 18, David picked us and drove us to Little India to a real labourers' tosai breakfast shop for an Indian breakfast. It was so late in he morning that Yvonne elcted to have the briani lunch, curried chicken and yeallow rice, again on banana leaf, while David ordered all of the rest of us tosai breakfast. This is a huge very thin "pancake" fried crisp and brown on one side and only about 1mm thick but soft on the other.....miraculous...and with this you eat with fingers to pick up the gourd curry, coconut curry and dahl curry, as well a separate small bowl of fishcurry gravy and ditto chicken. The "roti" was so large that even rolled up and folded it was nearly a foot long and neither Suse nor I could quite finish our portion although all the delicious sauces and vegetarian curries were well and truly finished. The Indian sweets were a mixed bag, one delicious and the other two a bit ordinary.
Again, David was kind enough to drop us off at the shoppers' Mecca, the Indian departmen store, Mustafa's. This shop is truly an Aladdin's cave of goods......everything from a giant pharmacy, through clothing, electrical goods etc to watches, gold and jewellery. It has to be seen to be believed, not just for the variety of goods, but the volumes and the way that they are displayed, piled up in great heaps with narrow aisles. As I said, a real Aladdin's cave. Sue spent a bit of money here, mostly on my birthday present, a lovely Tissot chronograph. She also got herself a Miss Dior for about AUD 84.00 versus 120 at a discount shop in Perth and even duty free a bottle costs about AUD110. Good shopping.
Tuesday August 18. We had a big night out. Sue was very good and went for another swim, this time 30 laps. I was napping as usual after finishing my own book when the doorbell rang.....room service with a pina colada. I guessed that it was for Sue down by the pool and sent it down to her but it gave me a surprise when woken from a lovely sleep. When I went down to join her and told her about the mistake, she told me that she had said three times that she was at the pool!!! Cultural differences especially when English is not the first language.
The big night out lived up to expectations. First, a visit to the Singapore Cricket Club, where David's life long friend Ed de Sousa is a member. It is on the historic padang and has been a cricket club since 1862. It is a wonderful colonial building and even though it is now air-conditioned it still has the ceiling fans turning and wonderful attentive staff. Ed is well known there and we got terrific service and surprise, surprise, terrific food.....a sort a Singapore tapas meal, with everything from chilli/garlic prawns, green chilli pakora, samosas, ikan bilis, etc and corned beef sandwiches (amazingly delicious). The SCC has the only two grass tennis courts in the city and the only turf cricket wicket. There were two men playing singles in the very humid and warm evening conditions and they were seriously at it and quite good. I don't know where they got their energy from in that energy sapping heat and humidity. One thing I have noticed about Singaporeans is that there are not many fat ones. They are mostly lean and fit looking and it has made me quite ashamed of my beer belly even though it was not beer caused but wine and food. As if that makes a difference! Anyhow, big resolution to reduce it in size. After the SCC, it was off to the Jazz at Southbridge club on foot. David made a little presentation of a first edition music score of the club's owner's first hit record. The owner's name was Lee Chang who was a successful architect and gave that up to be a jazz club proprietor and jazz muso playing the vibraphone. His club combo, piano, bass, drums and vibes were quite good and the Bulgarian singer who followed their set (the beautiful Maya, all 4'11" in four inch heels) was also accomplished and certainly easy on the eye. Afer two bottles of Perrier Jouet, it was on to Harry's Bar where thankfully, David allowed us to drink ordinary drinks like G & T. Two members of the house band here were old friends of David's.....the bass player, now an African American Singaporean, Christie, and Andrew, the piano player. Christie played at David's house in 2000 and I remembered him well, him and his great love of 12 year old Chivas. He is a very, very good bassist and the band really swung along, irresistibly toe-tapping and finger-snapping stuff. I really wisjed I could have taken William, Toby and Jacob to see them make music live but I'm afraid that the law says I shall have to wait until they are 18 years old. The guest featured singer was a huge AfAmerican from Chicago and he belted out some great standards.
Fittingly, it was home by taxi after midnight, exhausted and slightly drunk. Tonight is the big satay night at David's house where all the family will be gathered as well as some of D's old friends. His French grandson, Anton, arrived yesterday morning and I look forward to meeting him. He will be hard-pressed to match his beautiful sisters. We'll of course let you know how the evening went. David sends his love and best wishes to all but especially to Suzanne. My love to all and kisses to those who know who they are! Rich