How to Be On Time

Finally my final post for Singapore and it is three weeks overdue.  I still haven't finished my Indie quiz which I started writing in Singapore.

Sunday was my big day for getting out and about for the flea markets.  Shops seemed to open in the afternoon, so I drew myself a map and wrote a list of all the places I should go and when to be time efficient.   But hahahaha.  It didn't turn out at all as I had planned.

On my mother's advice, I left the Thieves' Market on Sungei Road a miss.  She thinks she remembers her father buying a second-hand hammer there.  I was planning to go to the Clarke Quay flea market but then I didn't because something like I was getting conflicting information from different websites about whether it still exists or not and on the actual Clarke Quay website it says there was a night market everyday that weekend for Christmas products or whatever.  So I was doubtful that the morning market would be open.  

So I set off in my new favourite usual way - taking the bus to Commonwealth, then the MRT.  I got off at Bugis and was walking down the road and came across my aunt and uncle.  Which almost didn't occur because I almost didn't take that exit from the station onto that road.  Then we went to KFC at Bugis where my cousins were.  We were planning that I should walk in on my own and sit near them, but it didn't work out because they saw me at the door with their parents.  Anyway, that was cool.  But I don't usually talk about personal things like family on my blog, but rather personal things like myself.  So back to the story.  After that, I set off back down the road to find this Kampong Glam flea market which was supposed to be every third Sunday of the month.  And that was the date.  But what the hell.  I got there and the "kampong" was like, deserted.  Groan noise.  

I hurried back down the road to Bugis Junction because I was still trying to find a certain top for my mate.  I have not told you that story and shall not.  This is not just because it is not interesting, but my memory is just not good enough.  I found it there but you know, it's just not a top that can be hung, and they were hanging it and it was not good.  So I didn't buy it.  And then I was feeling really crap and worn out already.  My legs had had it from the past couple of weeks.  Then, stupidly, I went to the markets across the road to try to find the top.  But they didn't have it and stuff there was surprisingly expensive in some stalls.  I think buying clothing from Chinese brands is probs cheaper online.  Then I went up the escalator to the next floor, walked one aisle then was dying to get out of there.  So I did and went across the road to a hawker centre and bought a pineapple juice.  I wanted to get some congee but then I simply could not be bothered to buy any food and this hawker centre was super crowded.  Groan again.  I was getting cranky.  That always happens.  I get hungry, get cranky, then am too cranky to want to eat.  Whatever.  The other thing I hate is people who can't be bothered.  Which brings me to my other hatred, which is for people who whinge about themselves or about anything.  Which means that it is now time to say the sentence I was going to say before the one about whinging,  which is about how much I hate people who have negative qualities to them.

I then got on the MRT because I wanted to get somewhere.  At City Hall the doors opened as they should and then I was standing on the train and then I remembered the sunglasses shop on Coleman street, so I jumped off the train and walked up the escalator, but then remembered that sunglasses are not easy to carry and I was feeling too tired to be bothered to go all the way there.  So I went back down to the platform and waited for the next train. 

I think I got out at Raffles Place and the I just wouldn't trust myself on whether I walk left or right.   So I tried both a couple of times.  I was alternating between thinking "never trust your initial feelings" and "your initial feeling will be correct 95% of the time".   

I saw this outside Raffles Place Interchange and wanted to laugh because it made me think about that site with the sad things found on the street.  One cannot really see that it is absolutely bucketing rain in this picture.

I got to this place I was planning to get to, which was sort of very touristy and was meant to have a flea market but DIDN'T, believe it or not.   And it was an absolute ghost town and not all of the automatic doors were functioning and these people having coffee must have thought I was weird and I suppose they had reason to judge me.  Whatever.  Then I was running out of that place to Telok Ayer street, which was long and interesting but pretty much had nothing I wanted to look at apart from an antiques shop where I think I might have shook my wet umbrella over the shop guy.  And this shop was just the weirdest.  Shopfronts on these old buildings are wide, as shown in my previous photographs.  And there was no way to enter the shop.  Seriously.  There was a cabinet across the whole entrance.  And from what I could see, the whole shop was filled with stuff.  I couldn't see any walkway inside the shop either!

And then I got to another hawker centre.  I think it might have been Amoy Street.  I even went upstairs there.  But I then just couldn't be bothered to eat there.  So I went back down and was walking up the street parallel to Telok Ayer street.  And there wasn't much to see and everything was closed anyway.  Then I had to walk halfway down it again to get to this weird mountain path that was like a bit of fake forest to get to An Siang Hill.  I was walking around there and looking for some vintage store.  I couldn't find it then realised it might have been the basement one I went to the other day.  I wanted to go back to that store anyway because they had this beige denim jacket with embroidered flowers on it and I actually was going to buy it.  But the sign on the door said it was closed because they were relocating to Haji Lane.  Clearly,  I was not in a good mood.

Then I was trying to get back to South Bridge Road, but then came across China Square Central, which I had given up looking for.  Yay! They actually had their antiques market on!  But there wasn't anything to buy unless you like buying old things which aren't very nice.  But at least I felt not so sad.  Now, China Square Central is an actual air-conditioned plaza/mall and there was a permanent vintage fashion store and it was such a nice one.  I shall have to return.  I had never seen vintage in such good condition and these were good clothes, proper fifties and sixties outfits.  With hindsight, the prices were actually not too bad, though maybe I din't think so at the time.  Oh my god, I just remembered that I forgot to mention the bookshop at Bras Basah Complex which had all this communist China stuff and Mao stuff!

Then I returned to the egg tart place in Chinatown and then I actually surprisingly caught a bus home rather than try to explore some more.  I nearly bloody froze to death on that bus!  The aircon was intense brah!  Seriously.  I was afraid of pneumonia.  And it was raining outside (and not actually extremely hot) and I was kind of wet, so it felt a BIT WINTERY.  And believe it or not, this was the first day I returned home on time!

Mapless Escapades in the Orient

After having an Indie time with my father walking around Dempsey Hill (where I found yet another Jones the Grocer!), I decided to hit the shops.

 Yumiest red bean bun ever.

Here is a piece of knowledge for you, lads.  The communist art thing is totes Indie.  If you use it to sell something, you will look cultured in world affairs and, hence, look like a good, trustworthy guy.  Also, you must know something about propaganda and art and, therefore, you must be edgy.  Therefore, the buyer can only feel some sort of respect and awe and affection for you and the desire to become your best bud and buying your product would be the first step.  Remember, you're not selling a product, you're selling yourself.

I walked all through Dempsey Hill, avoiding some Australians, and came out near Gleneagles Hospital and the Botanic Gardens.  I walked into the Botanic Gardens but this was the gate on the absolute opposite side from the MRT station, so I walked over to the Gleneagles bus stop.  And I caught a bus going to Bras Basah because my mum said I should check out a shop called Cat Socrates.  Anyway, I actually got off the bus at Plaza Singapura because I figured there might be a bathroom there.  And then I went to a shop but as usual, couldn't be bothered to buy anything.

Then I caught the MRT from Dhoby Gaut Station to Bras Basah Station.  And then this is where the plot thickens.  I got out, read the map.  Felt sure.  Then as soon as I stepped away, I totally forgot all the streets I was meant to walk on.  Or maybe I forgot to also check when to turn left/right.  Then I got absolutely thrown off because I was standing outside the art gallery and couldn't decide whether to go in or not.  I didn't.  Shame.  But anyway, then I was pretty much going to have a breakdown because I was walking this massive loop to find this Bras Basah Complex.  I even passed City Hall Station.  And I almost did a whole lap back to the station.  But then I found where I was going to.  And it was kind of hot and sunny that day.  

So I went to this shop and it was pretty cool.  The temperature was good.  Pretty much, it was a kitsch shop.  I really should have bought this Japanese shirt dress there.  Damn.  And they actually had live cats in the shop!!

Then I was walking around this arty district, being cool and not buying anything because yeah.  I found this Liang Seah Street and sat down at this Chinese desserts shop.  I must go back!  I ate this mango sago with pomelo and small bits of ice.

I was a big fan of this place because it was totes authentic, well priced, but also modern.  The combination of those things makes it almost not even of this time.  Like it's from a better future or something.  And it was actually a very decent sized serve.  I was sitting on a wooden stool at a wooden table...Oh yeah, and then there were these two French blokes talking at the next table, or maybe they weren't French, but they were speaking French, anyway.

Then I really proved to myself that I'm cool.  I navigated myself down to Haji Lane / Kampong Glam.   Yeah, man.   I just knew.  I wanted to take a look in this antiques shop on Jalan Sultan.  I didn't buy anything.   And then I went to this shop called Doinky Doodles where they have all these handmade children's things, and art about children who died.  I was ooming and ahhhing about buying this vintage dress.  But then didn't buy it but totally should have because it was a bargain.

Then I caught the MRT probably from Bugis to Dhoby Gaut.  But then I couldn't find a bus to take me where I wanted to go.  Actually I couldn't find any buses going back through Orchard Road, so I started walking towards the city lights.  I got to the mall Orchard Central, which I remember thinking was really cool when it was younger.  It still was.  In fact, there was this Indie shop I remembered I had to visit and was there.  So anyway,  it was kind of an Indie mall because they were obviously striving for that vibe.  The stuff was expensive, though, though what does one expect?, and a lot of the shops were the same as the ones in the youth mall I forgot the name of.  Anyway, there was this shop which was by women for women.  It was so weird.  It sold a few fashion pieces, some hair straighteners, one type of sanitary pad, one model of Vivienne Westwood for Melissa shoes, and some other stuff.  I had never encountered such an alternative shop, especially in a shopping mall.  I was trying to get out of Orchard Central and I really wanted to take these massive escalators on the outside of the building.  Unfortunately, you cannot descend on them, you've got to go through the building.

By this time, my legs were about to collapse.  But I had to drag myself to the bus stop behind 313@Somerset, at the skate park.  I stood there staring at the people in the skatepark.  I caught a bus going all the way to where I wanted to go.  And then I was sitting on the bus which was stationary because it was at these traffic lights, and I realised I should stare at people a bit less.  Because then it would stop the stupidity of accidentally having eye contact with strangers, especially when they are walking past a bus you are sitting on.  That is tip number two for today.

Public Transport Entrails: Part VI

What did I do on the next Wednesday?  Oh yeah, I caught a bus to Commonwealth MRT station, then the MRT to Paya Lebar.  In this instance, it would have been faster to go to Holland Village and catch the Circle line to Paya Lebar.  But oh well, bad experiences on the Circle line...

I decided that the best way to get the most out of this trip to Joo Chiat would be to follow this website's instructions for a food journey stopping at every second cafe, which seemed comprehensive by telling me 'turn here, turn there'.

After getting out of the station, I followed the instructions, but it was quite stressful because I still didn't know if I was going in the right direction.  I was meant to pass the landmark of a fake Malay kampong, which the website said was not worth going to even if the admission fee were to be scrapped.  The thing was, I couldn't see this landmark nor the HDB block I was headed to.  It appeared the kampong museum had been scrapped and it's block of land had big metal walls around it.

Then the printout of the webpage said I should get to Geylang Serai Block Three, walk through a tiny passage and ta-da, I should enter a market selling spices and cloth, and I should walk through the wet market behind this to the hawker centre.  I think the place had been renovated since that page had been written, because the market was two storey and next to a main road (though still at block three, luckily).  Downstairs was the wet market - omg, you could buy a plastic bag of CRACKED EGGS!  So weird, right? - and upstairs the hawker and clothing market.  Speaking of clothing, I was feeling very hot, as this was a very sunny day.  But walking around the hawker centre, I felt like I ought not to feel tired from the heat when I am obviously not dressed as warmly as the Muslim women eating there.  Pretty much, I felt like I should stop being so whingey, even though I wasn't complaining, though maybe I was just a bit in my head.

The thing I always do when I want a good meal, is pick the stall with a long line.  I did that the day before at the Maxwell Food Centre.  The stupid thing I did that day when I found a chicken rice stall with all these pictures of the owners receiving awards and this picture of Anthony Bourdain saying  something like "chicken rice is so fragrant, it can be eaten on it's own", which made me laugh because he might not have been referring to the chicken rice from that stall, was queue up then when I was almost at the front, I realised that this stall took up two spaces and I had to go bak to the other one to place my order!  But it was a really good chicken rice!  The chicken was tender but ACTUALLY COOKED.

Yeah, but back to the point, this time I was with my father so we got this MASSIVE BRIYANI AYAM and shared it.  Then I also got these goreng pisang which were so yummy because each piece was a small banana.  It also seems the bananas were green.  And the coating for the deep-frying was perfect, not like at some "commercial" places, i.e. chain stalls in malls where the coating is sometimes too salty.  Now I shall tell you a mini-story about how I was buying the fried bananas, which are not like the ones in Chinese restaurants in Australia, and the woman making and selling them was speaking to me in Malay and I was saying I didn't understand.  But she continued and finally she yelled repeatedly in my face "Four, Two Dollars!", but it wasn't really in my face because she was shorter than I.

I was going to do one of those blurred faces for my dad in that photo, but then I realised that a) it's too hard for me to do that and b) he looks cool and his pose looks really good.

It was a good idea to bring my dad along on this trip because he could take pictures both of me and for me.  Thanks for the photos Dad, even though you haven't even seen them since you took them on my camera.  But some of these are my photos.

The instructions on the webpage told us to walk down Joo Chiat Place until we reach where it joins Joo Chiat Road again.  But neither of us found this intersection. Sad.  We kept walking and then tried to find a main road.  We nearly got to one, but we really were getting into area that was more and more residential.  So we decided to catch a bus to the nearest MRT station.  I tell you, the bus frequency in Singapore!  I think SMRT and SBS have something against me.  I always see buses until I get to the bus stop.  And then when I'm at the bus stop, the other side of the road gets the buses and I don't.  Seriously.  We waited twenty-five minutes for a bus, and in that time, only one other bus came past the stop.

We got to Eunos station and had a drink.  I had run out of water pretty quickly.  There was no fruit juice, so I had to get a grass jelly drink because they are cooling.  My dad had a soy bean drink and I spent the whole time we were sitting there repeating the story to him about this time when my mother bought both a soy bean and grass jelly drink at Holland Village where they advertised this mix of the two, calling it the Michael Jackson.  She thought that my brother and I would be drinking some of the drinks she bought, but neither of us liked them.  So she decided that she could have her own Michael Jackson for less money by drinking from two bags of drink at once.  You see, in Singapore, when you have those two drinks as take-away, they put it in a bag.  And then my mum was feeling sick on the bus.

Then we caught the MRT to Bugis and then walked to Haji Lane where now there are many more shops, including Muslim fashion shops, and the trend for ruining Japanese vintage fabrics by turning them into ugly frocks is gone.  I don't think I have ever seen anyone in Singapore actually wearing one of those dresses.  I was too tired to take pictures as the result of walking long distances in new shoes.  Good work, Billie.  Why did you still get massive blisters?  I thought you were super accustomed to walking long distances in new shoes or shoes which are so old they hurt?

Here are the few pictures I took.  

Perhaps you cannot see the girl with the guitar being filmed.

The following picture is of my late-night dessert snack.  I'm not actually sure whether I got it on this day or not.  Oh well.

Oh my, I thought this blog post was going to be very short!  Oh dear, the next one will be far longer...

Indie Travels: The Arab Quarter - Singapore - part one

It isn't really called the Arab Quarter. I just gave it that name because its centre is a large mosque. Adding to it's Indieness, it is such an awe-inspiring blend of old and new and different cultures. Old shop houses but with such trendy wares and vibe. It's such a gem.
You can get good Middle Eastern food in the Arab Quarter. And it's much cheaper compared to Australian prices.
I am sorry that the pictures did not load in the order I took them in. But then I didn't think ordering them chronologically would be that important...
Most of the boutiques photographed are on Haji Lane. You can have a great time on Haji Lane shopping for clothes, Ray-Ban collectible sunglasses, stationary, eating ice-cream, buying vintage frocks for a fraction of Australian prices, playing video games and enjoying aircon. (i.e. It's the place to go when you're needing full-on Hipster Cultural Immersion)
Shame I didn't take a picture of a hippy lounge cafe on Haji Lane where people were sitting on the ground smoking pipes and making Japan aid materials.
Mate, Singapore has got a pretty good Indie shopping scene, it's not just the big shopping malls.

Halal Swedish cafe, Arab Street.

Tumbled-down house with jungle growing inside.

Graffiti in Singapore.

The search for perfection always leads us back to minimalism.
(Incase you don't get my comment, those boxes have t-shirts in them and say 'The Pursuit of the Perfect Tee Project".)

LEGO is the best educational toy. Now in love heart brooches.

Can you see the green popular penguins?

Crafty ribbon, a book on impressionism, the essential denim jeans and The Satorialist.

A scarf for every type of indie.

I guess the scarf just got a bit indier.

Sky Room, where I bought a cool dress. Chinese Indie fashion.

I wonder if that tasteful brick wall is functional or decorative. Look, there's retro furniture too. Upstairs was a bar.

Cats are the indiest animal. They roam around the place. There were lots of cats around the neighbourhood, so isn't that kind of grungey?

The bicycle - an indie must-have