Third Time New Charms: Travel To India Without Leaving Singapore

Saturday 2/1

Yesterday we explored India Town. It was total emerson of the senses. Colorful buildings, Crowded alley-ways with a mixture of delivery trucks and pedestrians both trying to get somewhere. The air is fragrant with frangipani flower decorations full of bees competing for the last taste of nectar. Pungent spice scents from various restaurants adds to the flavors floating on the breeze.

Our attention was drawn to a shop selling saris and salwar kameez (tunics). Colorful cloth in silks and cotton draped the walls and lined the shelves of the narrow store. I have always invsioned myself in Indian clothing and saw this as the perfect opportunity. After an hour of searching, trying on various styles and patterns I realized why I couldn't quite carry off the look. How many blond Indian women have you ever seen? Then I wondered just how the fancy look would fit into my laid back life in Baja...not so well. Still a cotton tunic might look cute over jeans.

Undeterred, we strolled across the street to a warehouse full of less expensive versions of what we'd just seen. Some were of questionable quality but abundant quantity. Actually, the options were so overwhelming that it was difficult to make a coherent decision. I did walk away with one tunic and Annalisa was lucky enough to buy a dress in that first store. Nothing like the rigours of shopping to bring on a healthy appetite.

We got a recommendation for a restaurant from a local and was amazed at how popular it was. Only a few empty spaces were available to share a table. As we waited for our food we had ample opportunity to see how the locals eat (mostly with their hands) and what they wear. A sign over a sink in the dining room said "Please wash hands after eating" now I know why.

After lunch we wandered around for several more blocks. It was our first really warm day and the heat and travel exhaustion had caught up with us. It was time to return to the hotel. We needed to rest up for our night time excursion. Traveling by MRT is fairly simple. Find a station, find the desired destination and purchase a ticket. When you are coming into the station the recording announces the stop, tells you to "Mind the gap" and then says "Happy Happy." However, occasionally we would get off on the other side of the station from our normal exit by mistake. Once we were just across the street from the hotel but were totally disoriented. With tired body and feet we not so happy happy!