Little India

Today I lazed by the pool so I could attempt to get a tan (failed) and finish my book (succeeded).  If you're interested, the book is really good and I recommend it - it's called Wizard's First Rule by Terry Goodkind, my housemate made me read it because I was dissing fantasy novels and have had to eat my words - it's really good and I have even bought the next one on kindle instead of waiting to read his copies when I get home.

Anyway back to my day - my plan for today was Little India and the Botanic Gardens.  Unfortunately I was too tired for the gardens, so will save those for another day, but I did do Little India.  I was so annoyed at myself as I realised my camera battery had died but forgot to charge it, so had to use my phone for photos (which was also about to die, bad planning!)  I decided to follow the lonely planet guidebook for this one rather than wandering about aimlessly, and was glad I did as it showed me everything it had to offer.

I started at the MRT station and headed down Buffalo Road - the smell as you're leaving the MRT is very distinct, it smells of spices and incense, quite a pleasant combination and certainly there's no mistaking why it's called Little India.

Decorations left from Deepvalli two weeks ago


All of the shops down Buffalo Rd sell lots of exotic varieties of fruit, some things that I had never seen before.  They also all sold these flower garlands  and you could watch the men making them - very skilled! They smelt absolutely gorgeous as they're made with fresh flowers.




colourful building

I then headed into a little covered market selling pashminas, bracelets, elephants, statues of Hindu Gods - lots of little shiny things that I wanted to buy but have nowhere to put when I get home.  At this point the heavens opened and I couldn't decide if I should sit inside and wait or go outside and just get on with it.  I chose the latter option and got very wet even though I had an umbrella.  I carried on with my walking tour and strolled about looking for the next item on the lonely planet guide.  I left out some of the temples as I always feel uneasy in these, and went in search for the Thieves market, which sounded like my idea of bliss - second hand goods, antiques and collectables!  I tried my hardest to find it but couldn't, when I realised that the place the thieves market should have been, was surrounded by hoarding because it's going to be turned into a new MRT station. sigh!


Market

Rain! Lots of it!!





The rain continued to pour, and I was getting wetter by the minute, so took some respite in a Vegetarian Indian restaurant.  I picked vegetarian because I am getting concerned I am going to end up eating something really random like a chicken foot or lamb brain accidentally - however as with the other vege stuff I have tried/seen, I am not sure Singaporeans meaning of vegetarian is the same as ours as this menu certainly featured chicken and mutton.

I ended up with this - Aloo something, fried bread with bombay potato in the middle, and a selection of sauces to dip it in.  It was nice, but not remarkable, unlike my Vanilla Milkshake which was the nicest most creamy dreamy vanillay'y shake I have ever tasted. Pure bliss.



I then headed down to the famed Mustafa centre - a 6 storey 24/7 shopper's paradise.  It sells EVERYTHING - it's basically an extremely crowded claustrophobic John Lewis store but with much more to offer and without the extortionate prices.  They had lots of designed garb in there, including watches, clothes and perfume, but looking at some of the prices I wasn't convinced they were all real.

Mustafa centre

I wouldn't like to be here when it turned red!



I bought some souvenirs, and then decided to call it a day as I was cream crackered.

I spent the rest of the evening watching Hunger Games in my room (it was on the telly - quite proud I resisted the telly for 2 weeks) then the boring task of laundry and dinner.

Excuse me Sir, there seems to be eyeballs in my drink

Crayfish salad, I have no idea what the orange balls are, I am hoping they weren't roe but I think they might have been, yuck

Tomorrow, the zoo! (well, if it isn't pouring it down)

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