Three Cities, Many Hearts
Note: Due to some unresolved technical issues, the following blog posting, from a past year, has suddenly decided to re-park itself as a 16 March 2011 entry.
It was a truly happy greeting me from Happy coming for me, my nephew Chet and Karen at the pool area in a Yishun condominium. The not quite four year old had a most delighted surprise on her face, as if to recall that I promised to see her in person in Singapore, if I could at the next opportunity. Then she settled into a demeanour that she would enjoy my visit to her parents' home and to see her younger brother Stuart as well. She naturally chatted away, played with every one of us and even sat at the dining table joining me to partake in the Lunar New Year treats. Stuart sat on my lap, and even if only a year old, sent me strong communicative vibes through his expressive eyes.
Karen later that evening got us my fav Katong laksa and otak otak (that heavenly combination of steamed egg, fish fillet and aromatic leaves of the daun gaduh) that only the Straits Chinese can conjure up. I was in the heartland of the baba and nyonya in Singapore. My associations with this island state go back many years, with memories of well done Mandarin commercials and subtitles on television, well organised and super clean food courts, hostel stays at the Nanyang University, long and enjoyable shopping excursions, drop bys at cousin Eu Lan's residence and much more. How this island state has changed from my very first encounter on a university sports exchange trip - as I stood recently in front of the Zegna lcd display at ION shopping centre along the still vibrant Orchard Road, I sub-consciously acknowledged the effort, forward thinking and grassroots support to continually propel Singapore as more than a viable entity.
Kishore and I had found ourselves in the rather unusual quiet of Changi Airport, Singapore in the wee hours between the arrival and departure of most flights. In any of the expansive surrounds of the three component terminals, despite the rather late closing of some outlets at 1am, we seemed to have an exclusive walking around of the facility, and enjoyed the Belgian chocolate coffee cafe before turning in. Kishore's mates in trendy jackets and blokey motor cycle helmets sent him off earlier at Sydney's Kingsford-Smith. Just like Sean Tan, whom I caught up later at the Canberra Centre on a crispy moderate early autumn day a few weeks later, Kishore was doing a post-grad degree in one of the many Australian universities. Both Kishore and Sean are at the cusp of new possible beginnings, possibilties and frontiers, a consequence of a series of apparently unremarkable decisions and steps, but these have now led
The waiters at this seemingly tucked away corner of Transfer Road in Georgetown, Penang Island, were amazingly too fair-skinned for the tropical heat and sunny aspect of the place, but I concluded it must have been the Fujian genes of their immigrant forefathers. They worked at a fast and focussed pace, taking orders diligently and bringing out the dishes as soon as they were ready. The spinach were stir-fried with belachan chilli condiment and readily accompanied the fish head curry inspired from Chennai. It was a family business called Tai Kong Hooi, had unpretentious coffee shop styled tables and chairs but the food served was good and tasty. Bob always had the knack of taking me to these gems of foodie congregation in my hometown.
It was tremendous to have this opportunity earlier this year as well of re-meeting Kean Guan, a classmate of mine from our mutual primary school of Francis Light. Here he was, at a small gathering of school mates and people I grew up with, in a restaurant in what was once Georgetown's premier urban development. The years past had seen each of us take different paths. Guan is now the head of inspectors of schools whilst I had moved to another country and another profession. Our eyes looked at each other, perhaps reflecting on forgotten episodes and memories with the freshness of being in class together, while we chatted. He shouted the lunch, I was fascinated with how he held an audience and how the whole group of mates were apparently back at school.
Some weeks out of my South-east Asian sojourn, I bumped intoWendy with the purple hair and had an al fresco dinner with Marta, who loves steamed fish Chinese style more than she expected. This was in Wollongong, a far cry and many moons removed from the diversity and energy of Singapore and the family comfort of Penang. Still, with long time friendships with Wendy and Marta, there was spontaneous laughter, easy discourse of conversation and a lightness in our exchange - not very different from the many hearts I came across in the other two cities.
It was a truly happy greeting me from Happy coming for me, my nephew Chet and Karen at the pool area in a Yishun condominium. The not quite four year old had a most delighted surprise on her face, as if to recall that I promised to see her in person in Singapore, if I could at the next opportunity. Then she settled into a demeanour that she would enjoy my visit to her parents' home and to see her younger brother Stuart as well. She naturally chatted away, played with every one of us and even sat at the dining table joining me to partake in the Lunar New Year treats. Stuart sat on my lap, and even if only a year old, sent me strong communicative vibes through his expressive eyes.
Karen later that evening got us my fav Katong laksa and otak otak (that heavenly combination of steamed egg, fish fillet and aromatic leaves of the daun gaduh) that only the Straits Chinese can conjure up. I was in the heartland of the baba and nyonya in Singapore. My associations with this island state go back many years, with memories of well done Mandarin commercials and subtitles on television, well organised and super clean food courts, hostel stays at the Nanyang University, long and enjoyable shopping excursions, drop bys at cousin Eu Lan's residence and much more. How this island state has changed from my very first encounter on a university sports exchange trip - as I stood recently in front of the Zegna lcd display at ION shopping centre along the still vibrant Orchard Road, I sub-consciously acknowledged the effort, forward thinking and grassroots support to continually propel Singapore as more than a viable entity.
Kishore and I had found ourselves in the rather unusual quiet of Changi Airport, Singapore in the wee hours between the arrival and departure of most flights. In any of the expansive surrounds of the three component terminals, despite the rather late closing of some outlets at 1am, we seemed to have an exclusive walking around of the facility, and enjoyed the Belgian chocolate coffee cafe before turning in. Kishore's mates in trendy jackets and blokey motor cycle helmets sent him off earlier at Sydney's Kingsford-Smith. Just like Sean Tan, whom I caught up later at the Canberra Centre on a crispy moderate early autumn day a few weeks later, Kishore was doing a post-grad degree in one of the many Australian universities. Both Kishore and Sean are at the cusp of new possible beginnings, possibilties and frontiers, a consequence of a series of apparently unremarkable decisions and steps, but these have now led
The waiters at this seemingly tucked away corner of Transfer Road in Georgetown, Penang Island, were amazingly too fair-skinned for the tropical heat and sunny aspect of the place, but I concluded it must have been the Fujian genes of their immigrant forefathers. They worked at a fast and focussed pace, taking orders diligently and bringing out the dishes as soon as they were ready. The spinach were stir-fried with belachan chilli condiment and readily accompanied the fish head curry inspired from Chennai. It was a family business called Tai Kong Hooi, had unpretentious coffee shop styled tables and chairs but the food served was good and tasty. Bob always had the knack of taking me to these gems of foodie congregation in my hometown.
It was tremendous to have this opportunity earlier this year as well of re-meeting Kean Guan, a classmate of mine from our mutual primary school of Francis Light. Here he was, at a small gathering of school mates and people I grew up with, in a restaurant in what was once Georgetown's premier urban development. The years past had seen each of us take different paths. Guan is now the head of inspectors of schools whilst I had moved to another country and another profession. Our eyes looked at each other, perhaps reflecting on forgotten episodes and memories with the freshness of being in class together, while we chatted. He shouted the lunch, I was fascinated with how he held an audience and how the whole group of mates were apparently back at school.
Some weeks out of my South-east Asian sojourn, I bumped intoWendy with the purple hair and had an al fresco dinner with Marta, who loves steamed fish Chinese style more than she expected. This was in Wollongong, a far cry and many moons removed from the diversity and energy of Singapore and the family comfort of Penang. Still, with long time friendships with Wendy and Marta, there was spontaneous laughter, easy discourse of conversation and a lightness in our exchange - not very different from the many hearts I came across in the other two cities.
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