Summerland

 

A Summerland Hotel on a Yemeni island called Socotra. No (large) rock in any sea left unexplored by the contemporary beach-loving tourist. White family with kids in the pic entering a Toyota SUV for the airport after UAE & Saudi exchanges spoilt a holiday and threatened stranding. The waters there in the Red Sea might catch a turquoise tinge certain times of year, offer refreshing breezes, a malooga & hummus to die for. 

NB. Melbourne currently 40 degrees, with the interior 3 - 4 - 5 degrees warmer.

Blasted

 

Denizens would understand. The Norwegian Nobel winner Fosse couple years back would understand. One needed to be somewhere; the existential condition. In Sing that meant once or twice a year in a mall, even for orang with the phobia threatening dear life. A number of pretty young girls. The couple post-pubescent CHIJ Convent girls in their uniforms tainted by the locale. To an interloper the Filipina biz wives in the window corner were an unknown specimen. No mystery why this particular table on the aisle was vacant again. Slovenian Slalom, shortly to be published in an ok mag up in the States, was penned precisely there, beneath the A/C vent, with the robot behind gathering cups. Actually, on closer inspection, it appeared it was piping wrapped in alum. foil and the two vents either side were responsible for doing the damage. In the rainy season a freeze like that was particularly dangerous. Topi replaced to cover the scone. The Mainland tissue seller gotten himself indoors finally made you smirk. Expected to ignore the white guy, particularly crowned with authentic panama, turned out not the case at all. On the contrary, bold as you like. Not only does he stop 12 – 15secs, but what the fellow proceeds to do is drop his stock on the edge of the crowded table with a audacious slap. Wet larger pack atop the other. Then the victory sign 3, max 4 inches from the nostril. An understanding grin could not be suppressed. Unfortunately, that concession was lost on the sod. Under 50, slight, a lad in former years. Eyeballing. Sometimes the purchases lagged before the customer finally wilted; after all, $2 was hardly too much to get the nuisance outta your space. In G. Serai the Viets or Malays would never push the envelope like that, certainly not with a white. Where this chap hailed from shrinking violets were trampled. Even Mr T. could not have helped begrudging acknowledgement. Jackie Chan mean streets; substances younger days, possibly. An article in the morning’s paper reported the hardness over there that was resistant to the recent more enlightened liberalisation in sentencing. Post-colonial hangover would not surprise. Unlike lotta places, the Chinese knew their history. Closing the technological & armament gap so rapidly, the Yanks were well & truly screwed.  They would be ruing their Anglo-centrism here very shortly. 

 

 

Venomous (Jan26)

 

Old crone was first noticed at the teh counter ordering. Deft way of displaying her charms at every possible opportunity. Five minutes later awaiting her food around the other side of Abbas she got offa her feet for a spell, pulling up a pew at the end of the pair of tables. Back turned, angled away, but still able to present a portion of that artwork resting before her. Remarkable dotted pattern covering the whole of the back of both hands, right down to the knuckles and up to the sleeves, baby peacock eyes perhaps the motif. There might have been 25 on each, with the colour tone of the iris picked up in the deepest crimson of finely shaped nails. One wrist at least was banded with strings of gold, (the watch musta ridden up under the sleeve). The usual henna was nothing like. Gotta be tail end of her 70s, if not beyond. Face mask & navy cap rather than scarf further shrouded. (On a closer look when she turned slightly, the younger age was clear.) Did grandad even now benefit from that dazzling allure, that spider suddenly emerged from the jungle, when it began crawling over his chest? (Further was not required.) The palpitations here would start way ahead of any overt action, little fever quietly stoked unawares. A few minutes later when she was spotted again 3 - 4 rows back the decision was made. The hell no! We are gonna give that a try! The pose requested would be with the pair raised together before her, pinkie of the right giving a soft touch of the left’s ring finger—cropped later just above the line of chin, perhaps. Two steps back to collect the phone and quickly swinging round again, only to find the grandad had come to collect their purchases. Surprisingly youthfulness. That display would certainly not be all in vain there, not every single day. Highly serviceable. The old duck collecting her cane before setting off had it all properly sorted.

 

 

           Geylang Serai, Singapore 2011-26

 

 

 

 

Roman Holiday

 

 

Jeff was rather different to what you might have guessed had you thought about it. Much taller & bigger bodied. (Mother Jennifer was slight.) A pretty big-earning banker. Casual nondescript clothing when he had gotten away from work for an hour in order to update Ma’s sim before the deadline, after which it cost. There was some hurry going to the car, though Jennifer would have liked an introduction.

            Couple days later came news of a planned trip to Italy, confined to Rome, it seemed. Jeff had been many times; now he wanted to take Ma, who worshipped at Our Lady of Eternal Peace, on Tanjung Katong. The last few overseas trips with Jeff & his wife Jennifer the Ma had felt lonely in her single room, so this time Jeff had extended the offer to his mother’s best friends, Grace & Evelyn. If these two managed the airfare, Jeff would pick up the tab for accommodation.

             Filial son, exceedingly solicitous over Ma. The daughter-in-law had agreed to the three of them living together in Ma’s Haig Road flat. The daughter, Jeff’s sister, was an archivist, managing immigration to Canada and marriage to an ang moh there. Seemed the young woman had a strong distaste for the country of her birth, according to Ma. There had been only the single visit in fifteen years; Ma had gone over once.

An hour after the last meet Jennifer forwarded the itinerary compiled by Jeff. Unedited here.

 

 

 

 

*Rome attractions*

-colosseum / Roman forum / patine Hill (whole thing if you quickly skim through it - 1hr each site)

-Vatican city (1) Vatican museum/Sistine chapel (need to book tickets, time needed 2-3hrs) (2) St Peter’s basilica (can go up to view the city view) - free but queue 1-2hrs (maybe 30mins if you’re lucky - go early - got dress code)

(Main area)

-pantheon (can go in for free weekdays)

-trevi fountain

-Piazza navona (famous square)

-Campo de’ fiori (famous market) / night time different vibe

-Spanish steps

-Via Dei Condotti (their orchard road)

-Altar of the fatherland (take photo via Piazza Venezia - like a walkway grass patch perfect view of the place) (night and day view super awesome)

-(optional) Ponte Umberto I (famous bridge to see sunset of ‘Castel Sant’Angelo’)

-The Pincio terrace and promenade (a park that has super good overview of the city skyline)

 

*Rome food / area*

-***Trattoria Da Enzo al 29 (must eat pasta, queue can be 1-2hrs) / Trastevere

-***Tonnarello (must eat pasta, queue can be 30mins-1hrs)  / Trastevere (a few outlets all same)

-Trapizzino (modern rome food, not pizza but damn good) / Trastevere

-Supplì Roma / Trastevere (nv tried but takeaway stall rome side dishes)

-Pasticceria Valzani (cannoli) / Trastevere (nv tried)

-Est Artigiani del Gusto (nv tried but wanted to, Breakfast Corneto/pastry/croissant w cream, & best pasta too) / near Piazza Navona

-**Two Sizes (must eat tiramisu) / near Piazza Navona

-Pizzeria Da Baffetto (pretty good Roman style pizza) / near Piazza Navona

-Sant'Eustachio Il Caffè (for espresso) / near pantheon

-La Casa del Caffè Tazza d'Oro (for chocolate espresso) / near pantheon

-Er Faciolaro (truffle pasta, didn’t try but highly raved) / near pantheon

-*****Giolitti (must eat gelato, oldest and cheapest one, order small can liao 2 favours) / near pantheon

-Alfredo alla Scrofa (where Fettuccine Alfredo was invented) / north of pantheon near Ponte Umberto I

-***Piccolo Buco (must eat modern naple pizza, go early, otherwise long queue) / near trevi fountain

-Bonci Pizzarium (nv tried best pizza in rome) / near Vatican City museum

-Mordi & Vai (nv tried, best sandwich, located in Testaccio market) / south

-Felice a Testaccio (nv tried, known for Cacio e pepe pasta) / south

 

*Rome dishes to try:*

-carbonara****

-pasta alla gricia****

-cacio and pepe****

-bucatini or spaghetti all’amatriciana

-abbacchio scottadito (meat dishes/lamb)

-straccetti (meat/ veal serve w rocket salad)

-saltimbocca alla romana (veal, prosciutto & sage)

-coda alla vaccinara (oxtail)

-trippa

-Carciofi all giudia- deep fried artichoke (veg) ****

-puntarelle alla romana (veg)

-il maritozzo (dessert / bread filled w cream?? Meat?? 6 kinds probably)

-tiramisu (dessert) ***

-pana cotta (dessert)

-suppli - (rice tomato mozzarella) (Fried Rome treats/street food) ****

-baccala (street food - Rome v of fish & ~chips~)

-fiori di zucca (Fried Rome treats/street food) (deep fried zucchini flowers)

-pizza al Taglio (slice of pizza - Rome style thin pizza rectangular -in diff toppings) (most budget option for lunch)

-pizza romana (thin and crispy)

-pizza Napoletana

-gelato artigianale (visit giolitti)

——— experience their culture——

-Aperitivo (evening drinks + free snacks) - traditional drinks - aperol spritz (outside pantheon)

-Throw coin -make  3 wishes right hand over your left shoulder  (trevi fountain)

 

 

Five-six days it might have been.

 

 

   Geylang Serai, 

Singapore 2011-25

Bunting & Gingerbread (Jan26)

It needed checking again; it had slipped a number of times here. The Eve was tonight, in fact, or the morrow?… Surprising the costuming quite absent. One could be forgiven for thinking some anarchist types had been on a quiet rampage, without the authorities wishing to raise the alarm. Even at the library yesterday, nada. The Box for teh after, same—behind the counter the lads in their usual uniforms. Not even strung cards; pudding specials nowhere in sight. Restos nearby staff similar. Was there a tree anywhere the length of North Bridge Road? Had one been mooning blindly on the bus coming out? Until the turn onto the square by McD’s & Starbs the soul completely at peace, easy calm throughout. All morning Asian tourists around Bugis must have been vainly hunting backdrops for their selfies, before accidentally stumbling upon the thoroughfare with the baby pink & blue stage opposite the fountain. (Turned off yesterday it seemed, for allowing smoother passage, perhaps.) Without carols & hymns did this even deserve the name of Christmas? How were you s’posed to remember the manger? There may have been an electrical fault. The Santa caps on the pixie girls passing, nowhere Gingerbread gone begging. Something was seriously amiss. Imagine the same in Bourke Street or Bondi. Times Square. Imagine the meltdown on Truth Central. The family had flown down to Florida from memory, where the pressies would be placed beneath the tree. There might be visits to soup kitchens in the morning for Mel, after she had changed. The hairdresser, the dressmaker. Hopefully the candlestick guy had added just the right amount of scent. Ljubljana prepared a live feed, all those good former commies staying up to watch, never mind the time difference. What you don’t wanna see on the streets in this particular quarter in the next 48 hours is a brown face crowned with the fluffy. (Filipinas were forgiven.) It was not so common, but past years it had certainly occurred. Couple years back at one of the chains in Indo a ruckus had been raised over management’s dictate for staff through the season. Promptly rescinded. Being so thoroughly steamrolled, pulverised & shattered, the Chinese you forgive. Even in Riyadh the incidence might be higher this year. Gaza possibly accounted for it, when the clamp had allowed not the merest whisper. Homebound passing The Animal Retreat on Guillemard Road—hotel, daycare & grooming facility—a big size Santa costume had been hung to dry over the railing of the front fence. That was one operation going the extra mile for the furries. One of the malls was featured in a newspaper through the week pumping out laundry suds for the kiddies.

Nano / Pico published by Six Word Memoirs

 

How to take back those kisses?

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Bing & Bob (‘Tis the Season)

 

Paper cup with the plastic lid removed and eschewing the straw (plastic), it’s only the Chrissy lounge & carols one needs to contend with. Furnishings and the prospect on Wong Ah Fook, well, added elements. On the other hand, a little chat with the coloured young crew, intro-ing snatches of their own language, lightens everything. Screen fixation at every choc brown table — you get that everywhere. Pinches the brain to consider the heartlessness in the commercial calculation; for the construction visible through the window likewise. In the case of the design along the canal, that was less heartlessness and more ineptitude and sheer boneheadedness. There was thought of the architects Jimmy Lim (local Aga Khan winner) and Sabine Johnsdorfer wincing at every step. Even still Jimmy in his 80s now. Like trudging through merde no end in sight.