The Opera Populaire

The past week had been spent helping out at Tuas, where the family biz is located. As the place suggests, it is pretty far away from "civilisation", but things have been fine overall. Had nice time trying out different good food around the area and being able to have access to PC is a good thing!

Met up with my former colleagues on Thu night. So sad...how come ppl are clamouring to meet me becos they thot I am leaving soon....so if I tell you I'm staying here for good, you guys wouldn't be bothered to see me???? :p Anyway, we went to Marina Square. I must say that the renovation had done it good. There were some nice shops there, which we explored after dinner. I felt happy to see them again; laughed like I hadn't done for some time at Elaine's jokes like the different ways of pronouncing "pastrami" and when we went to Topshop and tried on the funny bedroom slippers (would anyone actually wear those??). Jean and Gracie are doing very well now...have put on the weight they lost and that glow on their faces. Glad for them!

Guess what....I have picked up smoking on Sat night. Smoking the Arabian water pipe or shishah (I have always thot it is called hookah cos that's wat Paulo Coelho called it in "The Alchemist"), that is! Heehee....pretty interesting experience at a cafe in Arab Street, where we lounged around on cushions with low tables and drank mint tea (very nice!). The shishah is apple-flavoured, and the whole experience was rather ordinary but for the exoticism of the surroundings. Din feel addictive or anything, but I may be wrong :p Only when paying the bill did my fren suddenly realised that he had exposed me to tobacco! *Ehem* I guess this effectively meant that my lifespan had just been cut down 5 min, my lungs are now filled with bits of tar and my fertility is probably reduced. Hahahaha :)

But anyway, that was the 1st time I had ever been to Arab Street. We never realised what a treasure throve it was. Saw these really pretty Arabian beaded slippers and a vintage kebaya which I shall consider getting for Nat's wedding if I am invited hee. Never knew that there was an Istana there, too! Sultan Mosque looks really impressive at night. The photos we took of it made it seem like we had been in Brunei or something. And we will be sure to visit the famous Zam Zam for murtabak soon. Since it is the Ramadhan, there was a pasar malam there. The other cafe my fren brought us to was oso really eclectic, filled with cute decorations which include a red chair in the shape of a palm. Got this craze for lamps, but I really have no place to put them sighz...