Because I am currently residing in a state of ultimate bliss, I decided this would be a great time to write my blog entry. After weeks of an intense and downright grueling mission, I have found what seemed to be the impossible in Singapore: a decently priced yet well-prepared cup of coffee. I never asked for Italian excellence, all I wanted was something that did not either come in a plastic bag and a straw (no joke) or was equivalent to the price of a meal. Eureka!
Buzzing on my much-needed caffeine shot at café al Fresco, on my very own campus, I think back at Chinese New Year – my trip to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. A trip that revolved around the impressive and oh-so-cute elephants! The journey there was already an adventure: we started off by taking multiple public buses and the last stretch into the jungle was done by ‘private car’ – cramming as much of us into a local’s car and paying him to drop us off at our final destination. Along the way, we picked up a local dish ‘Lemang’: rice and coconut milk wrapped in leaves, cooked in bamboo over a fire. It was yummy.
There are only a few things in life that bring you back to that kid-like joy, when you can not wipe the smile of your face. For me, swimming with dolphins was high up that list and now I can definitely add riding elephants. Sitting on top of an elephant in a river that lets itself, and me by consequence, fall onto its side, is one of those things I will – cheesy as it may sound – never forget. I am still waiting for some of the pictures, which I will upload as soon as I get them.
We also visited the Batu Caves, an important Hindu shrine in the form of a limestone hill, and a Buddhist temple close to KL. Because of the signficance of the Batu Caves and because it was Chinese New Year, both temples were full of people carrying out ceremonies. Both places were vibrant and colorful, and to make it all even better, there were monkeys too.
To be honest, KL wasn’t all peace, love and happiness. As soon as I crossed the Malay border, reality hit me in the form of dirty, squatter toilets. Flashbacks of China came to me as I tiptoed around the bathroom. Not to mention all the massage parlors around the city. In case you were wondering, your ‘happy ending’ alarm bells are going off for good reason. Really, giving up gum isn’t too bad of sacrifice for lovely, clean Singapore. So when I arrived back in Singapore after the weekend, I was genuinely happy to be able to call this home, for now.
I wish you all great fortune for the year of the rabbit! Gong Xi Fa Cai!
