A Strange Day So Far...

I am still all whacked out on sleeping schedules. Last night, after Bill took me to Chinatown and taught me how to navigate the MRT, I fell asleep around 7 pm and could not be roused to go have a beer and listen to music with him at 10. He left for work at 11:15 and I woke up around 2:30 am. I watched a little TV and knitted, then fell asleep again from 4 - 7 am.

I had the whole day planned out while Bill was going to be working. I would walk up to the Great City Mall, catch the free shuttle bus to City Hall, then catch the MRT train to the last stop on the Purple Line and hook up with the Changi War Museum Tour at 10 am.

First, I woke up with majorly swollen knees, making me think that a walking tour might not be the best thing to do today. I hobbled my way up to the Mall at 8 am, hoping the walk would loosen things up a bit, and then when I arrived, was disappointed to find that the shuttles didn't start running until 10:30.

I walked across the street to the Hawker's Centre, figuring I'd have breakfast and a cup of coffee while considering my options. There were about six or seven food stalls open, and there were people eating at the open air tables, but at every stall I approached, I was vigorously waved off and told the foreign language equivalent of "No Soup For You!" It was mystifying. Did I look too Occidental? Too affluent? Do you have to know somebody to get a bowl of noodles or a deep-fried fish? I finally gave up and went back across the street to Great City, found a pastry shop that was happy to serve me, and had a pineapple & almond tartlet and a big iced coffee. That cooled me off long enough to consider what to do next.

Most of the shops in the mall were closed, but as I sipped my beverage and nibbled my tart, some started to open. I leisurely browsed through the Italian gourmet store (fresh pasta and sauces to take home, desserts, Pelligrino, and wine), and bought a couple bottles of wine. I spent about two hours wandering through Cold Storage (a supermarket) in the basement, picking up things like a corkscrew, dried fruit and nuts, beer for Bill, yogurt and bananas and grapes for me, a couple of freshly baked breads (one swirlled with chocolate for Bill, the other studded with California walnuts for me), New Zealand butter, and mango juice. My last stop was the sushi takeout (which finally opened at 11), where the man behind the counter made up some unagi maki and lobster rolls for me.

By this time, my carry bag was bursting, the sun was out in full force, and it was time to trek back to the room and unload. I took the footbridge over to the riverwalk and stopped at every bench that was in the shade to wipe my brow, fan myself with Bill's hat (that I had amazingly remembered to bring) and switch arms on my bulging shopping bag. As I crossed the final boulevard to the hotel, I was literally dripping in flop-sweat, my feet squishing in my soaked-though socks, and the rest of my clothes raining droplets on the sidewalk. I know you think I must be exaggerating, but honestly, it's the truth. I was as wet as if someone had pushed me into the river!

When I got up to the room and looked in the mirror, my face was bright RED, flushed with heat and exertion. I peeled off my soaked clothes, took a cool shower and ate my sushi lunch. Bill came home from work as I was gobbling up seaweed salad and pickled ginger. He took his shower, drank a beer, and went straight to sleep.

So now I'm wondering what to do--go do more tourist stuff on my own, or go to sleep to match Bill's schedule? It seems like nothing starts or opens early around here, so maybe it is best to do things in the cool of the evening and sleep during the heat of the day.

It's 2 pm now, so if I did fall asleep, I could just call it an afternoon nap...