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THE INCREDIBLE ARCHITECTURE OF SINGAPORE
The Boon Poh cleansing lorry pulls up as we exit the condo. A couple of Madeshis (poorly paid Indian workers) in what looks like scavenged clothes work wend their way along the compound, noisily emptying the discarded detritus from the buckets at the bottom of the
Across the way as we exit past the smiling security guards whose job it is to raise and lower the barrier for cars and scrutinise who comes and goes, is an example of the rapid building programme that seems to be taking place all over the country. It's a house, I'm told when I ask the guard at the gate what they're building.
Just a house! I remark.
Just a house, he repeats with a smile on his face.
As this area is dotted with embassies from all over, I think they must be building another, so elaborate and complicated with arches and pillars, fountains and sculptures.
We take the triple 1 bus to Lucky Plaza and optimistically make our way towards the Indian Embassy on Grange Road. As we're still in the learning stages of how to cross the road, we've worked up a sweat by the time we reach the Indian High Commission's gates - not surprisingly closed with a few protesting Indians trying to reason with a little lady in uniform behind the bars. (The previous day it had taken us about 45-minutes to figure out how to make our way through a warren of underground tunnels from Orchard Road to Orchard Boulevard.)
The Commission has shut the gate at 11.30 and it's now 11.40. Of course, the web site had information that the gates would be open all day till 16.00. Phone calls too remain unanswered and messages probably erased as they are made. We turn around and decide to wait till we're in India to find out about extending our stay.
From the bus we can see the contrast between the skinny Chinese labourers and the luxurious plazas they're helping to build and I wonder how they are being exploited. All along the concourses there are money change booths which I don't understand because money can be withdrawn from ATMs for a minimum charge of about 1-percent. There is also a sign outside -NO INTEREST - but how does that work?
I can't help snapping some of the skyline. What a city!
One building is called the ORANGE INFINITE. Other names on buildings: FABULOUS TAN STUDIOS; CATHY PACIFIC; MANDARIN; MONT BLANC; RED KEN; ENGINE; SUPER CUTS. Jut can't escape the logos. I wonder, who comes here to shop at H&M, Cartier and Marks and Spencer?
We travel on and arrive at our favourite haunt - Little India. This area really is India in microcosm, run mainly by Tamils. We see Big Bites Pure Vegetarian Restaurant. Everything is in black and red livery: red seats and black table; all the waiters dressed in black; the menu in red and black.
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| BIG BITES VEGETARIAN |
We have batura and chana and Fulmaya has a north Indian thali. Outside, a light shower fall on the street and immediately evaporates.
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| FULMAYA'S INDIAN THALI |
