Big Bike Ride

We took the bikes out for a spin on Thursday. Eric planned a route that took us mostly along park connectors beside the Kallang River, all the way to the new stadium building site. From there we could easily see Marina Bay Sands and the Flier.  

The part of the trip where you were sitting on the seat was very pleasant, the difficult bit was where you had to dismount and carry the bike up and down flights of stairs to cross highways. There were 6 of these in all and some were tough. The one that crossed the PIE had six flights of stairs and beneath us flowed 16 lanes of traffic.

There was absolutely nothing left in the tank by the time I went to work that afternoon. 
After lunch Friday the mahjong lessons continued. We have had a few interrupted weeks due to visitors and other commitments between the players, so for some it seemed like going back to first base. There is probably only one more chance to play before the end of the year. They all need to buy their own sets for Christmas. 
The walkers returned to Bukit Timah this Monday. Surprise, surprise, the steps remain just as deep and difficult. It was steamy after recent rain so we all looked drenched when we finished but still very smart in our new team shirts, don't you think? Eric rode his bike over and collected them from the printers on Friday morning while I did the housework. (Anything not to use that bike again so soon!). 

We heard plenty of birds and saw the Black Crested Bulbul for the first time . 

Since we were so well dressed we had lunch at a bakery just off Sixth Ave in Bukit Timah called Simply Bread. A very nice change; its not often you sit down to a fresh sandwich with great bread here. Most of it is disappointingly sweet and has no substance. We bought home a loaf of sourdough for the freezer. 
In the evening we had been invited to Heather and Michael's for a whisky tasting evening. Not sure why, since we are not really whisky drinkers, maybe it was to stop Michael drinking all the bottles of Duty Free that visitors keep leaving behind. Peter and June joined us, now they would consider themselves more experienced in this particular field. As it turned out, between all of us I think there were 8 different whiskies which Heather carefully spot labelled and then doled-out in shot glasses for comparison, two at a time. Bushmills was an early favourite but in the end Johnny Walker Black label took the honours ahead of a 15 yr old Glenfiddich and 2 Jamesons, amongst others.  I refrained from participating, after all one of us needs to get everyone else safely home! Actually, to be honest, I still have vivid memories of a terrible wet, stormy night camping at Anglesea and being very unwell after a night out on whisky. Climbing back into a sleeping bag with sandy feet and soaked through after making a number of visits to the public conveniences in the rain was not pleasant. Monday night was a lot of fun and the food was fabulous. They were all very sensible and Eric shaped up pretty well on Tuesday morning. 
Today I have sent off my Separation Advice Form to NT DET. Feels really strange but also no point in prolonging that status. If everything goes to plan I am not expecting to ever be working for them again. 
In the afternoon we walked one of the trails around Little India. We began at the Tekka Market. Downstairs is the lively and colourful produce market though most of it was closing up by this time of the day. 

If you thought it was colourful there though, you need to go to the top floor where fabrics in every conceivable colour and bejewelled in every way are on display in fashions best described as Bollywood. 

There is so much colour in this area of town, the buildings are often bright and then the goods seem to tumble onto the sidewalks too. To add to the spectacle the area is celebrating Deepavali with street decorations and a number of bazaars are set up in laneways. 

 buying a lei for the Hawaiian night

 in one of the bazaars

 henna tattoos are popular

 Deepavali Street Decorations

We wandered by a couple of Sikh Temples, typically they have a plain fascade unlike the richly adorned Hindu Temples. Then we made our way up to Mount Emily Park and back down to Albert Court by which time we needed refreshments. This area is close to town so many of the traditional homes have been torn down to make way for superstructures. Those that remain add a charming contrast.  

 traditional and modern

 How's the pool? 

 traditional villa

We wandered along Serangoon Rd and watched as the skies darkened and the lights came on. We found the temple where Hindus assemble for the annual Thaipusam festival early in the new year. We haven't seen that festival here, only in Penang. A walk wouldn't be complete without at least one Buddhist Temple and we found two right beside each other. The Dragon Mountain temple was built in 1917 and typical of that time, the main frame was assembled without the use of nails. Across the road is the Temple of 100 lights. Apparently during the Japanese Occupation, British POWs would volunteer to collect roadside rubbish here and would secretly pass notes to the monk who saw that they were sent on to their families. Nice story.
Back on Serangoon Road we returned to Mustafa Centre where Eric couldn't resist going in to purchase Turkish Delight and then we ate at a simple Indian Restaurant across the road. By this time the lights were beautiful.