June 9, 2014

• Saturday Bliss.

  The sun shining bright through the crack where the two curtains meet, preventing me from lazing on the bed.  It’s a Saturday, I thought.  Shouldn’t I get to lay a little longer?  Not caring what the world was up to at an early hour, I kept my eyes closed.  But as luck would have it, the heat from the sun crept in and raised the air-conditioned room a few degrees higher.  I couldn’t go back to sleep.  Not when I had to throw the blanket open to cool myself down.  I felt agitated.  Gave in.  And opened up my eyes.

  The brain started to crank its engine and planned out what sweet promises the day could bring.  I took a vow, you see.  To get up early and go for some green exploration.  I had everything readied the night before.  Water bottle, check.  SPF50+ sunscreen, check.  Granola bars, check.  Small towel for sweat, check.  All stuffed in a little bag placed within a couple of steps away from where I lay like a bum.  I gazed at it and knew I had to keep my promise.

  As anal as I have always been in planning, I still forgot one thing.  My Oakley Whisker brown shades, complete with its elastic strap.  I forgot to bring it with me here to Singapore.  Darn it.  Guess the brain is aging.  Something that I have to accept and get used to.

  My shower was brief.  I shaved.  Went downstairs.  Greeted by my four-legged fur friends.  All five of them.  But everyone else already gone.  Coffee was offered by the house maid.  I declined.  A breakfast was suggested.  I reluctantly agreed to it.  Though not feeling particularly hungry, I still had to eat something to get a boost of energy for the upcoming hike.  And so I settled with something light but comforting…

  

  …Medanese Bika Ambon cake accompanied by Javanese jasmine black tea.  Set at the porch of a Singaporean home, this is a bliss of a wake-me-up breakfast.

  As I chewed and sipped, my eyes were drawn to the small square of luscious garden, situated inside by the front gate.  Filled with tropical greens of various kinds, the one thing that spoke poetry to me was the one huge waist-high black-brown ceramic pot placed at one corner, filled with water and papyrus-like plants shooting upward from the surface.  I felt calm.  Though probably not as calm and relaxing as the house cat, JJ, who took ownership of the outdoor sofa and claimed her throne by dozing off the way no one can ever do.  Not even by any one of her five four-legged house mates, which all happened to be dogs.

  

  See what I mean?

  Alas, it was time to move on.  Time to conquer the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve  for the first time.  Fortunately for me, I had a companion to help me face my challenge.  Together we endured the blazing heat of the sun, the forest long hike up north to the Summit Hut and down to the South View Hut.  In between, we mistakenly wondered away to Catchment Hut, as I got lost while trying to navigate our way down south bound.  Yeah, you never want me to be your guide.  Seriously.

   

  We survived the hike and made it back to the starting point in less than three hours.  Though exhausted and fully drenched in sweat, the hike was what we needed.  We felt like champions.  Kings of the world.  Our faces graced with grins and smiles, exhibiting our satisfaction and appreciation for the nature we encountered, while masking our sense of relieve that the hike was over.  Not to mention, our heavily soiled shoes could use a breather.  Immediately, the urgency for an icy cold drink and air conditioned room was apparent.

  That late afternoon our bravery was rewarded by the Chin family we stayed with, with some good old episodes of makan.  They took us to a nearby farmer’s market come international hawker center, filled with endless choices of eatable eye candies.  Placed in an old horse racing stadium The Grandstand turned food mecca, Pasar Bella is what the place is now called.  From flavored beer to cheese, to cronuts, to gelato, to kebab, to meat pies, to raw oysters, to paella, to pork rinds, to steaks, to wine, and to many more options, it certainly is a haven for food enthusiasts like myself and my companions.

  Since we planned to head to a restaurant elsewhere for our Chinese fix for the evening, we settled with a simple starter – a cheese platter, from an splendid artisan cheese shop called The Cheese Ark.  We pampered our cravings with some raw cow’s milk cheese called Aarewasser, and raw goat’s milk cheese called Tome Lou Pennol.  Both of these soft cheeses were accompanied with sliced baguette and dried mulberries.

  

  As I savored and swallowed and smiled, time ceased for a while.  The hustle and bustle of the farmer’s market suddenly came to a halt and nothing else seemed to matter.  I knew right there and then, what satiated my mouth was something awesome.  Something that I would take oath to return to in a near future.

  After a delectable start for the evening, we continued on our makan journey to a Chinese joint, a favorite of the Chin family’s.  There we had another superb tongue teaser.  With eight dishes among the five of us, we were sure to leave with a bulging belly filled with savory happiness.  A great way to end the day, before a couple of us had to say hello to the airport again to reluctantly fly ourselves home the next morning.

  I have to thank the Chin family for their stupendous hospitality.  Without them, my short weekend there probably wouldn’t be as blissful.

  • 4:17 pm
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