My Lovely Holiday

Back... It had been the best best trip... I saw the struggling developing world that is Morocco, and then I returned to the Land of our Imperial colonial masters... haha. I like to think that I ran back into the arms of civilisation with a blast of relief. But of course, that makes me sound utterly spoilt. Hmmm.

Morocco was great. For 8 days anyway. Anymore and I would have to kill one of the stray men who yelled out "Konichiwa" or "Kombawa" to us. And it wasn't that they were being polite. They were just teasing a reply out you. For two days we ignored the more than 40 catcalls we got per day. Then, we thought we came up with a good retort: "Je ne suis pa Japonais" (I am not Japanese!)This followed with a "Korean? Chinois? Americain?" Then after that, we learnt that silence was the best medicine. But we still got the occasional "Racist?" ??!!!

And then there were the hamsup men. HAMSUP MEN WHO TOUCHED US ANYWAY AND AT ANY CHANCE THEY COULD!!! I have been caressed, stroked, hugged, nicknamed, and had beard bristling against my cheek at every opportunity!!! Maybe I'm exaggerating a little bit, but being Chinese and travelling with another girl is a surefire way to encourage these young Moroccan guys. Hmmph!!!

But you know what, amidst all that inconvenience that is horny Moroccan men, I had a fab time in Morocco. I travelled to lesser trekked parts of Marrakesh with dear Kris, like the Jewish area and the tanneries, and came back unscathed and somewhat tougher. There were slightly nervewrecking moments, like when we were surrounded by guys demanding money for the tanneries. Or at the Jewish area, where we did not know where we were going and we kept getting this weird guy following us.

Whatever it was, these little rough escapades were what made Morocco exciting. You never know what the day will bring. And I think I learnt from Kris the art of standing up for oneself. (That was how I learnt how to yell at the guy at the lift today... the one who called E* bitch for no reason whatsoever)

Kris was also lovely company. I think the company is always the most important. If conversation is shitty, or if you are having a fight with the person you are travelling with, u ain't going to have a ball of a time.

And I can never forget the Sahara, with its sweeping sand dunes. The shadows playing against the smooth sand. When you walk on it, it's like destroying something that was really beautiful. Even if you know the dunes are temporal.

And how beautiful the Djenna el Fena looked from above in the roof top terrace of a café. How the colours change within the hour. And how the drums sound as people swarmed to the square in droves. And then the smoke swirls from above the food stalls as people mill around. And then all the lights start blinking and flaring. And the ever steady beat of the drum was like the rousing heart beat of a sole organism. Cliché I know.

Then to UK I went. I was very relieved to be part of a more civil society once more, a place where I won’t get harassed every 30 seconds.

I had quite a bit of relaxing me-time in UK. Time to think. Time to ponder. Time to just appreciate my surroundings. Things I haven’t done for some time. And immediately, Ecclesiastes comes to mind=) In UK, this time round, it was good to be with my friends, who were really hospitable and who were there for me. There were quite a few ‘first’ experiences too. Here are some of the highlights. Most of them are food highlights:

1. Carluccio’s
We went to Carluccio’s – This delightful Italian restaurant near Oxford Circus. Set up by some celebrity chef, it serves light Italian fare with a slight twist. I had this penne with fried spinach balls and done aglio olio. I can’t stop thinking about it. The mushroom soup was done as a clear soup with huge chunks of bacon and mushroom swirling in it, with a rich thick foccacia on the side. Yum… … There was a Jamie Oliver quality to this restaurant. It was light fare, nothing to pompous or fancy. Comfort food.

2. Jazz performance
I went to Kevin’s Jazz performance at the Royal College of Art café. This is what being an undergrad is like in UK!!! Kevin’s in this jazz band that performs regularly at such venues to undergraduates. It was fun to be part of the younger crowd again, and to see how their undergrads live life in London. I like the scene here. Made me feel young again, especially when everyone got up and started to dance at the end. It was very difficult to dance to some of the music, but they all just bobbed up and down on the spot! Hats off to them for their spontaneity and enthusiasm man… Kristin was telling me about how they used to hang out in US. And this reminded her so much of her experience there. Sometimes I wish I knew or understood her experience in US more.


3. Cambridge
I went to Cambridge by myself. It didn’t have the best weather, but it made me feel so relaxed and at ease. I haven’t felt like that in the longest time… I went to a few of the colleges, walked around Lion’s Yard, walked up and down a few times, had the best pecan tart at a popular patisserie… I had a blast=)


4. Kobe Jones!!!
I went to Kobe Jones, a Jap Fusion restaurant. When Kevin was waxing lyrical about it, I didn’t know what to make of it. It wasn’t in Kristin’s Zagat guide because it just opened a few months ago. But after going there, I have discovered a whole new category of cuisine… honestly. It’s opened my eyes in more ways than one.. haha. The food is awesome. I didn’t know that such things could be done to Japanese food!!! And then I really started to understand what it meant to DINE IN LONDON. Dining in London is a holistic experience. It’s not just about the food. The ambience, the service, the conversation and the alcohol…. They all make up parts of what good entertainment is. And London is the place to go. I couldn’t think of a single place in Singapore that even bears a slight resemblance to the experience I had there. Try the “Number 1 Special”($4.50) when you get there people. It sounds really dubious, but you won’t regret it. Kevin, you officially have good taste in my book!


5. Plays
I watched 2 plays – Woman in Black and Boeing Boeing. I REALLY REALLY LOVED THE FIRST ONE. It was something I’ve always heard about it and I have been dying to check it out since Mr Perry talked about it in our lit class! Teachers can really plant seeds into students’ minds. I had been carrying this with me the last 7 years. And it has lived to its expectations. I never really thought I could be scared and freaked by something that is playing out live.

BOEING BOEING was good too. Light-hearted but a little draggy at some parts.


6. Yauatcha
But the highlight of the night has to be Yauatcha. It’s this high-end place which serves good fancy dim sum (catered to ang mohs of course) It was set up by Allan Yau, the man behind wagamama and hakkasan. I was won over by their ostrich dumplings, crispy Mongolian lamb, and venison puffs (which taste and look like char siew puffs). Upon entering, you realize that it has elements of a typical Chinese restaurant. It’s very tongue in cheek. There is your requisite aquarium, but with fancy fish instead of fish to be served as food. There is also the typical Chinese peonies/flowers by the side of the cashier. But they are done up in a stylistic manner.

And that’s where the similarities end. This is high end London fare for you. It’s like the supposed latest place to be seen. I personally don’t go to such places, but I must say that the food really impressed. Plus, you can tell that care and attention has been given to the smallest details, from the black marble of the washrooms and the terraced sinks, to the stylish faux cheongsams that the waitresses wear.