Tuesday, January 31, 2006

Istana Open House

Istana Open House

We took the chance today during Istana open house to check out Istana Park and its premises, as well as to make a comparison with that of European palaces. Of course, it is incomparable, but good enough on a limited-land Singapore. The grass is exceptionally green and even! Will post the photos when they’re up.

Now, to start from the point we left for Istana. Together with Mama Papa, I went to HAN’s for lunch, then took the MRT from Tampines to Dhoby Ghuat. There were so many people in the trains, and once again, it was the time for some ugly Singaporeans to show their best characters again. My parents were in wheelchairs, waiting at the MRT platform, yet there were these two intentionally-ignorant girls blocking the way and not willing to give way. Dumbo schoolgirls. Then, when my parents were making their way into the train, there was a man rushing forward. I thought he was being helpful but he was just making sure he got in before everyone else. Come on, it’s not as if you could not get in even after my parents. The train door would not slam flat on you!

To add on, there was this man who kept knocking his baby pram wheel into my foot. Damnit. First two times I turned back and looked at him, but he pretended nothing happened. Third time I couldn’t stand it and turned and frowned at him. Totally deserved a fierce beating!

Despite all these irritabilities from the ugly people, I enjoyed the day lots. WW brought his four cousins (aged between 12 to 18) along to Istana, and the six of us just went around on our own, sitting on the greens, touring the statesrooms, commenting how popular our President is (managed to get a glimpse of him amid the crowd around him). It seemed like a mini-excursion and it gave me joy as I like excursions.

After the Istana tour, my parents went on for shopping at Chinatown while WW and I, with his cousins, went on to Plaza Singapura. Went to get some bread to fill up our hungry stomachs, and from that I realised how difficult a vegetarian’s life is. WW’s cousins are strict vegetarians and luckily BreadTalk have me as a loyal customer, thus I can recommend the right bread to them. There weren’t many choices, and the young ones had to take quite sometime to decide on their picks. If not for someone to recommend to them, how could they identify which bread they can buy?

So, I would say that some areas are still lacking in general public’s awareness. Things like facilities for the disabled and indicators (on vegetarian dishes) in food outlets or bakeries should be more seriously looked into. The “minorities” should not be left in their own communities.

Dinner was at Ichiban Boshi @ Esplanade with WW,while we tucked into udon and chasoba and enjoying the view from the window at our table. How I wish we can have the luxury of time every now and then!

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Hello, I dun understand. Your parents were in wheelchairs. Both WW and you left your parents to roam around Chinatown on their own? Is it equally inconsiderate on your part? So why complained about the pram hitting your feet thrice?

Even then, there is a angel and devil side of people. Hold on your integrity & tolerance and frown not.