Walking off the Pasteis de Belem

Singapore stopover

From Di 8/7/2011

11hrs after lining up @ Tulla I'm checking into Naumi Hotel - contemporary luxury. Up early for a long walk before next 14 hr flt to London.
'July' in Singapore means 'SALES' each discount sign larger than the last 20-90% OFF I head downtown to Orchard Rd where queues 25 deep are forming outside luxe brands: Chanel, Prada, Dior, Louis Vuitton, D&G names names names!!! After queueing and being corralled through airports I do not value queueing as part of an experience in purchasing luxury goods (and I'm on a budget)

I walk back along Orchard Rd to Raffles for tea & toast where you are instantly transported to The raj days of pressed white linen colonization otherwise known as the Pink bits of the globe. Refined and refreshed I head Nth towards Kampong Glam (not) this area is relatively unchanged since 1820s and was assigned as a moslem district occupied by Singapore's Malay & Arab communities.

Stop on Arab st to marvel at the beauty of the Sultan mosque one of Singapore's oldest and important. My peace is broken as a siren goes off and the Imam calls to prayer. Hundreds of men fill the streets heading to wash their feet before kneeling before Mecca. It is an experience I would liken to Pamploma's running of the bulls where I am clearly unwelcome in a turquoise halter-neck dress.

A left on Baghdad st to Sultan Gate is the Istana Kampong Glam. This area has remained relatively unchanged since early 19thC practicing the art of decay with smells of Malay cuisine & shisha aromas swirling around. Arab & Baghdad sts are famous for silk & fabric stores: Ali Baba Fabrics is where I can get an appt to be measured up for a burqua (they always look so... One-size, who knew they were made to measure?) I take a card and seek out the famous coffee shop 'Cafe Le Caire' a hub for all things Arabian. I order traditional coffee, dates and decline on a tug of the Shisha pipe. I realize I am the only female here - like a fart in a space suit I appreciate the mud-in-a-cup and take off. Walking 50mt and a world away from the conservativism of Islam. Haji Lane is: Graffiti; Shisha joints and a quirky array of contemporary boutiques 'Loft, Know it nothing, Dulcetfig, Pluck & Sup. The youth are rebelling but keeping it in the hood, where the elders can still keep an eye on them and probably fund it! I check out 'Fika' a very blond wood minimalist Swedish/halal cafe? After reading the menu I decide what's missing: Pork and so head for Chinatown.

I am surrounded by the sights and smells of street food smoke, fire and noise! I meet with a consultant @ Mei Guo Ginseng who looks at my tongue to assess my health. In true Chinese tact she shakes her head, draws air through yellowed teeth and makes disagreeable clucking noises - am i going to last the night? I am seated in the restaurant where a drink of indescribable pink sludgy bitterness arrives with an assortment of sml plates of food to assist digestion, high blood pressure, constipation etc the steamed greens & whitebait is wonderful which is more than I can say for the drink and other v unusual tastes. I force a taste of each while my consultant encourages me to eat up (where's the pork?) I pat my belly (international for fullness) and walk up the street for a serve of yummy succulent rich pork belly (for my last meal I'd rather pork).

Signs as humor whilst traveling in Singers:

'Sensible Girl' shoes (who would admit to it?)
Visual Orgasm tattoo parlor ( tasty)
Skinny Pizza ???
Big Bugis (@ Bugis Junction)
Brussel Sprouts Cafe (are they kidding)
Fuk Master Massage (sure)
Ali Baba & the Forty Kilms (still thieves)
Real Jade - Truly (Truly - suddenly slaps you with "not real")

Back to change/shower at airport while the night sky explodes with fireworks in preparation for Singapore National Day.

A must after check in @ Changi airport if you have 30-60mins before boarding is 'Fish Spa' where you can get pummelled & massaged by experts. I chose a foot/leg massage which commences with feet in a pool while little fish (I hope not whitebait) eat off dead skin from your toes and heels - yum! Followed by an excruciating Indian head & neck massage. I left feeling awesome, boarded and slept on board flt to London for 7hrs!! Onto Lisbon....

Depart London in Summer 10C for real sunshine & oranges in Portugal.
Arrival into Lisbon where two screaming girls - colourful as Mardi gras scream out! Woo Hoo Maria & Lucinda have come to welcome me to Portugal!

Lucinda drives us giggling three on a Sunday tourist drive through Lisbon.

Walking off the Portuguese tart calories with a camera in hand

This morning the guilt of the accumulating calories finally kicked in so Lucinda and I domed our color co-ordinated tracksuits and off we went for a long walk. My camera is now a constant companion and so here are some sights of this historic city that reminds me of a gracefully aging aristocratic lady.

Photos from last few days while not connected and with Rita and Mito

FINALLY CONNECTED TO THE WORLD !!!!

Finally I am connected !!! It has been difficult but I have managed to buy a sim and am BACK ON LINE !!

My arrival in Portugal was 3 days ago and and it feels like a blur fueled by adrenalin, excitement, bureaucratic frustration due to the expiry of my POrtuguese ID card and lots and lots of amazing Portuguese tarts !!!

My arrival in Lisbon airport at 11:00 pm at night was euphoric to say the least. Two screaming women hugging and kissing each other in the middle of the arrival hall was met with strange looks, but. We did not notice it. This was followed by endless talking talking talking which started from the moment we hugged, during the taxi ride home, into her gorgeous dollhouse apartment and virtually into the early hours of the night. Lasting friendships are truly amazing and time does not weary them.

Have already plunged deep into what we do here in Portugal which is talk politics, eat, shop and enjoy the glorious weather.

It is Saturday morning and I have have still managed to wake up at 7 am even after going to bed at 3 after an amazing night with my beautiful RIta and the love of her life Mito. Mito cooked an amazing dinner and we ate and talked and talked and laughed in their gorgeous apartment in the beautiful historic and now THE place to be in Lisbon, The Bairro Alto. Their apartment is right in the main "strip" and from their little wrought iron veranda we watched the nightlife below. We then walked to their artist studio where Rita and Mito gave Lucinda and I a private viewing of their amazing art. They are truly talented and one day they will be rewarded with the recognition they justly deserve.

Today we will walk to the baixa and have our first morning Portuguese Tart with the compulsory expresso. Then ......we will seed. Stay tuned. The Portuguese tart No 2 arrives tomorrow !!!!

The Journey Begins

And so it begins. The first of many memorable events in this journey. A kickoff so to speak which brought together the 2 Tarts and some of their closest friends and family. A gathering at the Aqua e Vino wine Bar and live music venue in the famous Yarraville village. A MUST place to visit if you a ever in Melbourne. We gathered.......a group of beautiful women coming together to celebrate friendship. And so celebrate we did. We laughed, drank, ate and danced and danced and danced. Onwards towards our great adventure which starts on the 5th of July.