monkeycrap's Diaryland Diary
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Canada trip - Days 2 and 3
Day 2 - Shopping
I'm pretty sure it was the much merriment from the previous day which overflowed into the next that caused me to wake up with a head rush at 4.30 in the morning. Either that or the time difference. But it wasn't one of those blurry, energyless wake-ups in the middle of the night. Quite the converse, actually. I woke up with some sort of a renewed zest, a sense of excitement for what lies ahead, and it's this feeling, this state of mind, that I've longed for so much, that's been so lacking ever since God knows when. Can't believe that I've to pay $899, excluding airport tax and fuel surcharge, to be able to attain a particular state of mind.
The afternoon was to be spent at Metrotown with Dr. Carrie Kinsella Lim, Ph.D(shopaholism/retailogy), self-confessed shopaholic and certified retail therapist. Also holds a degree in urban planning, specialising in shopping mall placementation, in which she believes that there can never be no mall too many. Amount(spent on shopping that day)>Amount (spent on shopping for rest of trip). Did the most buying at American Eagle, which hopefully will not in time to come degenerate into pasar malam material a la Quiksilver or Abercrombie.
Talked a little over yoghurt about family, the importance, the role it plays, the role one plays. It was at that point that I really realised how she's changed, how we've changed. From laughing at people in school, to these kinda issues now(of course, these issues are over and above laughing at people, which still constitutes conversation staple lah).
Proceeded to the supermarket where I got stuff to take home. Such as maple syrup, dried cranberries/apricots, sugar peach gummies, gummie (pronounced goo-mee) berries, and mixed nuts. Ah yes, the mixed nuts. I spent about 10 minutes at the mixed nuts section, fishing out only the walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts and brazil nuts from the other rubbish, proving once again that you can take the man out of Singapore, but you can't take the Singapore out of the man. This is how I do my mum proud, by displaying to the rest of the world the rigorous training she's provided me in kiasuism. So it's unethical. Sue me. I've got brazil nuts.
Dinner was at a Japanese restaurant, where I had my first taste of Canadian beer(really smooth) and warm sake(like drinking burnt nail polish remover). Reached back to UBC tired, but with enough energy to shoot hoops with Kenneth.
Day 3 - Of trees, roots and bananas
It's outrageous how in Singapore, you've to be certified to be able to kayak in Bedok Reservoir, or in the sea, where you've to stay in a bloody square boundary like some banana-boated simian who's trapped in an invisible forcefield engineered by the minions of the Sea Sports Club. Here, they don't care about certification. Probably because they realise that people like me, who are certified (and I really am by the way), still can't really kayak for (brazil) nuts and cannot be trusted upon to not capsize when doing a j-draw. And the best part. There are no square boundaries.
Carrie and I kayaked at Deep Cove/Indian Arm today, from the kayak launch site to one of the abandoned small islands. The scenery, the wildlife, the crystal clear cold water, the vast expanse of heaven juice stopped short by the architectural beauty of privately owned safehavens(with private docks and boats, mind you), is unparalled with anything that I've ever seen so far. I took pics, but am not gonna put them up because it really doesn't do justice to the atmosphere. Circumstance is crucial.
In Singapore, you kayak halfway, see something black bobbing in the water, usually plastic bag with someone's half eaten mee goreng or body parts of foreign domestic help. In Canada, you kayak closer and realise, wah lau, seal! Yeah, the one that make the er er er noise leh! So cute! Wanted to smack it with my kayak paddle!
Anyway, stopped at the island for lunch. Carrie's own self made kimbap(korean sushi). They should just call it kooshi la.
Oh. And strawberries topped with sweet cream. Minus the cream. So yeah, basically strawberries.
As you can see, a lot of very weird poseur pics were taken atop the island. Really feel like putting some of the act-cute ones on, but Carrie'll kill me for sure. She already made me promise, pics on blog subject to approval. So yeah. Too bad.
Is it just me, or does the word 'kayak' really really sound Singaporean?
After a whole day of kayaking(I swear, it really does sound Singaporean), took a bus down(in semi wet pants) to Robson Street, the Orchard Road of Vancouver. The wet pants, not cool. The slippers, lagi unglam sial. Went to this place, 'Trees', where the signboard outside read:
The sign was totally misleading and absolute rubbish. It should've read, "Best cheesecake in the WORLD".
The chocolate word should've read banana(the cake's flavour), but was too hungry and ate before taking picture, so it kinda reads banan-*splat*. Also note the caramel. Food for life.
Ok, I admit, I've not much to compare it to, simply because I'm not exactly the biggest fan of cheese. Or Manchester United, but that's another thing altogether. But yeah, this cheesecake was superb. The base was sturdy upon fork, crumbly upon mouth. The filling was rich and creamy, yet light enough so that the cream cheese taste is substantially unoverpowering. The texture was delicately spongy, with whatever flavour you choose(banana, raspberry, blueberry) oozing out of the porous sponge, which when coated with the whipped cream culminates in a subtle, gentle implosion of flavours, each one complementing the other. Too bad the coffee sucked, or it would've been a complete tummy treat.
Stepped onto Robson, and the first shop spotted was called 'Roots'. Trees la, roots la. Was looking for any shop named 'fruits', but don't have. Only got Banana Republic.
Went back to UBC, where I was invited by Aunt Serene and Uncle Ricky to take a walk in the temperate forest behind their house. Was initially thinking about how cool it was to have a forest in one's backyard, but then I realised I spent close to 2 years in Seletar Camp, so that's about the same. Although instead of callowed raspberries and blooming tulips, we had, well, croaking frogs and blooming idiots.
10:43 a.m. - 2006-05-24
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