Date: 04 Dec 2014
Time: 1701 hrs
Place: Near Fragrance Hotel, Selegie Road
(sorf) I was walking past Fragrance Hotel when a young girl with a long ponytail, wearing glasses, t-shirt and bermudas, and holding a map, asked me for directions in really fractured English. I didn't understand her at first, then realised that she was looking for the train to Marina Bay. I told her to go straight and turn left, the station is next to the black building, and underground. She said "Thank you."
Thursday, December 04, 2014
Sunday, November 30, 2014
Desperate for his 9 times 9
Date: 30 Nov 2014
Time: 1240 hrs
Place: Outside Fortune Centre (Middle Road)
I was walking down Middle Road carrying groceries when a big sized Indian man, wearing a black t-shirt and black bermudas, makes a bee-line to me and asked me where Bencoolen Street was. I pointed out to him that the road across was Bencoolen Street and he asked me how come there was construction. I told him that the construction was for an MRT station and it had been going on for about five years. I asked him where exactly he wanted to go and he said Hotel 81 so at the junction I pointed to him where he could walk to get there (the pedestrian walk besides the construction site). We crossed the road and instead of heading there straight he went to the prata shop to use the toilet.
Time: 1240 hrs
Place: Outside Fortune Centre (Middle Road)
I was walking down Middle Road carrying groceries when a big sized Indian man, wearing a black t-shirt and black bermudas, makes a bee-line to me and asked me where Bencoolen Street was. I pointed out to him that the road across was Bencoolen Street and he asked me how come there was construction. I told him that the construction was for an MRT station and it had been going on for about five years. I asked him where exactly he wanted to go and he said Hotel 81 so at the junction I pointed to him where he could walk to get there (the pedestrian walk besides the construction site). We crossed the road and instead of heading there straight he went to the prata shop to use the toilet.
Saturday, November 29, 2014
that's rich coming from these kids
Date: 29 Nov 2014
Time: 1950 hrs
Place: Outside Sports Hub, near Kallang Wave
(both) Two tween Caucasian girls, each with a cold Starbucks drink, asked us where they could go to get a taxi. I told them they had to walk quite far out to get to the road, pointing out the general direction back where we came from (the Stadium MRT station).
On hindsight, they should really be taking the train. But I guess they can afford it.
Time: 1950 hrs
Place: Outside Sports Hub, near Kallang Wave
(both) Two tween Caucasian girls, each with a cold Starbucks drink, asked us where they could go to get a taxi. I told them they had to walk quite far out to get to the road, pointing out the general direction back where we came from (the Stadium MRT station).
On hindsight, they should really be taking the train. But I guess they can afford it.
Tuesday, February 11, 2014
Just Chijme in anytime
Date: 11 Feb 2014
Time: 1005 hrs
Place: Sculpture Square
(sorf) I was walking past Sculpture Square plugged into my earphones and a Caucasian guy in sunglasses, blue cotton shirt and white bermudas waved his hand at me. There was a petite blonde lady and a younger guy (also blonde) with him. He asked if I knew where Chijmes was. I said, "Oh you guys are a bit far off." I was looking around to see what's the easiest directions to give and he asked "You know Chijmes?" I said "Ya" and told him to go straight down to the second junction where Victoria Street is and turn right. I asked him if he knew what Chijmes looked like and he said "Ya. Thanks."
Time: 1005 hrs
Place: Sculpture Square
(sorf) I was walking past Sculpture Square plugged into my earphones and a Caucasian guy in sunglasses, blue cotton shirt and white bermudas waved his hand at me. There was a petite blonde lady and a younger guy (also blonde) with him. He asked if I knew where Chijmes was. I said, "Oh you guys are a bit far off." I was looking around to see what's the easiest directions to give and he asked "You know Chijmes?" I said "Ya" and told him to go straight down to the second junction where Victoria Street is and turn right. I asked him if he knew what Chijmes looked like and he said "Ya. Thanks."
Friday, February 07, 2014
Tricked by the signs
Date: 07 Feb 2014
Time: 1840 hrs
Place: Behind V Hotel Bencoolen Street
A Singaporean Chinese man wearing a white shirt and pants, together with an auntie in a red dress and permed hair, asked me in English where Bayview Hotel was. I started to give some directions when he interrupted me and complained that there were no signs. I asked him how he got here and he pointed towards Nafa and said he saw a sign there and followed that. I told him to go through the V Hotel lobby and turn left and Bayview Hotel was about 50 metres down. He thanked me and went off.
Time: 1840 hrs
Place: Behind V Hotel Bencoolen Street
A Singaporean Chinese man wearing a white shirt and pants, together with an auntie in a red dress and permed hair, asked me in English where Bayview Hotel was. I started to give some directions when he interrupted me and complained that there were no signs. I asked him how he got here and he pointed towards Nafa and said he saw a sign there and followed that. I told him to go through the V Hotel lobby and turn left and Bayview Hotel was about 50 metres down. He thanked me and went off.
Monday, February 03, 2014
Hong Kong, we like Hong Kong, and the Shanghai, if you can find the bank
Date: 03 Feb 2014
Time: 1700 hrs
Place: Dhoby Ghaut MRT
I'm looking at my phone just inside the Dhoby Ghaut MRT entrance near Atrium where the bubble tea shop is, and heading to the basement, when a grey haired Caucasian man with a slight Australian accent, in t-shirt and jeans and looking very sweaty, came up to me quite flustered and asked me where the HSBC bank branch is. I said it used to be on the ground floor before the renovations (where Plaza Singapura took over Atrium) and I went back up to ground level with him to the bubble tea shop and it wasn't there anymore. So I walked with him inside Plaza Singapura to look for some kind of information counter and I led him instead to the touchscreen information panel and he found that it was in Basement 1. I oriented myself based on the other nearby shops and quickly walked him downstairs to the bank. On the way he told me that he needed an actual teller and not the ATM and he told me that he was just in Malaysia and that it was just as muggy as here. We reached the bank and he shook my hand and thanked me and got inside just in time before it closed.
Time: 1700 hrs
Place: Dhoby Ghaut MRT
I'm looking at my phone just inside the Dhoby Ghaut MRT entrance near Atrium where the bubble tea shop is, and heading to the basement, when a grey haired Caucasian man with a slight Australian accent, in t-shirt and jeans and looking very sweaty, came up to me quite flustered and asked me where the HSBC bank branch is. I said it used to be on the ground floor before the renovations (where Plaza Singapura took over Atrium) and I went back up to ground level with him to the bubble tea shop and it wasn't there anymore. So I walked with him inside Plaza Singapura to look for some kind of information counter and I led him instead to the touchscreen information panel and he found that it was in Basement 1. I oriented myself based on the other nearby shops and quickly walked him downstairs to the bank. On the way he told me that he needed an actual teller and not the ATM and he told me that he was just in Malaysia and that it was just as muggy as here. We reached the bank and he shook my hand and thanked me and got inside just in time before it closed.
A hundred victories
Date: 03 Feb 2014
Time: 1455 hrs
Place: Rendezvous Hotel
I had just walked out of the Delifrance with a sandwich in my hand when one of two Chinese men in Bermudas and t-shirt and sneakers and crew cut and a bit of a tan, both middle aged, asked me in Mandarin (Northern Chinese accent) where is "bai sheng lou". Guessing that they meant Park Lane I told them to follow the road right at the junction (Selegie Road) and walk about 200 to 300 metres. I also told them it was on the opposite side of the road. They thanked me and hurried off.
(Postscript: I googled "bai sheng lou" later and found out that it was the Chinese name for Bras Basah Complex. So looks like I completely screwed up the instructions!)
Time: 1455 hrs
Place: Rendezvous Hotel
I had just walked out of the Delifrance with a sandwich in my hand when one of two Chinese men in Bermudas and t-shirt and sneakers and crew cut and a bit of a tan, both middle aged, asked me in Mandarin (Northern Chinese accent) where is "bai sheng lou". Guessing that they meant Park Lane I told them to follow the road right at the junction (Selegie Road) and walk about 200 to 300 metres. I also told them it was on the opposite side of the road. They thanked me and hurried off.
(Postscript: I googled "bai sheng lou" later and found out that it was the Chinese name for Bras Basah Complex. So looks like I completely screwed up the instructions!)
Monday, January 06, 2014
Buck the trend
Date: 06 Jan 2014
Time: 1050 hrs
Place: St Marc's Cafe Marina Square Singapore
(sorf) Sitting at St Marc's Cafe and plugged in to my earphones and some guy in a red polo t-shirt comes up from behind and says "Excuse me, may I know where's the Starbucks coffee shop?" I said, "Sorry I'm not sure I think it's back on the other side", waving behind me and to the right.
Time: 1050 hrs
Place: St Marc's Cafe Marina Square Singapore
(sorf) Sitting at St Marc's Cafe and plugged in to my earphones and some guy in a red polo t-shirt comes up from behind and says "Excuse me, may I know where's the Starbucks coffee shop?" I said, "Sorry I'm not sure I think it's back on the other side", waving behind me and to the right.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)