Little India

Crikey days - heat as we've never experienced it before ever. Day 1 was 30C with 75% humidity at 4pm so you can imagine how we were coping. Copious amounts of water just to keep going never mind to actually do anything else. It was a nice suprise and made us feel abroad although we're not sure whether a lengthy stay would be recommended


To aid matters, our hostel was located in Little India, a district created by the early Indian immingrants to Singapore, and where there the smells and delights of indian cooking merged with the pungent smell of rotting fruit and vegetables. With the heat it was a strange byut exhilerating experience; very foreign but for me strangely calming bringing back memories from the last trip to Asia.



Fortunately Inn Crowd has excellent air conditioning, clean cool showers and an ambient place to recover from outside that proved essential the last few days.
The sights of Little India are typical of SE Asia with once grand hotels and trading houses, replaced with open fronted shops selling massages, internet shops and backpacker bars not to mention the standard auto repair stores and silk merchants. Chuck in a couple of religious places of worship, , Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple and Abdul Gafoor Mosque, and you're sorted.


The colours and sights are incredible from rows upon row of vegetables to sell to the traditional costume of the Muslim religion accentuating (Word of the Day (WOTD) the contrast between this place and the city of Singapore. Tall, glass fronted and modern designed skyscrapers stand high above the shabby shopfronts with fast shiny cars powering past the many Indian men standing around.



Roads around Little India have been named in memory of the early pioneers of Singapore and been retained due to their prominence in the city through its history. An excellent food court sold us Fried Kang Kung, or fried pak choi and greens in a strong garlic and chilli sauces and Pad Thai with Coconut Milk and a Coke for under $8. What a bargain! This works out under £4 for two people. A tasty Aloo Samosa or Spicy Potato Samosa was consumed walking about too :)

Two points to make - (1) it seems everyone has a nice new car, or at least somewhere to prevent it from getting dusty and (2) where are all the Indian women?