Satay with Sanif

On this day I was to meet up with Sanif, another of Sam's friends. Sanif took me to a Satay joint. In case you are ignorant to the ways of Satay (like I was moments before I ate it), it's basically a mini-shish-kebaab with beef or chicken. They cook the meat in a spicy peanuty sauce, and also serve it with assorted bread and vegetables. Simply put - this is heaven on Earth. How can food be this good?

Stupid American!

So I thought I'd relate the case of how dumb travellers can seem to the locals. I wandered up to a sugar-cane juice stand. Sugar-cabne juice is exactly what it sounds like. They take a sugar cane and mash it up with a big machine, and collect all of the juice. It is oh-so-good, especially when mixed with fresh lemon or lime juice. All of this for the low price of like 1 Singapore dollar ~ $0.50.

I digress. So I asked for two drinks, and the lady asked me if I wanted a "puckeeh"... She pointed at a glass, and repeated the question. I thought she was asking how many I wanted, so I kept saying two. I then held up two fingers, and pointed at the sugar cane machine. Then the lime.

I thought if she wasn't getting the message, I should just point louder. With more pizazz?

She was gesturing pretty wildly at the cup, so I then thought she was asking "For here or to go?". Since she was pointing at the cup, I assumed that "puckeeh" meant "for here". Yes, I said firmly. "puckeeh". To which she handed me two plastic bags full of juice. Curses.

It turns out that "puckeeh" was actually "packet", as in "packet" to go. Fortunately, an exasperated on-looker came to my aid and sorted the matter out. If looks could kill, I'd be dead a couple of times over after taking in the look that the lady gave me when she transferred the contents of the "packet" to a glass.

I then headed up a second time for a refill. This time I definitely DIDN'T want the "packet". Two more, I said with authority. When presented with the bill, I promptly paid it. Another strange look.

Apparently it is not customary to accept Hong Kong currency for transactions in hawker stalls in Singapore. Who would have thunk?

In any case, I had a great chat with Sanif. We talked politics, movies, and all sorts of fun stuff. It was a great conversation, and I learned a lot about life in Singapore. We ended the day with him leaving for the oh-so-Singaporian shop called "IKEA" to buy some home furnishings.

I ended the day by watching movies over at Alen II's house, and eating more delicious hawker food. All and all, it was a great experience.

Oh - I was pleasantly surprised to see Amy reading Thomas Paine's "Common Sense". I've always wanted to read that, and it was interesting to see someone from a far-away land wanting to read it as well. I had always assumed that it would be of primary interest to Americans (or possibily Brits), but I guess I was wrong on that account...

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