Singapore wave
(View along the Henderson Waves, Singapore)
Last night was another raucous family gathering here in Singapore. There was group singing again, copious eating, animated chatter, impressions of famous statesmen, some dropping of food on the floor during our third lao yusheng meal – at one point I even managed to spray juice down my front because I was laughing so hard at one person’s antics. After the frivolities had subsided somewhat, Ying’s mum took me to one side and checked that I wouldn’t expose her side of the family as being over excited and giddy with the thrills of new year. So I won’t.
There were many more exchanges of mandarin oranges – they are swapped, or handed over in the place of red packets of money; symbols of good wishes. Originally the hong bao or red packets are given by married people to younger singles, usually children. Married people also often receive hong bao from their elders and transversely (in this family at least) grandparents and parents are gifted red packets by their working adult children and grandchildren. Alright, let’s make this simpler! I think almost every single person received blessings from somebody else. Singapore Chinese custom dictates that I am both young(ish) and unmarried, therefore I have received generous blessings from practically all of Ying’s family – all the members older than me, of course. In a way, Singapore is more traditionally Chinese than China – according to a Chinese friend; there, the hong bao are given away by people as soon as they have a salaried job.
Today has been our official day off from the family visitations, so we took advantage of a free morning by relaxing and lounging about in a state of recovery from last night’s late night hijinks. We spent the afternoon with Ying’s parents in the canopy of rainforest trees, up on the treetop walk – you can see them in the foreground. This particular stretch is called ‘the Henderson Waves’ and spans the Henderson road, a dual carriageway that runs impressively underneath it. The whole structure is constructed from undulating wood in waves, snaking through the forest. It is a secluded attraction for families and groups of friends resting in the lee of the waves. You can see a white sky here instead of blue – it poured down a few minutes later and my umbrella sheared in half.
Mosquito bite tally: 13. One bite up from yesterday. She got me right on my knee.
– Today Rosie is eating Indonesian food in Singapore –
