singapore was a little disappointing but only because i had memories of its 1970's incarnation ' it's still a very cool place with its mix of chinese, indian, malay and european stuff - it's just not as out there on the streets as it used to be, meaning i didn't get to eat as much delish food as i wanted - but still, i can't complain - i did get a very yummy masala dosa at the surya restaurant in little india, plus soursop juice, and mangosteens fresh at the market (robin did find me a british supermarket called spinney's in dubai that carries the teeny tiniest mangosteens i've ever seen - but otherwise i fear i won't see any more unless/until i go back to asia) - plus it was great to see my friend ronni after 30 years or so - that will need an entry of its own
also the asian civilizations museum is GREAT - lots of multimedia stuff that really gets you into the mood of appreciating the dance, sculpture, paintings etc. - there's a fancy restaurant there called indochine that did a pretty good pho ga (no diacritics sorry beth!) aka chicken noodle soup
and now on to penang - i wasn't quite sure why i decided to go there but am glad i did - it just sounded cool from stories i'd heard (e.g. geraldine and steve, whose son darius was born there long before darius became a cool name)
i highly recommend it as a place to see and taste (the best food in asia per many and i have to agree that the mee goreng i stumbled on was the best i've had) the 'real' asia (but do not bother going to the eastern and oriental/e&o hotel - they claim to serve clotted cream at their fancy expensive afternoon tea and then instead serve whipped cream - huge disappointment for moi) - slightly delapidated but full of character - i stayed at the cheong fatt tze mansion (i showed a pic in one of my first blog entries) and it is FANTASTIC - full of the most beautiful stuff just as you'd expect a mandarin of the first rank to have in his house - i also LOVED the penkaran mansion which is just so OTT/over the top - combo of chinese and victorian taste - meaning nothing can possibly be too ornate and no surface can hold too many beautiful chotchkes
am in barcelona entering this extremely belatedly and have to go = but i will try to load up at least one of the 4,318 pix i took in penang soon!
