Public Gym
29 August 2005 — Today was supposed to be the day I go to the Shanghai Museum, but you know, the weather suddenly turned warmer, I had to blog, the ah-yi was here to clean the place and I got carried away listening to all her gossip, and before you know it, it’s time to meet Tommy again. So, mebbe tomolo. (It has now become a standing joke: which is the day that Tiffany would finally venture out on her own in the day? hee hee…)
So anyway, a bit of background first. The night before Tommy was due to fly back to Shanghai, his tooth filling fell out, and he’s been suffering from excruciating nerve pain since. His threshold for pain must be pretty high ‘cos it’s taken him a whole week to finally do something about it, and not before Lynn and I had to persistently nag him to see the bloody dentist! We are so sick of hearing him whine about it.
So here we are, at the dental clinic. Not bad hor? Pretty clean and hygienic looking.
In fact look, they make all their patients put on these plastic bag slippers (?) Though I haven’t really figure out what purpose they serve, are our shoes really capable of carrying around so much bacteria? Well mebbe… with all that spitting. Though to be fair, it has significantly improved from when Wil and I were here two years ago. Mebbe, just mebbe, spitters might become extinct in time for the 2008 Olympics, the world can only hope.
But then I deflect. So here I am with Tommy, he dragged me along, so wimpy right? At first I thought mebbe I should also have my teeth filled, there’s this large hole at the back of my mouth where food often gets stuck. I was waiting to go back to Singapore to see my own orthodontist, but if it’s cheaper here, why not? But one look from the dentist and his verdict is that the tooth has to be extracted! WHAT?!? He says it’s not actually a cavity, but rather a gap between two teeth ‘cos my wisdom tooth did not grow out properly, so in that case, it can’t really be “filled” as such, has to be extracted to solve the problem. Wah lao, no way Jose! I 一点心理准备 also don’t have, how can anyhow just extract my tooth then and there?!? And besides if I was to go through with it, what’s the point of coming to Shanghai?!? Oso cannot eat oredi?!? Cannot… besides it’s not even causing me any pain.
Ok, since I won’t be getting orthodontic work done, how about cosmetic dentistry? Hah… never had my teeth whitened before, mebbe today’s the day? Double Wah lao! Turned out to be a whopping 2800 RMB! Ok, forgit it, I’ll just wait quietly for Tommy.
For dinner, we went back two blocks down to Carrfour where there’s this Singaporean restaurant called “Cross Roads”.
Look, the hostess is even wearing the SIA girl costume, so cute right? But she so camera shy.
And who should be the Singaporean mascot but Ah-Du! Wah… construction boy really makes good huh?
Tommy upset that they ran out of carrot cake.
Ended up with Fish Head Beehoon, Char Kway Teow and Sweet and Sour Pork
And now for Lynn’s Washing Machine Saga… remember she tried to get one from Carrefour but failed? Well, we’re trying again.
First we went to this place called 苏宁 which by the way made a fuss when I took this picture. Their reason was that their competitors may find out their prices?!? What shit nonsense? If their competition was really that hard up to know their prices, they can still come into the store incognito and spy right?! So I refused to delete my photo when the security guard instructed me to do so. I’ve learnt that in China, as long as you’re fierce (helps if you speak English), you can get away with anything… and actually you kinda have to to survive, if not, sure kena bullied by the locals.
Anyway no luck with the first place, so next we went to Home Mart.
We were wondering how come all the sales people were lined up along the main aisle, you almost feel like you’re walking down the red carpet at the Oscars, with the impulse to wave and smile for the cameras… well, we found out soon enough. RRRIINGGGGGG!!!!! And all of them rushed down the aisle headed for the exit. Wow, don’t think they really like their jobs very much. Never seen anyone try to leave their workplace with such fervour! And cause the public exit was already shut, we got herded along to the staff exit with the rest of them…
See, once out of the building, they’ll rush to their bicycles and make a quick getaway! “Can’t stand this job!!!”
So of course Lynn didn’t manage to get her washing machine again at place number 2. Imagine our surprise when one of the Home Mart staff members actually told us she would accompany us to the Lotus Megamart (just across the street) to get it. Wah liao! So good?!? Don’t say China, even in Singapore, this is unheard of. So what to do? Follow her as we continue our wild goose chase lor!
So here we are zipping through the aisles of the Lotus humongous Megamart!
and see I never bluff, this is the kind auntie who actually came with us
Unfortunately no luck again, Lotus didn’t have the model that Lynn was after. So after all that drama, still no washing machine… but since we’re already here, well, why not…
…play with rice…
…ogle at the season’s first Hairy Crabs, supposedly very yummy…
…and try to reach the pants that are hanging from the ceiling: “That’s the size I want!!!”
Just outside the store, an open-air book market
Look at all these great classics in Chinese! Gulliver’s Travels, Little Women, Emma…
Just a few steps away, right in front of Mackers, I thought I eyed a children’s playground, turns out to be a free public gym! Eh, mai xiao xiao, it’s actually very well-equipped ok?!? From machines for the waist to that for the thighs to those for the biceps to those for the calves, what more can one ask for? Come, let me bring you on the grand tour…
…must, train, those, arms…
But the one machine we had the most fun on was this.
When this little girl saw us doing it, or trying to do it, she also came over. Look at how high she can swing! Show-off.
But don’t let this little girl fool you into thinking it’s easy! Just look at Lynn and me trying to do it! It’s actually very hard to balance ok?!?