"Trailer Wife"

I was informed yesterday that the term used to describe women who follow their husbands around the world but don't work is "trailer wife". Delightful! I suppose it could be worse - at least I'm not referred to as a WAG or a GAG or something just as retchingly painful! I suppose I just need to make sure that I don't slip from the "wife" category to the "trash" category any time soon :)



Sri Mariamman Temple

However, I'm delighted to tell you that I have spent the last 2 days being a true "trailer wife". I managed to sleep until 10am yesterday then proceed to read an entire book! I overcame Sarah's challenge to sit and read for more than an hour by miles when I read exactly half of my 450 page novel in one sitting. Excellent book - 'The Help' by Kathryn Stockett. I even managed to restrain myself from watching the movie on the plane over here so that I could finish the book first. After a tough day of reading and lounging round the apartment I headed to Orchard Road where I met my darling husband, collected some new pants that he had had tailored and then enjoyed 2 portions of prawn and spinach dim sum before heading home to bed! Awful day! I managed to repeat my desperate-housewife behaviour for a second day in a row with 30 mins of lying by the pool this morning, followed by a swim, a shower and then into town to meet Nick for lunch! After a turkey salad sandwich (yes, very Asian) I headed off to Chinatown. On my way into Chinatown down Cross Street from Raffles Quay I found the Sri Mariamman Temple by mistake. Its beautiful and the oldest Hindu Temple in Singapore, built in 1843. I didn't go inside because you had to remove your shoes and I was wearing white pumps (I told you I was being a desperate housewife!). I promise I'll go inside when I take Nick :)

Brightly coloured old Chinese quarter shop houses

Narrow streets in Chinatown

A little further down the road you suddenly feel like you are in China. What an awesome spot! I truly felt like I had walked out of Singapore and onto the set of a Bruce Lee movie! The streets were lined with stalls and the buildings brightly coloured. China City at Bruma Lake has nothing on this place. Brig is going to go bananas when I take here there. The streets are narrow and lined with old shop houses. It was already starting to get busy even though it was only 3pm. However, Singapore rules still apply in Chinatown and people don't bump you, let alone breathe in your direction, which is astounding when you consider how busy the streets can get. There are all sorts of cheap Chinese gizmo's to buy but if you wonder further into the shops you find the good stuff! Beautiful hand carved ornaments, silk lanterns and stunning artwork. But if you prefer, you can get a tattoo next door or facial acupuncture. It really is a quite astounding!

Buddha Tooth Relic Temple

After an hour or so of browsing I decided to head in the direction of home. As I turned the corner, there it was right in front of me! Beautiful! Like a postcard right in the middle of all those stalls - the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple. It is magnificent and looks in pristine condition. Which I suppose is not surprising as it was only constructed in 2007. It houses the Buddha Tooth Relic which sits inside a 420kg solid-gold stupa. Again I didn't go inside, this time because I had nothing to cover my shoulders with. I'll make sure that when I go with Nick we get there when the monks hold chamber opening ceremonies. We might also sample the free vegetarian food that they serve in the basement of the temple. Imagine that in South Africa!

I managed to find my way back to Katong via the Chinatown MRT and headed to our local shopping mall to get my data sorted on my black berry. You'll be happy to know that I am now back up and running on bbm - crazy how you can go from Buddha Tooth Relic Temples to Singtel customer service queues in the space of 30 mins. I love Singapore! Nick's working late this evening - some big India deal they are busy with. It seems he might have to do a bit of travelling for work - India and Jakarta have been mentioned at this stage but nothing firmed up yet! I'm not complaining - I'm a 'trailer wife' remember :)