I had to make another  trip to Little India in Serangoon Road today and it was just providential that I had stepped out of the house with an umbrella because now sooner had I finished my work and about to step into Tekka Centre, the heavens began to pour. I waited a bit thinking that the shower would pass , but Mother Nature had no intention of obliging. 

Luckily I opened up my umbrella and crossed the road. I wanted something as frivolous and nonessential as a nail polish remover but when I asked the assistant at the ShengSiong at the VERGE through the time honoured way of gestures and sign language,she pointed me to the band aids! 

I struck lucky in the Indian store across the road which had recognisable Indian Brands. The market itself was a hodge podge of shops filled with a strong smell of smoky incense and goods that one can buy on Colaba Causeway or Janpath. Trying to desperately ignore the smell and the smoke, I persisted in my quest for the remover and when I couldn’t find it, I took a bottle of nail polish to the counter and again gestured to the rather indifferent looking cashier that I wanted a remover for the nail polish.Not really sure of whether I was understood or not, I was quite astounded when the cashier barked into the shop ” nail polish remover” and a Lakmé Nail Polish remover was deftly thrust into my hand. 

Food glorious food

Since I was coming all the way to Little India I thought I’d finally sample the famous Murtabak that I’d heard about from my brother when he’d returned from his maiden voyage as a rookie Marine Engineer three decades ago. This is my third visit to Singapore but the first ever to a Hawker Centre and that too at the iconic Tekka Centre. I just had to indulge ( since I any case the bulge is now beyond control) and bought the chicken Murtabak and a mutton Biryani from Alauddin’s stall that was highly recommended by Burrple. 

  
The taxi driver on the way home grumbled about the strong smell of the onions and oil and actually rolled down the window a bit ” You come all the way down to buy food?”he asked me quizzically but frankly I didn’t care.

The rain by now was a full blown monsoon shower and as I went home, I kept thinking of one more item I had ticked off on my TO EAT list and clutched on to the plastic bag with Alauddin’s treats.

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I’m posting this on Write Tribe where you’ll find other interesting posts .