See Seaweed Salad

I have never been to the cinema alone. I think I should, I think it sounds cosy, but I still have not done it. I thought about it yesterday, though. Instead I asked Ash if she wanted to join me. Of course she would! We checked which movies were screened and even though many had strange timings (like one was screened at noon and twenty minutes past midnight) we found one that worked.

Ash was going to be a bit late and only arrive at Suntec a few minutes before the movie started. I decided to head in an hour earlier and just walk around for a bit. I am not very good at solo shopping, so I brought a book with me. The estimation of three different apps told me it would take slightly over forty minutes to get there, but as usual with Singapore it felt (and probably was) only around twenty. I found my way around and walked past Boost, smoothies, where I bought a Banana Buzz. I sat down next to the extremely loud mixers, opened my book and sank into the words. I suspect people looking at me wondered how I could read in that environment, but when the words from the book gets inside my head I can not hear what goes on around me.

Here is a long story about me buying seaweed:

I found a store called Tao Kae Noi Land and recognised the figure from my favourite seaweed snack. It was impossible to resist, so I went inside. Apart from seaweed bags with flavours I had never heard of before, there was tea, noodles, candy, etc - all with seaweed flavour or added seaweed to the side. It was surprising, all that for some seaweed. There were several costumers in there, walking around the isles, taking samples from the small jars everywhere. As soon as I stepped in the man behind the desk approached, said hello with a warm smile and the instant chose an item he appeared next to me with a basket. I picked up my all time favourite (original flavour) and found a deal where I could buy four bags for ten dollars. I calculated that it would only save me one dollar, but I had actually already planned on trying some of the new things. I put down Japanese sauce flavor, seaweed with sesame grain and seafood flavor in my basket. The sauce flavor had a picture of sushi on it, so I thought I would like that, the seafood on seaweed just sounded funny and when I stood considering the sesame grain the clerk showed up unannounced again and held the sample jar towards me. I thanked him and tried one and then I took a bag, which I had already decided that I wanted. I went to pay, was offered some samples which he happily gave me, and then realised he only took cash. I had some but not enough, so I said I would come back for my bag and pay him. He told me to bring the bag and come back with the money. I tried to tell him to keep it until I could pay for it, but he seemed very keen on trusting me and pointed me in the right direction. I went down one floor, took out some cash and went back up (wondering what stopped me from just taking the seaweed and leave, but I am an honest person and he had been kind). After I had received my change he bends over the counter and points at some candy beneath it. Take some candy he said and I declined, not wanting some candy at all. Take one, is free he continues and picks up a candy-bar. I try again to decline it since I do not eat candy right now but he is very persistent. I took the candy, thanked him and left the store feeling very white-privileged. It did not occur to me that the other costumers had not been treated the same way as I had been.

It was half an hour until the movie was starting. Ash was lost and somewhere in the mall, trying to find her way. I told her which of the three towers I was in, but I got it wrong and did not help her at all. Quarter to six we met and hugged. Ash took some photos of me while I sat in the sofa promoting Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. Not the movie we went to see, it will have premiere in Singapore 27th of April. We had tickets for Kong: Skull Island. Now, I have seen the previous movie starring Jack Black but Ash had not seen it (at least that is what she thinks, she remembers the Empire State building, which she could have gotten from a trailer or poster really) and told me she had to ask her boyfriend if Kong was the movie about the big ape on the building or Godzilla. I laughed so hard! I think we talked a bit too much during the movie, but I always do that and so does Ash apparently. Also, there was this old couple with their, I assume, grandson and they were much more noisy. The one or two (maybe three, I can not tell how old a child is by just looking at it) talked loudly, burped a lot, coughed crazily and the granddad had to pat his back for minutes at a time several times during the movie. I think our talking helped to ignore the sound.

I will write a full post about the movie, I have many opinions.

The movie ended at eight and we were getting hungry. Ash had worked at Suntec previously, before recently getting a new job, and knew where to go to get food. We walked towards she signs telling us where Restaurants and Bars were, but we only found two, three bars/miniresturants which was not really what we were looking for. She took me to a place called PasarBella which I said was a fancy food court. The description at their website says A GOURMET FOOD HALL, INSPIRED FROM THE STREETS OF LOWER EAST SIDE, NEW YORK CITY - WITH STREET ART ILLUSTRATIONS, GRAFFITIED WALLS AND FUSS-FREE MEALS-TO-GO. Very pretentious, but we both found good food and a place to sit. I had a The Big Daddy salad which was sweet potatoes, baby spinach, rib-eye, walnuts, guacamole and a vinegar sauce. It was really good, I was very hungry! Two young women behind me in the line asked what salad I had taken and I told them which one, but then I looked at them again and recognised the Swedish looks. I do not look like a typical Swede, but these two shorter, very blonde women could not be anything else. Then I heard them speak, confirmed Swedish, and had a short conversation with them while my food was being done. I wished them a happy travel, backpackers, and went back to my friend to have dinner.

When we were done the stores were closing all around us. Ash wanted to go to one specific store, hopefully still open, so we went there. It was called MEGAFASH and only contained expensive things you think you need. Strange pillows (although I would have bought that fish if it had not been a hundred S-dollars!), scary phone cases, jewellery, candles, clothes with inappropriate prints ("Random Ang Mo"), office equipment and bags. Everything ridiculously expensive but also very tempting.

When we left it was nearing eleven. Stores were closing and we could not think of anything else to do. Maybe go to a bar, but I would not drink so it would not have had any purpose. Instead we walked incredibly slowly while still talking towards the next nearest MRT station. We said good night, split and I headed home. It definitely only took twenty minutes this time. John had seen half an hour of a movie called Constantine (a very interesting movie that I recommend to everyone) and together we cuddled up in the sofa to see the rest of it.