Singaporesta loytyy erilaisten etnisten ryhmien keskittymia: on kiinalaisia, arabimaiden edustajia ja intialaisia. Singaporen Chinatown on hurmaava, joskin varsinainen turistikeskittyma. Varikkaat kujat taynna kojuja, kojut paaosin taynna turistikraasaa. Mutta tunnelma oli ihana, paiva kuuma ja aurinkoinen. Kaveltiin hotellilta sillan yli Chinatownin puolelle, jossa pyorittiin jokunen tunti. Yhden valtavan kiinalaiskauppojen keskittyman uumenista sieraimiin leijaili yhtakkia melko inhottava haju, jota ihmeteltiin. Paatettiin kavella kohti hajun lahdetta, ja paadyttiin isolle durian-hedelmien myyntikojulle. Oltiin luettu naista haisevista "hedelmien kuninkaista" ennen matkalle lahtoa, ja koska reissussa pitaa aina kokeilla uusia, paikallisia juttuja, mehan sitten ostettiin yksi piikkihaisuli. Mina paasin ensimmaiseksi maistajaksi, ja maku oli kertakaikkiaan kamala. Hedelmaliha naytti kypsennetyn kanalta tai kananmunalta, maku oli jokseenkin samankaltainen. Meille hedelman myynyt nainen tarkkaili elamystamme sen verran tarkasti, etta pyrin pitamaan inhonvaristykseni kurissa. C:n reaktio oli sama, yokotys. Onneksi kokemuksesta on loistavaa videomateriaalia muistoksi! Muutama durianin ystava istui viereisessa poydassa nautiskelemassa hedelmistaan, ja ehdotin C:lle, etta lahjoittaisimme omamme heille. Miehet olivat eleesta mielissaan, ja vannottivat meita palaamaan seuraavana paivana takaisin maistamaan hedelmaa uudelleen: makuun kuulemma tottuu ja siita oppii pitamaan. Ennen kuin huomasimmekaan, olimmekin saaneet kaksi uutta ystavaa, jotka vastalahjaksi ostivat meille tuoreet kookokset nautittavaksi. Miehet olivat Sydneyssa nykyaan asuva pariskunta, toinen alkujaan Singaporesta, toinen Malesiasta. He kertoivat matkustavansa Singaporeen lahestulkoon pelkastaan herkuttelemaan ruoalla ja hedelmilla. Ennen kuin tiemme erosivat, otettiin viela kaverikuvia ja esittaydyttiin ihan kunnolla.
Hostellimme sijaitsee aivan kaupungin arabikeskittyman ytimessa, moskeijoiden ja kymmenien kauniita kankaita myyvien liikkeiden ymparoimana. Arabikaupungissa on valjempaa kuin ruuhkaisessa Chinatownissa, joskin liikkeita ja ihania ravintoloita loytyy joka puolelta. On mielenkiintoista huomata, kuinka joka uskonnolle ja sen edustajille loytyy tilaa. Itse jopa paadyin pohtimaan, onko olkapaat paljastava paita liikaa muslimikeskittyman kaduilla.
Little India taas oli jotain aivan muuta. C oli jo aiemmin varoittanutkin minua kaupunginosan erikoisuudesta: naiset ovat jokseenkin harvinainen naky Little Indian kaduilla. Joka puolella on yksinomaan intialaisia miehia ja liikkeissa myydan lahinna miesten vaatteita. Vaikka kuinka olen ajatellut olevani avoin ja uudenlaisia kulttuurikokemuksia pelkastaan janoava ihminen, kokemus oli jokseenkin ahdistava. Tahan saattaa toki vaikuttaa myos kuumankostea paiva tai vasymys, ehka toisella visiitilla tunnelma olisi jo toinen. Ruuhkaisia katuja sokkeloidessamme tunsin oloni luonnonoikuksi, niin intensiivisesti minua tuijotettiin. Muistan lukeneeni jostain, etta kyseisen kulttuurin vaikutuspiirissa turistinaisten ei tulisi myoskaan provosoida miehia ottamalla katsekontaktia heihin. Kulttuurieroja, kylla, mutta minun teki vain mieli mulkoilla heita yhta royhkeasti takaisin. Yleensa miehet kaansivat katseensa vasta jos C eleillaan teki selvaksi meidan olevan yhdessa, ja tuijotti heita takaisin. Minun mulkoiluni luultavasti olisi vain lyonyt lisaa bensaa liekkeihin. Jalkeenpain ajateltuna on hieman saali, etta tunsin oloni jokseenkin epamukavaksi: kaikki ne varit ja tuoksut olisi ollut mukava ikuistaa aivan rauhassa. Ehka paluumatkalla tehdaan uusi visiitti Singaporen Little Indiaan - vaikka samanlainen loytyy myos Malesian Kuala Lumpurista.
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There are multiple different ethnic groups gathered to their respective areas in Singapore. There's Chinese, Indian and Arabic populations - living in Chinatown, Little India and Arab town. We visited Chinatown on our second day here in Singapore. I found it charming, though packed with people, both locals and tourists. Colorful booths filled with tourist stuff made in Hong Kong, exotic tastes and smells. While strolling through Chinatown, we caught a nasty smell to our noses all of a sudden. For some reason we decided to follow the stink to its origins. What we found, was a fruit stand filled with Durians, famous exotic fruit down here. Durians are notorious for their distinctive smell, that resembles rotten eggs or something dying. Since we had read about the fruit before the trip, and decided to try it if an opportunity occurs, we had to buy one. I was the first to give Durian a chance - but that didn't quite work out. The taste is purely disgusting, I had to struggle to get my one bite down. C didn't succeed any better, he disliked it even more loudly. There were couple of Durian-lovers sitting in the next table enjoying their fruits, and I suggested we'd give our unfinished fruit to them. The two men were very pleased of our gesture, and as a thank you wanted to buy us fresh coconuts to try. Coconuts were a bigger success, although the men made us swear to come back the next day and give Durian a second chance: apparently you can get used to the taste and even start liking it after a while.
Our hostel is located right in the heart of the Arab district of Singapore, next to the Sultan Mosque and tens of stores selling beautiful Arabic fabrics. Compared to Chinatown, the Arab district is not so crowded, yet filled with shops and restaurants. It's interesting to notice how there's room for all the different religions and people in Singapore.
Little India then was something completely different. C had already warned me beforehand, telling me that the area might cause a tiny shock in me since it's filled with Indian men, women hardly to be seen on the streets. Well, he was right. I felt like carrying the plague due to the stares I received from the men. I remember reading somewhere, that in some cultures it's not recommended/appropriate for tourist women to take eye contact with local men, that being a encouraging gesture. Cultural differences, yes, but all I felt like doing was staring back at them, angrily. However, my stares would have probably just added fuel to the fire. When I think of it now, it's a pity that I felt so uneasy there, I would have liked to let the smells and sounds soak in, without stressing. Maybe on our way back we make another visit in Little India - or enjoy the one in Kuala Lumpur properly, with time.
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There are multiple different ethnic groups gathered to their respective areas in Singapore. There's Chinese, Indian and Arabic populations - living in Chinatown, Little India and Arab town. We visited Chinatown on our second day here in Singapore. I found it charming, though packed with people, both locals and tourists. Colorful booths filled with tourist stuff made in Hong Kong, exotic tastes and smells. While strolling through Chinatown, we caught a nasty smell to our noses all of a sudden. For some reason we decided to follow the stink to its origins. What we found, was a fruit stand filled with Durians, famous exotic fruit down here. Durians are notorious for their distinctive smell, that resembles rotten eggs or something dying. Since we had read about the fruit before the trip, and decided to try it if an opportunity occurs, we had to buy one. I was the first to give Durian a chance - but that didn't quite work out. The taste is purely disgusting, I had to struggle to get my one bite down. C didn't succeed any better, he disliked it even more loudly. There were couple of Durian-lovers sitting in the next table enjoying their fruits, and I suggested we'd give our unfinished fruit to them. The two men were very pleased of our gesture, and as a thank you wanted to buy us fresh coconuts to try. Coconuts were a bigger success, although the men made us swear to come back the next day and give Durian a second chance: apparently you can get used to the taste and even start liking it after a while.
Our hostel is located right in the heart of the Arab district of Singapore, next to the Sultan Mosque and tens of stores selling beautiful Arabic fabrics. Compared to Chinatown, the Arab district is not so crowded, yet filled with shops and restaurants. It's interesting to notice how there's room for all the different religions and people in Singapore.
Little India then was something completely different. C had already warned me beforehand, telling me that the area might cause a tiny shock in me since it's filled with Indian men, women hardly to be seen on the streets. Well, he was right. I felt like carrying the plague due to the stares I received from the men. I remember reading somewhere, that in some cultures it's not recommended/appropriate for tourist women to take eye contact with local men, that being a encouraging gesture. Cultural differences, yes, but all I felt like doing was staring back at them, angrily. However, my stares would have probably just added fuel to the fire. When I think of it now, it's a pity that I felt so uneasy there, I would have liked to let the smells and sounds soak in, without stressing. Maybe on our way back we make another visit in Little India - or enjoy the one in Kuala Lumpur properly, with time.
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