Singapore Day 4

Today started very slowly as there were phone conferences with Spain, Nevada, Melbourne and 

Laos. By the time work was over I just went out and walked around the giant shopping mall that is 

known as Orchard Road. I allowed myself to get lost in the underground labyrinth that keeps people 

out of the heat and still shopping.

Looking at all the shops I reflected on the importance of Western brands in Asia. 

It's not as if there aren't fabulous designers in Asia. From Japan alone there is Miyake Issei, 

Mori Hanae, Takada Kenzo, Kawakubo Rei and Maruyama Keita to name just a few.

And there are stand-alone branded Asian fashion stores: Shanghai Tang from Hong Kong 

and Comme des Garcons from Japan. I got on the web and discovered that in Singapore there

are four Shanghai Tang shops and one Comme des Garcons. But there are eight Bvlgari outlets, 

six Dior, five Fendi and three Chanel shops. As well as strong representations by Bally, Coach, 

Gucci, Zara, and Topshop and many more well known branded companies. 

It is starting to look like a flashy, trashy airport shopping centre.

Singapore is not alone. I've seen this trend in Hong Kong, Shanghai and Tokyo. I realise the 

same brands are to be found all around the world but there seems to be a heavy domination 

by them in Asia. I personally have a problem wearing logos. I feel that if I am going to become 

a walking advertisement for a particular company they can pay me. These brands are expensive,

by wearing them you are saying 'I can afford this' rather than an indication of your own tastes.

 If you're not confident in your own style then self-identification with someone-else's brand 

philosophy could invest you with self-worth. But it can't give you a sense of identity. 

It is borrowing another's values. 

Another megacity that I visit regularly is Mumbai. Western brands are well represented 

in the shopping malls of the large hotels but in the main shopping centres everything 

is Indian. Does this mean that Indians are more confident than Asians in their own 

style and don't feel the need to adopt an alien identity?

 

This identification of Western style includes the mannequins. In India I have seen mannequins 

that have been changed to make them look Indian, I haven't seen the same in Asia. I simply 

don't get a young Chinese girl identifying with a blond-haired, blue-eyed fashion display. 

 Earlier I mentioned Shanghai Tang. All of their designs have a cultural link to Chinese heritage, 

whether it's with the fabric design or a subtly upturned collar. Their clothes are recognisable by their 

style without the need for giant logos (although some of their designs have a small logo).

Chinese culture has a rich history of wonderful silks and exquisite embroidery. 

You see none of this in the shops or on the streets. 

 I continued to wander through shopping heaven or hell, whatever you feel about endless consumerism, in the hope that I would find a style that reflected the geographic area I was in.
 No such luck.

 Harley Davidson, Prada, Rolex, Tiffanys, Mui Mui and another Dior.

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

 

 I was really disturbed by the lack of a 'Singapore" identity. 

That night we decided to revisit a place that we had eaten at over a decade ago.

We got a cab to Nelsons Circle. A long time ago the area was a ramshackle arrangement of 

food shacks in a vacant lot. It was noisy and colourful and full of amazing aromas.

It is now neat and tourist friendly. The dirt has been exchanged for concrete.

It is all well lit and, like the rest of Singapore, incredibly safe.

 But at least we found a true Singapore brand. Tiger beer.

 

 Now you are presented with menus from the numerous touts but the crabs and the 

oyster omelettes were still delicious.

 It's just a pity that yet another chaotic area of Singapore has been turned into a theme park.

A long drive for a cup of tea. Munnar, India

Having decided on a holiday in Kerala we decided to venture further than the coast and 

go inland to the Western Ghats. Looking at a map we found Munnar. Then we did some 

research. Munnar is a picturesque town that was once the summer escape for the British. 

It is a centre for tea and spice plantations. And the weather is unusually mild for India. 

Sounded really pretty. 

On looking for accommodation we found that a lot of the old tea plantations had 

converted their manager's homes into self-contained tourist accommodation, complete with 

staff. We chose the aptly named Silent Valley Bungalow. Munnar is only 130 km from Kochin

but the road is blind in some places and the trucks and buses drive as if they own the road. 

The road is narrow, twisty and curvy. You have to just shut your eyes as buses over-take you 

on the tight corners. The drive was interesting as we got to see  the fabulously coloured houses

that seem to be the norm in Kerala. Kerela is so different from the rest of India. 

It is very clean and there seems to be a real pride in the environment.

About a quarter of the population is Christian. It was brought to Kerala by the Apostle St Thomas 

and there are more symbols of Christianity here than I have seen in any other area in India.

After a very tense and hairy four hour drive we finally pulled into Munnar where we were checked 

in and given the details of the Silent Valley Bungalow. We transferred from the very comfortable 

town car to a  beaten-up, run-down jeep for another hour driving along even worse roads. 

 By now my usual sense of humour had vanished and I was ready to kill. My husband tried 

to jolly me up by telling me how wonderfully quiet and romantic it was going to be and how

interesting the landscape was.

 We finally arrived and the place did look great. We were warmly greeted by the staff and
shown through into our room. It was then that I discovered that although we were told the
bungalow was to be ours alone we were sharing with a family with two noisy young children
and they had taken over all the living areas of the bungalow. Ahhhhhh!!!!!!!!! We were asked
if we would join them for dinner. NO.

The next day we were given the good news that the family was checking out that day and the 

place was to be ours for the rest of the week. Bliss. I started talking to my husband again.

 From material supplied from the bungalow.

....."Silent Valley as the name suggests is one of the most peaceful valleys where tea estates
seem to be in constant slumber. Cuddled in the light embrace of gigantic eucalyptus trees,
this bungalow offers what very few other places in the world could offer - the inner you.
You will be gently woken by the butler with a piping hot cup of tea or coffee with biscuits
at the time you have informed him the previous day. The butler will be more than happy to
arrange for a morning walk in the tea gardens and workers lines.
Breakfast will be served on the lawns or on the dining table.
Now you are master for the day with an array of programmes to chose from or prefer to
hang around and discover yourself over a book, a drawing board or over a cup of tea.
Lunch will be served at the lunch room.
You are in the bungalow enjoying yourself; don't forget the Hi tea with special snacks
gracefully served on the lawns.
Dinner will be served to you on the lawns or inside near to a fire place.
The night sets in with a warm cup of tea and a night cap and a warm glowing fireplace to
embrace you into a cosy, blissful sleep.
Please inform your butler on timings for fire place to be lit, hot water bags to be kept 

under blankets and wake-up call with bed tea."

 I had visions of Upstairs, Downstairs with formal maids, cooks and butlers. And of someone
creeping into the room and waking me up with a tap on the shoulder with a cup of tea.
Instead we were looked after by a charming family from the local village.
The food was very authentic, and it seemed, never ending.

The first day we walked around the estate. It is heaven on earth.

 The next day we had to drive back into Munnar as we needed stuff for the computers.
Now we had time to look around. Because of it's mild temperature Munnar is a popular
tourist destination for visitors from Kerala and Tamil Nadu. The town is very busy
with markets restaurants and hotels.

 

On the way back to Silent Valley we stopped off at the Munnar Botanical Gardens.
It is a delightful over-grown riot of colour with seats and bandstands falling into decay
and slowly being taken over by vegetation.

After another two hours of long and winding roads I vowed not to leave the estate until we
were to go back to the coast. Anyway there were plenty of walks to take, books to read
and cups of tea on the lawn to be drunk.

Throughout the estate are small churches and odd Christian icons.

 It was very peaceful and the tea plantations are eye-poppingly green.

My husband took advantage of early mornings walks and encountered many locals.

He was taken on the walks by our "butler" who also turned out to be a guide and tour organizer. 

And he did knock on the door every morning with a pot of tea.

The estate workers live around the plantation in small villages. The villages are immaculately
clean. This is the second time I've mentioned 'clean'. I have travelled a lot in India and my
experience has been of rubbish and trash every where. I can only think that because the caste
system is very weak in Kerala the community takes collective responsibility for each other
and the environment.

Another thing about Kerala is that it is based on a matrilineal family system. 

Inheritance is determined through the female line with children taking their mothers name. 

It is believed to have begun in the 10th century when the men would go off to war. 

They wanted to ensure that their wives' and children's futures were safe.

In Kerala there is also a prevalent cult of the mother goddess.

On one particularly lazy day I just walked around photographing the garden of the
bungalow and drinking copious amounts of tea.

The weeds between the tea plants are kept under control by the local wildlife.

Much to our surprise the nights were very chilly and the fire and hot water bottles were very welcome.

It was finally time to pack up and get ready for another terrible five hours on the road to Kottayam 

where we were to board a house boat.

I just love the signage on Indian transport so I was able to keep myself amused along the trip.

We finally arrived at the Taj Garden Resort to catch our boat back to Kochin.

But that's another story.