Gabe's Post-Chinese New Years

Hello. Yesterday was an adventure. We slept and relaxed for over 4 hours. Then, it was game time. We got on to a packed MRT and made our way to a packed China Town. And yes, it was packed. It was Chinese New Year, and there were thousands of people packed into the tiny streets of China Town prepared to celebrate it. We disregarded most everything on a quest for food that landed us in a half open hawker stand. Michelle got $5 ok fried rice (they weren't being nice to touristy people) and Shreyas and I almost got $4 worth of dumplings for $8, but with some words from Shreyas, we had the full $8 dumpling plate. 

Still a bit hungry, we made our way to a few snack food stands. Here Shreyas had his bubble tea he was craving. And we all got a snack to share. Shreyas got a giant dumpling like thing (size of a quisadilla). I got a slice of a pizza like thing, that was really just fried bread with spicy sweet tomato base and green onions and seeds? Michelle got a durian pancake, more on that later.

....

Anyway the durian pancake is a folded pancake with durian in the middle. Now durians are interesting. They are big and spiky and have soft yellow flesh in the center. It has a particular smell. It smells like a rotting palm tree, covered in molasses, with slugs crawling on it, and millipedes. I am not sure if you have ever smelled any or all of those smells, but it isn't pleasant. Also, it taste like it smells, with the consistency of chunky avocados.

....

Besides that, the pizza was good, but sweet, the dumpling was good, like a dumpling. I was thirsty so I got a lychee drink which was wonderful, Michelle got a lemon aide, which was also good. 

Then we walked the busy streets. Traffic was terrible, half the walkways were closed and you had to walk really far and really long to get anywhere so we left. (To think this it took us about 30 seconds, to get out it took us nearly 30 minutes.)

We made our way to Clarke Quay, where we might go to Brewerkz (wink). Eventually we stopped and sat down by Singapore River, which was very nice and cool and lots of things were lit up and we could people watch. Michelle decided to go shoe hunting in the mall, but instead ended up in a rooftop bar called the Helipad. Drinks were expensive so we left and made our way to anywhere were we could sit and have a drink (wink).

By happenstance, we found Brewerkz. We sat down and took a look at the menu. Unfortunently draft beer doubles in price throughout the day, so we decided to not try their new chocolate porter, and order bottles and mixed drinks.

I will organize this in order of manliness and by rounds:

Round 1:

I had a Pliny the Elder, widely regarded as God's gift to beer, that man could also enjoy. It was good and hoppy and I just wish I had it fresher, I worry the bottle was a bit too old for Pliny. Overall it was an enjoyable experience and the bottle was .5L and enough for me for both rounds.

Shreyas had a El Diablo - a 100% blue agave tequila drink with lime juice and ginger beer. It was delicious and sweet and not fruity, I approve.

Michelle had a Singapore Sling - Gin, Cherry Liquor, Cointreau, Benedictine, Grenadine, Pineapple Juice, and lemon. It was fruity and interesting and actually kind of enjoyable.

Round 2:

Me- Pliny- it got less hoppy and more bitter as I drank it and it warmed. This was actually pleasant, and the beer kept tasting good all the way through.

Michelle- Tiramisu - An Italian dessert which... No never mind, it was spiced rum, Kahlua, creme de cocao, cream. It was in slushie form and was delicous, like a white Russian made with chocolate milk (grey Russian?)

Shreyas - (wait for it....) had.... the most manly drink on the menu... a Pomegranate Margarita. Yes the waiter gave him a look, yes it was pomegranaty, yes you could taste the tequila, also yes it was delicious.

After that we were pretty much done, so we took the MRT (before the rush) and got home nice and safe and slept until 10 this morning.