This happened yesterday evening.
My usual routine on a Tuesday is to join my Dragon Boat team at a local gym (located near the Singapore National Stadium) after work.
We start our workout under the watchful eye of Patrick at 6:30 PM – give or take 10 minutes depending on who is there on time and who is not. We do 5 full laps of the runing track, on the outside lane, for a total of 2.4 km as a warm up (we are supposed to finish in less than 15 minutes, so it is not ‘just’ a warm up).
After that we do 3 complete circuits of 5 to 7 different weight exercises. Since the exercises follow each other continuously, this is somewhat aerobic as well as taxing the muscle endurance. As we have progressed since we started in March, we have also increased the weights that we handle.
We usually finish around 8:30 PM and than have dinner together at a local Food Center.
Here is a picture of the ‘happy’ team taken several weeks ago before the practice (we do not look that good afterwards):
From left to right: Freddy, Benjamin, Patrick, myself, Christy and Samuel.
However, as I said, this was not my usual Tuesday evening.
When we arrived at the stadium, there was a crowd obviously organising something really big in the middle of the stadium and on the running track. We all rejoyced as it was obvious we could not run. However, Patrick was not defeated and took us on a team easy run in the neighborhood around the stadium. We jogged for 15 minutes before getting back to the gym.
He had a surprise for us in the gym as well: lighter weights! We knew than there would be a price to pay. And there was. Only 2 circuits, only 5 exercise, but still 25 repetitions the first circuit and 30 reps the second – and the exercises are to be done in pairs, back to back, and against the clock. Ben and I are first to go, and he is slightly quicker than me for all but the last exercise. I catchup with him towards the end, but not quite enough. He takes a little less than 4m30 seconds and I am right around 4m45 seconds. Two by two the rest of the team complete the same series: Jonathan and Desmond, Freddy and Samuel, Ken, Christy and Eddie.
We finish the practice with a full race simulation: six minutes of hand clapping to insure that we are all on the same timing.
There were more surprises to come.
As usual, we all left for the temporary Hawker Stand on Old Airport Road. I was almost looking forard to the Harbin Beer that I was bound to drink even though I prefer a cold Tiger. The lady who serves beer and drinks is very nice and has convinced us that she makes no money with Tiger and only earns a little when she sells Harbin Beer (from China) – so I usually relent! When we arrive, the place is deserted and 1/2 the food stands are already demolished. I guess when they say temporary, they really mean it. It turns out that this is the week when they move back to their permanent place.
Not to be denied a good meal, Patrick proposes that we go to the restaurant that his parents own. It is not too far. The directions I am given are to take a right, than left. At the light go right and the restaurant is on the left, with a yellow sign near Lor 34. The name is Lai Fat.
I drive, go right than left than right at the light. No yellow sign! I find Lor 34 and try to park. No parking spaces! Since there are 10 cars already illegally parked, I do something I never do … park illegally too! As I am walking back towards the main street, I run into Partick who shows me where the restaurant is. The sign is blue, with yellow letters, and the name in english is shown as Lai Huat. I find out later that the Hokien version of Lai Huat (Mandarin) is Lai Fat and had I only been able to read the chinese characters, there would have been no doubts in my mind that I was at the right place.
Patrick ordered for us and we had an excellent meal. Lighlty fried fish with excellent chilly sauce, steamed checken with herbs, seafood hor fun, strir fried kaylan and another vegetable for which I can never remember the name.
And I had a Tiger Beer! Excellent evening!
As we were finishing up, some shouted something I did not understand and 1/2 the people in the restaurant immediately starting running out. As all the poeple at my table were doing the same, I figured that I should follow suit. Maybe this is where the term ‘Chinese Fire Drill’ comes from, so I was wondering where the fire was. Nothing so severe; just the police had shown up, and we needed to move the cars.
It was probably the right time to go home anyway, so after settling the bill, we all headed our separate ways.
Another great experience in Singapore!
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