At 830am on Sunday (after my waking up extremely late, and Joy's going back to get her toothbrush and losing her keys that were actually in her bag) Joy, Robert and I went to Seattle for a Reading Break break and stayed in downtown Seattle for a night. The very tired Robert was a hero and drove us there and back and around even under continuous bullying from Joy and i (we're sorry). We did embarrassingly touristy things like gaping at the buildings downtown and taking pictures of the interior of Cheesecake Factory. I can also now say proudly that i've been to the top of the Space Needle and looked out on Puget Sound (through very annoying wires) at a height of slightly-less-than-184 m. Riding an elevator going at 10 miles per hour, your guts travel at a different speed from the rest of you, and by the time you take your first gasp in surprise at the rate you're ascending you're halfway up the thing. Joy and i shopped shamelessly and very enthusiastically on 5th Avenue while a very sleep-deprived Robert napped in the room till dinner. At this point i declare that i love love love America, and i'm proud to be an American (hence the very propaganda-rish video of I'm Proud to be an American). Singapore needs to have soul-stirring songs like this that actually mean something instead of the lame-ass National Day ones we have to memorise every year and that all sound the same.
And I’m proud to be an American where at least I know I’m free. And I won’t forget the men who died, who gave that right to me. And I’d gladly stand up next to you and defend her still today. ‘Cause there ain’t no doubt I love this land God bless the U.S.A.
See ... sounds so inspiring even while not being necessarily true. Not like ours, most suck and won't convince ants.
Monday saw us in the University Village of the University of Washington eating sushi. Words cannot describe how envious i am of their "village", because it's not a bloody "village" at all. It's a very clean, very new, very shiny, very BIG, very classy city of shopping and food. Man... tell me what's the point of having an American citizenship if i'm living in Canada mad with jealousy of the places of education in the motherland.
America is also the land of ridiculously cheap cheap cheap (slightly outdated) branded stuff. This, of course, attracts hordes of Asian people in search of the honour and glory that comes with accessorizing oneself with the monograms of the likes of Burberry and Ralph Lauren. I spotted (by ear) some Singaporean aunties in the Coach store because one of them exclaimed in reverent wonder, "WAH! Ze ge bag yi bai quai er yi leh!! Wei shen me na me pian yi ah??! Zai Singapore mai yao qian duo quai de leh! Ekskew me! How much this one after discown ah?" In support of my homeland, i bought a Coach handbag for USD70 and Nine West ankle boots for USD24 in the outlet stores, among other little things. Burberry raincoats go for 200 bucks (i really want one! i tried one on and almost cried when i had to take it off) and Cole Haan belts are 20. So i conclude that i'm in love with the US of A and i can't wait for the next trip that takes me back.
Puget Sound from the top of the Space Needle.
There are frogs spitting water in the University Village of the University of Washington. How come they have so much money to make frogs spit water?
