i couldn't decide whether to go out to meet von and yeenteck at robertson quay. after several calls from the boys i finally left the house at 9.45, pater obviously would rather i didn't go out but wasn't going to stop me, followed me to the gate telling me to be careful and not to come back too late. 3/4 way through my bus ride the boys called to say the bar they were heading for is no longer existent, so they were going to boat quay instead. very cross because i had a direct bus from home to boat quay, and now i was in the wrong part of town and cabs were scarce. considered joining a queue, but ended up walking from park mall to boat quay. there must be a shorter way. (i went by national library - mph - capitol building - funan centre - parliament house and then that bridge, whatever it's called. what is it called?) found the two of them at harry's, von pulls up a chair for me, and i try some of his stout. the jazz trio starts up. we move outside where we can hear ourselves. von found us a table right by the water edge and we had a view of parliament house, empress place museum, the fullerton hotel just across the river, stately colonial buildings illuminated, and the water moving silently and darkly. i felt happy. this sight seemed new and moving and beautiful and unreal. and yet this was singapore. my singapore. you know that kit chan song, when she sings about "the river that brings us hope, running through my singapore"? this could be like that. von made us cross the river to check out indochine, the incredibly expensive vietnamese restaurant that he had recently been invited to by some government committee. it is next to opiume, another very elegant looking bar. i would love to go there sometime, really. we cross cavenagh bridge again to the fullerton. it's the first time i've been inside since it's been turned into a hotel. i remember when it was still a post office. i came with my parents. it was crowded and i looked at some stamps and thought everyone looked important! we sit for a while on their incredibly comfortable couches and admire the bamboos. lau pa sat was next, stomachs growling, and von wanting hokkien mee. we got more than hokkien mee: we had stingray, satay, a plate of lala and teh alia too. heh. 2am at lau pa sat is really quite nice. lots of space, very few people, cool, and good, cheap food, and cabs in a row waiting to whisk you home. i'm happy.