"We don't give back pennies (change). Why honey, are you gonna cry just over a penny?"
"What are you staring there? If I like something, I'll just buy it. Why are you comparing prises for? You need it for your school project or something?"
"Lady, I choose my car faster than you choose your cauliflower. And my car is worth more than 300,000 bucks!"
"No choosing the food. I'll do it for you. Otherwise, sorry I won't sell it to you"
Some of these phrases, I experienced it for myself, some I heard people yelling at the background. Phew! I manage to survive my second week in Haymarket. Actually, the area is called Haymarket, the Haymarket 'tamu' is only there twice a week if I'm not mistaken. So maybe I should call it as the Haymarket tamu?
The sellers are so rude that even the first-time visiting locals (US but not bostonians) are shocked. If you ever wanted to know how someone can be rude without using foul-languages and 'orang putih', come to Haymarket. If you talk back to them, they will just retaliate and keep on shouting even though you've left his stall! Talk about culture shock.
Why do I, and alot of people still go there? Simple. Because there's nowhere else can you get 3 box of strawberries for $1 (yes, the food is fresh and really yummy). In other words, it's very very cheap. It's just that you really have to try to finish the food as soon as possible before they turn bad. they sell nearly everything by the pound.
articles on the net
http://www.boston-online.com/cityviews/haymarket.html
Sunday, September 24, 2006
Monday, September 18, 2006
Gayung
Yay!
Thank god for chinese supermarkets. I found a gayung! :D
They also sell Milo, Horlicks and Maggi products too. I can't find instant maggi mee noodles though. But the Nissin brand is not too bad.
Thank god for chinese supermarkets. I found a gayung! :D
They also sell Milo, Horlicks and Maggi products too. I can't find instant maggi mee noodles though. But the Nissin brand is not too bad.
Monday, September 11, 2006
Miss & Love
It's been nearly a month since i left my country. Here are a list of material things that i love & miss so far.
I love:~
The 'dry' cold air
or at least for now, since it's still summer. I don't really miss not driving, even when i have to lug a lot of groceries with me, carrying, walking all the way back home. I don't get sweaty or warm. Plus, my nose does not feel as if it's block most of the time anymore.
Fruits!
Gosh. The fruits here are so cheap. Even the strawberries. I can even get 2 packets of strawberries for $5 sometimes. Sometimes, even cheaper.
Shopping
I went on a shopping spree to buy stuff (electrical to pots to utensils, you name it, you got it) for the kitchen and also my bedroom, and it is so cheap! especially if you are not particular about brands. the quality is not bad at all. I even manage to get a radio alarm clock (a nice bed clock) for only $2.50 after a double discount sales.
Coffee maker
People here love their coffee. It's quite normal to see people buying coffee from even dunkin donuts to starbucks coffee.Even the coffee maker machine, you have prices ranging from probably less than $10 to ++ for the branded ones.
I miss:~
Moist butt wipes (toilet tissue)
I actually have never used or ever heard of a moist butt wipe. What I really miss is that hose or 'gayung' in the public toilet. Especially if you're doing a biggie! Somehow, having lots and lots of dry toilet tissues to clean the butt still does not make me feel it's clean enough for me.
Gayung (imagine a very tiny pail with a handle)
This is one of the items i never thought i'd actually miss. I find the gayung pretty handy especially if you're doing a biggie, or let's say, i feel like cleaning the bath tub while bathing. Thanks to grandma's legacy. They don't sell gayung here and they don't sell even a 'toilet' hose. there'S no way on earth am i going to go and buy the garden hose to use it as a subsitution. it also feels weird to use a bowl as a substitute. How on earth am I gonna clean the toilet bowl???
Electric kettle
Surprisingly it took me nearly a week after visiting so many stores to buy a kettle. Even then, it's so expensive (especially once i convert it to malaysian money). I should have probably brought one from home. The closest that i manage to find at first was a hot pot.
My handphone
Technically not true. Thank god I decided to go and bring my handphone here instead of just buying a new one or getting one of those handphones with the handphone line plan. You would have thought that they would have better and new designs here. For the budget that I'm looking at? My current/old handphone is much much better. thank you very much. no thanks.
Things that i had/have fun trying out:~
Funnel cake
It's basically fried dough with toppings on top. I asked for a banana split topping, thinking that it's probably chocolate, vanilla and strawberry ice-cream with banana. What I got was blueberry, banana and strawberry fruits with whip cream and chocolate sauce. I could hardly finish half of it, let alone the whole thing.
Discount coupons/cards
I'm starting to understand what is walgreens, walmart, CVS pharmacy, Stop & Shop etc...
Just last week, I actually cut my first coupon. Have yet to use it though. hahahahha. well, at least i tried and had fun trying it out.
:)
I love:~
The 'dry' cold air
or at least for now, since it's still summer. I don't really miss not driving, even when i have to lug a lot of groceries with me, carrying, walking all the way back home. I don't get sweaty or warm. Plus, my nose does not feel as if it's block most of the time anymore.
Fruits!
Gosh. The fruits here are so cheap. Even the strawberries. I can even get 2 packets of strawberries for $5 sometimes. Sometimes, even cheaper.
Shopping
I went on a shopping spree to buy stuff (electrical to pots to utensils, you name it, you got it) for the kitchen and also my bedroom, and it is so cheap! especially if you are not particular about brands. the quality is not bad at all. I even manage to get a radio alarm clock (a nice bed clock) for only $2.50 after a double discount sales.
Coffee maker
People here love their coffee. It's quite normal to see people buying coffee from even dunkin donuts to starbucks coffee.Even the coffee maker machine, you have prices ranging from probably less than $10 to ++ for the branded ones.
I miss:~
Moist butt wipes (toilet tissue)
I actually have never used or ever heard of a moist butt wipe. What I really miss is that hose or 'gayung' in the public toilet. Especially if you're doing a biggie! Somehow, having lots and lots of dry toilet tissues to clean the butt still does not make me feel it's clean enough for me.
Gayung (imagine a very tiny pail with a handle)
This is one of the items i never thought i'd actually miss. I find the gayung pretty handy especially if you're doing a biggie, or let's say, i feel like cleaning the bath tub while bathing. Thanks to grandma's legacy. They don't sell gayung here and they don't sell even a 'toilet' hose. there'S no way on earth am i going to go and buy the garden hose to use it as a subsitution. it also feels weird to use a bowl as a substitute. How on earth am I gonna clean the toilet bowl???
Electric kettle
Surprisingly it took me nearly a week after visiting so many stores to buy a kettle. Even then, it's so expensive (especially once i convert it to malaysian money). I should have probably brought one from home. The closest that i manage to find at first was a hot pot.
My handphone
Technically not true. Thank god I decided to go and bring my handphone here instead of just buying a new one or getting one of those handphones with the handphone line plan. You would have thought that they would have better and new designs here. For the budget that I'm looking at? My current/old handphone is much much better. thank you very much. no thanks.
Things that i had/have fun trying out:~
Funnel cake
It's basically fried dough with toppings on top. I asked for a banana split topping, thinking that it's probably chocolate, vanilla and strawberry ice-cream with banana. What I got was blueberry, banana and strawberry fruits with whip cream and chocolate sauce. I could hardly finish half of it, let alone the whole thing.
Discount coupons/cards
I'm starting to understand what is walgreens, walmart, CVS pharmacy, Stop & Shop etc...
Just last week, I actually cut my first coupon. Have yet to use it though. hahahahha. well, at least i tried and had fun trying it out.
:)
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