on going inside to JB

yea, been to Johor Bahru (J.B.) twice within the space of a week... First time is to go in with 3 church kakis on last Thursday. Haven't been catching up with them for a while, so accepted their invitation to go for an outing to J.B. Had a great time in there, because it's really been a while since I've went around the town of J.B. Even though I stay 10 mins walk away from the physical causeway link, I've seldom ventured into J.B. Yes, it may be easier for me to go JB than to go Orchard, but I seldom go in. Just see it as a hassle to go in. But it sure makes a difference when you got kakis to go with.

We decided to chill out in City Square for the day. The girls had their own agenda. Basically, they wanted to a) shop; b) shop and c) yes, you got it, shop , cos' "everything is so cheap"! I actually cringed# when people say that out loud in J.B. Bad enough that we "kia-su" Singaporeans go in by droves and hordes to make use of the advantegeous* rinngit exchange and drive up the living costs in the town of JB. To say the obvious fact out aloud... That's why I backed away from the girls when they were in the "shopping frenzy-rave"**. It's like standing next to a lamp-post in the middle of a desert during a thunder-storm.^ But I'm glad they return to "normal" after they were done with their shopping...  And by God's grace, we weren't clobbered to death by the J.B-ians, so all was well.

Well, me and the guy weren't into shopping. He went for a relaxing thai massage while I roamed outta City Square and went walking around the town. Didn't venture beyond 5 minutes' walk away from City Square. Was busy trying to recognise landmarks and features. I used to go into J.B. quite a lot when I was in primary school. That was because I got dragooned in by my mum to help her carry all the groceries she bought during the weekly Sunday wet-market shopping trip. Not bad for a 8-year old, to carry 2 large plastic bags of vegetables, meat and fish across the causeway.## Anyhow, I magaed to recognise a few old buildings and landmarks. For some weird reasons, that gave me a simple pleasure and joy I can't describe. Must be getting old and being nostalgic...

After that, we decided to go catch a show at MegaPavilions. My guy friend treated us to the show. Even though he had to pay for 4 person's adult tickets on a Thursday, it still beat paying the equilvalent of cheapest movie tickets in Singapore on a weekday. We saw - for some weird reasons, they already started showing it in J.B. It was a "fine show"^^, but we missed the opening!  After that we adjourned for a sumptous dinner amonst the back alleys of the town. All in all, it was a great trip.

Well, I related the trip to another church friend, and that got him all itchy into going inside J.B. So we went in with another friend on Tuesday 2 days ago. We went in much earlier this time round, and I was treated to a sumptuous dim-sum breakfast at a kopi-tiam. After that we decided to go but movie tickets. According to my friend, Tuesday is a good day to catch a show in J.B. as it's 6 Ringgit per show whole day (tops S$3 per show, if you convert by exchange rate). They have a lot more other promotions for movies - methinks it's because they have to fight with the "pirates". Anyway, we watched and , cos' my 2 friends hadn't caught Narnia yet. Seems like I only missed the first 15 seconds the first time round; but it was well worth watching it a second time *** . so all in all, I've spent 5 hours and 40 minutes on watching movie alone that day.  Great day it is...

Well, I think that's enough of JB for a while. Probably would go in again around August or September, when it's time to buy mooncakes again...

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# Yes, physical reaction, like when people scratch their fingernails across glass surface? ewwww...

* to us Singaporeans la...

** almost like shark frenzied by the smell of blood. hmm... maybe can ask National Geographic to do a special on that.

^makes no sense actually - why would people put a lamp-post in the middle of a desert? But you get my point...

## but you sure won't want to be caught in a jam on the causeway with fish on you. Trust me on this one; I'm talking about the days before they had air-conditioned buses for bus service 170. and even if you got air-con, that may not be necessarily better. Better for the fish if they were in air-con; not for you who are carrying them. hmmm, maybe taht's why I did'nt like going to J.B. : negative association...

^^ as the Brits would have said it...

*** Yes, Narnia to me is that good...