My Last Kaya Toast

A chapalang (chah-pah-lahng) of my time in the Garden City in the form of poetry.

chapalang /chah-pah-lahng, ˈtʃɑpɑlɑŋ/ n. 吃饱人 chëăh pá láng 
people who have eaten their fill; chëăhpá to eat to the full [chëăh to eat + pá (colloq.) to be satisfied, to be full, to enjoy satiety) + lang a man; Mand: chī eat + bǎo full + rén people]. 
Also a person who drifts from one activity or place to another.

Here to illustrate my trip to Singapore in Xmas 2019 on the plate.

Through the flavours of the last piece of kaya toast I had in Changi Airport, a quintessential, legendary Singaporean snack, I wish to take you through the fun I had there as a wandering chapalang navigating my way through my first solo trip.

This is also my first written poem in a number of years, so please read with non judgemental eyes :P

Bon appétit! 😋

My Last Kaya Toast

Toasted, but not roasted

in the crisp December air.

What‘s in the name?

They call it first name Seri, last name Kaya. Beneath this lies richness,

but not wealth.

Two thin slices surrendered by a racemic

of 50% butter, 25% pandan and 25% coconut.

The crusty golden coat, nowhere half as bright as Haji nor the logo of Google.

Bite by bite, the rustic layers demolish into particles.

The particles, just as the stars, are not always seen, but (the flavour) always there.

Indulged in the sweetness of the pandan jam, I got lost in the maze of Christmas hollies,

the flowers of festivities.

Pampered in the calamity of coconuts, I got blanketed in the canopy of tropical greens.

Lingered in the last peanut remains, my saliva lost in the tug o war

to sweet and salt.

My mouth is no longer THE waterfall, but becoming rather dry—

its water slowly vaporising into

the crisp December air.

Travel Glossary:

Seri Kaya: Kaya means rich in Malay. In this instance, kaya/sri kaya/seri kaya is a jam made with coconut, eggs, sugar and infused with pandan leaves.

Richness but not wealth: Though rich in flavour, this dish is not commonly associated with an abundance of wealth: as it is eaten in kopitiams (coffee houses) throughout Southeast Asia.

Racemic: Racemic mixture in chemistry is one that has equal amounts of left- and right-handed enantiomers of a salt. Apart from the ingredients inside the toast, this also represents the multi-racial culture of Singapore: primarily comprised of citizens of Chinese, Malay, and Indian descent, with foreigners accounting for nearly 30% of the total residential population.

Coconut and pandan: These are both traditional, natural flavours of the tropic, very iconic of SouthEast Asian cuisine.

Particles: I visited the ArtScience Museum with my local friend where they were having a Pixar exhibition on movie animation and filming evolution throughout the years. Love their idea that art x science can be combined!

Stars: “Good friends are like stars (or particles), you don’t always see them, but you know they’re always there.” The stars also represent the 5 stars forming the star shape on the red and white Singaporean flag.

Haji, Google: Haji Lane is one of the hottest, touristy spots in the city. This original indie neighbourhood features buzzing, cool boutiques, cafes and restaurants that rank high on the hip factor, not to forget the street art. Google Singapore office was where my cousin worked- it was an honour to visit as an exclusive guest as the cool surprises and innovative tech inside did not serve to disappoint!

Christmas hollies, flowers of festivities: As it was approaching Christmas, there was a festive themed flower show in Gardens by the Bay. The scent and attractiveness of the colourful flowers did well to match against the lively and touristy atmosphere.

The waterfall, tropical greens: On my last day in Changi Airport, what caught my centre of attention was the “waterfall” (Rain Vortex) in the nucleus of the Jewel, surrounded by a canopy of tropical greens. I took up the adventure of walking around the airport once on a "bridge" with a transparent glass floor, where you can see beneath yourself- not for those who are afraid of heights!

The crisp December air: In contrast to what would be expected of Singapore's hot climate all year round, as it was during the middle of December, the air was fresh and crisp, with some slight breeze cooling me down. Tis the best season to visit, I’d say!

"I'm Feeling Lucky"

In my short 5 days' trip, was fortunate enough to visit the Google office in Singapore, where my cousin worked — it was very cool and techy with lots of hidden “gems”.