Have you seen Crazy Rich Asians yet? Set largely in Singapore, it’s not a meet-cute, as Tara the Antisocial Social Worker has pointed out; and it’s a personal favorite, so I thought today I’d like to travel there.
And there’s wildlife:
The largest native animals are the long-tailed macaque (an Asian species of monkey), the slow loris (a large-eyed tailless nocturnal lemur), and the scaly anteater. Birds are numerous, especially those like the Indian mynah bird, the brahminy kite (a kite with reddish brown plumage and a white head and breast), and the house swallow that have adapted to a symbiotic relationship with humans. Reptiles, such as cobras and lizards, also are common. Fringing coral reefs with their associated fish and wildlife occur around many parts of the coast.
www.britannica.com/...
Awkwafina had a supporting role in the film, but stole just about every scene she was in [0:44]:
Singapore (Singapura, 新加坡, சிங்கப்பூர்) is a cosmopolitan city-state in Southeast Asia that became independent from the British in 1965 and is now one of the world’s leading economic centers in shipping and banking. Combining the skyscrapers and subways of a modern, affluent city with a medley of Chinese, Malay, Arab, and Indian influences alongside a tropical climate, tasty food from hawker centres, copious shopping malls, and vibrant night-life scene, this Garden City makes a great stopover or springboard into the region.
wikitravel.org/...
The film opens in 1995, in London. The little boy, Nick, will grow up to become the boyfriend of Rachel Chu (Constance Wu), seen in the previous clip with Peik Lin Goh (Awkwafina) [2:46]:
I mean wow, her husband just bought the hotel b/c racism.
Singapore Island originally was inhabited by fishermen and pirates, and it served as an outpost for the Sumatran empire of Srīvijaya. In Javanese inscriptions and Chinese records dating to the end of the 14th century, the more-common name of the island is Tumasik, or Temasek, from the Javanese word tasek (“sea”).
www.britannica.com/...
Rachel Chu is a professor of economics and game theory at NYU. Here’s the first time we meet her [1:05 ]:
And then there’s the food.
Singaporean food is legendary, with bustling hawker centres and 24-hour coffee shops offering cheap food from all parts of Asia….
wikitravel.org/...
Rachel and Nick Young (Henry Golding) are in town for his best friend’s wedding. They are met at the Singapore Airport by his best friend & friend’s fiancee; and they go out for dinner [1:26]:
That game theory comes in handy. See, his mother, Eleanor Young (Michelle Yeoh) disapproves of Rachel from the beginning. Nick wants to marry her; Mama says No Way. Spoiler Alert: You probably don’t want to watch this if you haven’t yet seen the film [4:47]:
You don’t have to know much about mahjong to see that Rachel is throwing the game to Eleanor.
Anyway, it’s a terrific movie, and if you haven’t seen it yet, you should.
So come on in & grab a cuppa…
...and a nice nosh…
...and join us.
New Day Cafe is an open thread. What do you want to talk about today?