I have been absent for the last few days, and now you know why!😊
Those of you who know me or have read my Introduction post probably know that I only have one biological daughter. You might be wondering, where did this 'son' come from?
Let me tell you the story of how we met…
When I was in Melbourne, Australia, a few months ago (transiting from New Zealand back to Singapore), I had one day to explore the city. Since I had no plans for the night, I decided to join a Meetup event (similar to the one I attended the previous year there).
Melbourne is very easy to get around. The place I stayed was within walking distance to most major malls and Chinatown too. The main reason I chose to stay there was because it is right opposite the metro/train and bus/coach station.
The event was called Language Exchange, and it took place in a bar setting. It cost 10 bucks, which included a free drink. You get a sticker indicating the language you speak and another sticker showing the language you want to learn. However, you’ll notice that many people came just to make friends and socialize, and some were even looking for potential partners.😉
I ordered a glass of juice and walked around looking for a seat. Not long after, I saw a young man sitting by himself with a few empty seats beside him. I went up to ask if anyone was occupying those seats. He said they weren’t taken, and from there, we began our conversation.
He’s from Syria but currently lives and works in Melbourne.
We had a great time chatting until my "younger son" arrived. I noticed him standing near our seats, not talking to anyone and looking a bit shy. So, I approached him and encouraged my older son to mingle, especially since he had his eye on a young lady! Lol 🤣
My younger son is from Puerto Rico, also working in Melbourne, and his contract will end in September. Afterward, he plans to travel around Southeast Asia (SEA). I was thrilled and asked him to visit me in Singapore as the first stop on his SEA tour. That’s how he ended up here on Monday.
You must be very curious: how did they become my “sons”?
Ahhh! Most of you know I’m in my fifties. Any youngster under the age of 35 could potentially be my son or daughter.
As we exchanged our ages, Din became my older son, and Gab became my younger son.
Yeah, yeah! I know age is just a number and time is just a measurement of space and distance. But I love adding more members to my soul family; it feels so much closer to call everyone - son, daughter, sister, and brother.😊
Here, I would like to share with you the joy of meeting my younger son.
We met on Monday around lunchtime, and as soon as I arrived at his lodging, I took him out for lunch. It was easy for me to choose a place since he has no dietary restrictions. The area where he stayed was full of eateries offering a variety of cuisines. I used to live in that neighborhood, and my familiarity with the area made it easy to show him around.
After lunch, I took him to the beach, and we caught up while chatting there (the picture above was taken at that time). Next, I brought him to the CBD area, where most of the skyscrapers and magnificent architecture are located. We also visited our famous durian-shaped arts center, called the Esplanade.
We ended the day with me accompanying him back to the neighborhood where he stayed, and we had dinner before we parted ways.
The next morning we planned to visit our one and only “mountain” (163.3m high) in Singapore!🤣
It wasn’t a difficult 'climb'; basically, we were just walking uphill. The initial portion was a little steep, and since I’ve been slacking on my exercise lately, it made me a bit out of breath.🤦♀️
The good thing is, we saw a group of monkeys along the way as we ascended to the summit.
It was windy, and the sun went into hiding as we reached the summit—perfect weather to sit in the shade and have some chit-chat.😁
While we happily chatted away, a gentleman randomly approached us to say there was a snake behind where we were sitting. It was a small snake wrapped around a branch. He told us it would stay there for a long time, drawing the attention of a few ladies who came over to take pictures.
We were unfazed since it didn’t move at all, as if it were in hibernation. 🤷♀️
After we had been sitting there for a while, another elderly man came to tell us the same thing. We were amazed at how they spotted the snake, as its color blended in so well.⬇️
Maybe they were frequent mountaineers and had discovered it earlier. We asked the elderly whether the snake was poisonous, but he didn’t know the answer. To my knowledge, snakes with bright colors are poisonous. Thus, we decided to take our leave and descend downhill. On the way, we saw a sign stating that it was a poisonous snake. True to what I know, hehe!😜
By the time we reached the foot of the mountain, we were hungry and went straight to get lunch.
Our next stop was an Indian temple, followed by a visit to the Chinese Garden, which was within walking distance of my residence.
After our walk in the garden, we decided to part ways and go back to refresh ourselves before meeting his friend for dinner.
Meeting up in the evening, we wanted to go for some local Chinese cuisine. However, the moment we alighted at the bus stop, the sky began to rain and pour heavily. It was so sudden and unexpected.
Luckily, there was an underground passage we could use to travel without an umbrella to get our dinner somewhere else. I was very glad that, due to the rain, the hawker center wasn’t crowded at all. What a blessing in disguise! 🙏🥰
His friend suggested getting a drink and catching up with him at a nicer place. He searched for a place, and I led the way since I was more familiar with the area.
Ending the night with good conversation and learning about the many places they had traveled was great fun. Making new connections and expanding our social circle with like-minded friends, whom we could meet again in the future when my son visits, was the best outcome.
As the time for departure drew near, my son gave me a piece of amethyst as a memento. I was very surprised and grateful, yet a bit shy that I hadn’t prepared anything for him, except paying for most of the meals (which is what a host is supposed to do in my concept). The last drink was on his friend, and we both jokingly said the same thing to my son: next time we visit him in Puerto Rico will be his turn to host us. Lol🤣
Sunsets are proof that endings can be beautiful
Let’s end this post by sharing with you one of my favourite songs, Wiz Khalifa - See You Again ft. Charlie Puth.
Enjoy my Substack family and have a wonderful weekend ahead!🌻
Love the music you share... :-)
So, if they are your sons and we are brother and sister, then they are my nephews? :-)