Sunday, April 1, 2007

Family Matters

The pictures above give some impression of where the real action was at the wedding yesterday. I went down in the late afternoon when things were settling down and it was still very busy with Noi & friends packing food for all and sundry. Malay weddings are essentially open occasions and in Singapore they're usually celebrated at the void deck of the flats where the family involved lives. Kak Kiah had issued over two hundred invitations by card and probably a lot more by word of mouth. People come, eat and leave, so it's quite different from the formal dinner at a wedding in England. I spent much of my time there reading The God of Small Things in the cooking area and just getting in everyone's way, but nobody seemed to mind.

Mak and a fair proportion of Noi's family had come over from Melaka for the occasion. We took Mak back to our place last night, arriving just in time for the last goal in Liverpool's 4 - 1 thumping of Arsenal. I watched the first half of United against Blackburn but had flaked out by the interval and went to bed. That may seem an odd thing to do with so much at stake (the lads being 1 - 0 down) but I find it almost impossible to watch a game beyond 11.00 pm. In all my years here I've never adjusted to the idea of watching footie late on Saturday or Sunday night, or in the early hours of the morning - it just seems wrong somehow. I wasn't terribly surprised United finally won the game, though the winning margin was remarkable. They had created enough chances in the first half to make a win seem more than possible. But I must admit that when I did lay my head down I was a touch pessimistic. Being wrong again is most enjoyable.

We've just come back from seeing Mak & family off and it's time to take in the highlights of the game. Not a bad way to finish the weekend!

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