Golden Mile Complex

Ask any road weary traveller who does the bladder Busting "Cooler Coach" Run - (Check out my earlier post titled "Cooler Coach Run") , between Singapore and Malaysia and they will know this Place called GOLDEN MILE COMPLEX. Perhaps would have an anecdote or two to say, well here is my two cents worth...

GOLDEN MILE COMPLEX - when i first heard these words, it conjoured up visions the Gold Souks of Dubai, where the walls of the shops are dripping with the precious metal, every nook and cranny was covered with gleaming yellow, and women mainly of Indian and Middle Eastern origin, become zombies at the sight of this...........

Alas ! MEA MAXIMA CULPA !! .......i have always imagined Singapore to be a city so clean - where you can drop your ice-cream on the pavement, scoop it up and lick at it again !! Well there seem to be some exceptions to this rule !! and I was dropped off From the Cooler Coach in one such Place.....

The building itself looks innocuous at first glance, there is a row of illegaly parked cars and Buses or Coaches as they like to call them, competing with Taxis intending to get into the small curved inclined driveway, which leads up to the building.

There is a Large statue of a Diety that welcomes you at the entrance of the building, Guarded by two Golden Elephants - the scent of incense, mixed with the rose petals offered to the diety is a heady mix as you walk up the afore said ramp, dodging Taxis who have to accelerate coming up into the taxi stand into the building.

Click here for a pic ==> http://www.flickr.com/photos/zorgball/5295288799/

A Few More steps and you are in for an assault of all your senses - literally !!

First it the Sights - its like stepping into another dimension, a row of dirty t-shirt and jeans young men and a few women, stare at you holding beer cans with indecipherable names, sitting asian squatting style beside, garbage bins that havent seen a Cleaner for a week !

Click her to see what I am talking about ! http://www.flickr.com/photos/22234358@N08/5456099990/

I never could figure out what these people are doing there - I mean apart from Drinking Beer, Smoking Cigarettes and Leaving the crushed empty cans and butts and Staring at you !

The second layer of humanity is Polo dressed, Bermuda Clad and Sunglasses Sporting Travellers with American Tourister Strolley bags and Camel Mountain Rucksacks Intermingled with Aunties clutching multicolored, bulky, Cuboid Bags Made of recycled Plastic Tarpaulin and also a few lost Sun tanned Caucasians, carrying super large Backpacks and Frontpacks (a Back pack slung in Front) , - still thinking they are in Bali. This Motley bunch of people are awaiting their bus to turn up to take them to their destinations, beyond the Causeway.

The Third Layer are the numerous Bus and Tour operators who line the facade on the first floor, The odd man out here is the lone Money Changer in the middle of the row of shops selling tickets to Johor and all the way to Hatyai !!

Secondly it is the Smell - As you approach the Money Changer, an Indescribable, Gut Wrenching Smell hits your Nostrils and, well the smell is just Indescribable...lets leave it at that...for the Brave Souls who want to go in person to check it out...GOOD LUCK and GOD BLESS !!

If you can survive that smell and make it past that corridor, the Fourth Layer of Golden Mile Complex Reveals itself, something thats dear to my heart, tongue and tummy..fooooood ...Glorious THAI FOOD !! SupercallyfogilisticSpicydelicious !!!!

An Awesome Array of Thai Food ! Phad's, Curries, Tom Yum Goongs, Yum Yum Yum ! Freshly Made from the hottest of chillies and served steaming hot, each dish is a wonderland of gastronomy.

A colourful array of Fried, Skewered, Steamed, Boiled, Sweet, Sour, Salty, Spicy and Bitter Sensations adorning the tables in the foyer of the building, with hungry diners tucking into the delicacies makes your mouth water.

Phad Thai and Phrik Nam Pla and other dishes which I cant Pronounce, the Colours, the Aroma of the food Makes your Head Spin ! and My Favourite - Udangs (Prawns) and Sotongs (Squids) Swimming in a sea of Lemony, Spicy Broth that almost divine thing called ........

Tom Yum Kung, Tom Yum Goong or Just Tom Yam

Opposite the line of eataries there are mini marts selling snacks and bric-a-bracs, Made in Thailand !! Souvenirs, Cakes, Clothes, Drinks a dazzaling array of the largest collection of thai products all under one roof ! Even the Sign Board to the shops are in Thai Language

For Some reason i never got past the first floor of this Complex and explored whats on the second floor onwards, maybe next time i will, if i can once more make it past that smell near the Money Changer....Until then Chok Dee Krap !!