I went shopping by myself on Orchard Road. It's the high end shopping district.

It's also where Takashimaya (the Japanese Department store) is and my favorite bookstore. I saved the bookstore for last, because books are heavy. Especially when I tend to buy too many.

I headed to this mall to buy some good shoes for running. I was hoping to get them to recommend a particular shoe for me. Unfortunately this location turned out to just be an outlet, even though it was in a super pricey location. I should have headed to a different part of town. I find it really hard to tell what's an outlet and what is the main store for a lot of shops here when I'm looking them up online. I keep making this mistake.

I did end up buying runners anyhow. I figure worst case, I have myself a new pair of everyday shoes which I need anyhow. Hopefully they work out fine for running. I haven't been, because it keeps raining and I'm afraid of slipping on the tile bridges. My bad ankle (the one one sprained badly a few years ago) has been bad (mostly just really achy). I think I didn't walk enough on it during Lockdown. It felt the same way when I first moved to Singapore and started walking like 4 hours a day, every day, on it.

Hesitating on buying the shoes I wandered off through the department store to think about it and found myself in the most fantastic children's section ever. I've worked in children's departments at the Bay and at Sears so I was in awe, comparing this to Canada. I've finally sourced all the beautiful cotton dresses I see little girls in but have not seen in shops before. I picked up MsI a dress with her birthday money for $65, which was too much, but I love these cotton dresses just like my Aunt Heather makes.

PS. Aunt Heather, if you're reading this you could make a killing selling your custom dresses here in Singapore.

When I admired a lovely, but simple cotton smock dress in the Clearance bin and saw that this children's dress was regularly priced at $300 I had to ask whether I belonged in this store.

My favorite spot was the Disney purses slipped right in the middle of the kids section. I hummed and hawed about the light blue purse at the top, or the Bambi one. But I really need a bigger purse to carry all the extra masks and sanitizer I'm now carrying and I think those were the same size as my current one.

The stores are all trying to clear things out merchandise unsold in the months of Lockdown, so there were really good sales on so I headed down to the Women's department. I was so thrilled to spot these visors that all the Japanese women wear near our condo. I haven't seen them anywhere. Then I saw the price: $308 to 380. But 10% off the sales lady kept repeating while asking me which was my favorite colour.

I really want one. They look lovely and even roll up so they can fit in you bag. Most hats are too hot here, but these are not. They fit any size so they actually fit my tiny head, but for that price I'd be afraid to wear it out of the house, which defeats the purpose of a hat. At least I know where they are now.

I ran back to the shoe section and bought those runner and headed to the bookstore, where I know the price of a book by how big it is. We have so many children's picture books, that I'm trying to only buy books that will remind us of Singapore. I found one on this trip full of typical Singapore sights.

My Grab driver on the way home said, "I bet you bought something for your kids." They got PJs, dresses, and books. Pretty sure Christmas will find me in this store.