One of my favorite aspects of traveling to other countries is the ability to find fresh squeezed orange juice. I love that shit. Sadly, at home, no one is going to pay $15 an hour for someone to stand around and squeeze out a glass of Oj. Well unless you are paying $15 for said glass of OJ. So I guess I should say one of my favorite aspects of travel is finding a cheap glass of freshly squeezed OJ.
I decided to enlist the help of the young gentleman at the hotel reception desk. I approached and asked “where can I find a glass of fresh squeezed Orange Juice?” Now pretty much everyone here speaks English. Some better than others and I will place the early morning desk guy as the later. His English was broken but he seemed to understand me. He looked back down at his computer screen. I thought to myself “I’m fairly sure it’s not on your reservation page”. He looked back up sort of confused and asked through his thick accent , “you like to have jiizz?”
Uhm, excuse me? I definitely do not need any of that freshly squeezed! Not jumping to conclusions about this gentleman’s intentions I replied, “yes, some Orange j-u-i-c-e” accenting the pronunciation. He again looked down to the safety net of his computer screen. After a few long, quiet seconds he looked back up and said. “Yes. Around corner. I-jiizz. Very good!” After delivering this statement he looked at me, smiled widely and pointed me out the hotel around a corner. “I can get some fresh squeezed Oj around the corner?” I replied. “Yes. I jiizz. It is very good!”
I walked off wondering what I had just gotten myself into, but I wanted that glass of OJ! I exited the hotel and walked to the end of the block. I turned left and started walking down a back alleyway. Now I really started to worry. I thought to myself. “Where is a juice bar or restaurant down here?” I was committed so I continued on down the street. Not knowing if I had just set myself up on a clandestine rendezvous, a mugging or I was in fact going to find that elusive, cheap, fresh OJ.
As I turned the last little bend in this small alley. I saw it. It wasn’t a juice bar, or a restaurant. It was this…..
I.JOOZ. A machine that squeezes you fresh OJ. Now had I been in Tijuana I probably would not have tried it, but Singapore why not?
It was fantastic! $2! I need one of these machines at home!
Sometimes you just have to trust your instincts and go for it. Sure you don’t know if you are gonna be standing in a back alley in a really awkward situation, being beaten down or being rewarded with what you seek, but if you don’t try, you won’t get the juice!
bgjflyer 