Using the 5 Senses to describe places

Assembly

          Schoolbags of all shapes and colours dotted the floor of the assembly area as students unloaded the burden of their bags before joining their friends in chatter. The din escalated as school buses carrying busloads of students rumbled into the courtyard. Exuberance bubbled as friends greeted one another like long lost friends despite it being only mere hours since they had last separated.

          The chiming of the school bell signalled the imminence of the school assembly. The stentorian voice of the principal boomed out across the public announcement system, whipping everyone into attention. Soon, everyone was lined up according to their classes. The national anthem ricocheted patriotically as the entire student cohort stood at attention.

The School Toilet

           My olfactory went on high alert the minute I stepped into the toilet. My sensitive nasal function immediately detected the odour of stank urine. No doubt the school toilet was nowhere comparable to the pristine cleanliness of my own toilet at home. Nevertheless, a certain level of hygiene was expected.

            The urgency of my bladder removed my option of finding another toilet. Using just the tips of my immaculate white shoes, I inched my way to the cubicles and gingerly pushed open the door of the first unit. Nausea welled in me threatening to spew forth any moment. The sight of the murky brown water in the toilet bowl was enough to ruin my appetite for the entire day.

The Old House

            Cobwebs hung on the beam and rafters. Its presence was the only ‘decoration’ that the house possessed. The blank empty room stared back at William. A musty odour permeated the vacant house. Mildew and algae could be seen all over the walls caused by the dampness and neglect.

            “What happened to this place?” His whispered voice sounded astonishingly loud as his question ricocheted off the empty walls. Hinges on the windows screeched as William opened the windows. Dust motes instantly scattered into the air as a breath of fresh air invaded the room.

In his mind, he could still recall the glories that were once in the house. All the antiques were long gone. A lone wooden chair sat in the place where the carved oak dining table that had served many wonderful meals had been.

The School Toilet

My olfactory went on high alert the minute I stepped into the toilet. My sensitive nasal function immediately detected the odour of stank urine. No doubt the school toilet was nowhere comparable to the pristine cleanliness of my own toilet at home. Nevertheless, a certain level of hygiene was expected.

The urgency of my bladder removed my option of finding another toilet. Using just the tips of my immaculate white shoes, I inched my way to the cubicles and gingerly pushed open the door of the first unit. Nausea welled in me threatening to spew forth any moment. The sight of the murky brown water in the toilet bowl was enough to ruin my appetite for the entire day.

In the Kitchen

Steam sprouted from the gleaming pots and pans on the cast iron stove. The thudding of the chopper on the chopping board punctuated the air adding to the sonata of culinary masterpieces.

Madam Kim whipped around the kitchen in a whirl of colours. Her Black hair was tied back in a red scarf. Heat curled the tendrils of hair escaping from it into ringlets and plastering them to her rosy face. Her apron was a splash of orange, green and blue, handmade by her children for mother’s Day with the words ‘Best Cook’ printed on it.

The whistling of the kettle interrupted her chopping. As if equipped with multiple hands, Madam Kim poured the boiling water into a pot and with another hand stirred the contents of another pot. Even as the kettle left her hand, she was checking on the roast chicken in the oven and sampling a portion of the stew. The blend of flavours and spices excited her tastebuds and hit all the right notes. Satisfied, she left it to continue stewing.

The Shopping Centre

The mega mall stood like a proud father in the middle of the shopping district puffing out his chest by throwing its doors wide open. It was the annual Great Singapore Sale. Throngs of shoppers flooded the malls in search of the best bargains. Gold and platinum credit cards changed hands constantly at the cashiers coupled with the ‘ka-ching’ of the cash registers signalling yet another sale.

Mother was in her element with the rest of the female population. Father had ingeniously found an excuse to miss this portentous event by feigning sickness, leaving me his poor son as the sole caddy for mother’s shopping bags. A quick look around the shop showed that I was not the only poor soul. The agonised faces of alpha males waiting for their girlfriends and wives were clearly seen everywhere in the women apparel section.

The Restaurant

The fusion of Asian and Western cultures was clearly depicted by vibrantly coloured old shophoused in Chinatown after the facelift. My family trooped eagerly into our favourite restaurant for our usual Sunday morning ‘dim sum’ breakfast.

We were instantly welcomed with warm greetings from the waitress and shown to our table. The welcoming warm towel that was offered by the restaurant before our meals added a nice touch to the whole service. Around us, food carts wheeled around with waitresses calling out the items in it. The aroma of steamed buns and freshly made dumplings made our famished stomachs call out for instant nourishment.

My brother and I wasted no time in signalling for the waitresses and pointing out what we wanted. Before long, an assortment of dim sum covered every inch of our table as it groaned under the weight of the mountain of food. Every delectable bite was washed down with a sip of well-brewed Chinese tea that was the perfect complement for our food.