There's a long story behind how I found out about this (goodness knows it wasn't through the local paper; I know I should read it but I don't).
I was baking cupcakes for the Bead Queen on Saturday afternoon because she just LOVES cupcakes and because I like her and I want her to eat them. Besides, she's going to have a baby soon and I think expectant mummys should get what they want:
I began baking at about 5pm and I made a HUGE MISTAKE by setting the oven temp at 220C instead of 200C. The cupcakes came out slightly burned and because I'm a perfectionist and because I don't want Bead Queen to eat burned stuff, I decided to make another batch. Unfortunately, I'd run out of vanilla essence. So....because I'm a perfectionist and because I didn't want Bead Queen to eat essence-less cupcakes I decided to go get some.
Anyway, long story short, The Engineer and I made a quick run to Seacliff Village Supermarket to get the stuff. On the way, we were overtaken by a rather slow, silent fire truck with flashing lights. The truck didn't really look like it was in a hurry to get anywhere as the driver unhurriedly negotiated past the few cars on the road. I initially thought that it was heading for some sort of Fireman Family Day or something until The Engineer spotted smoke billowing up in the sky, straight ahead of us..... turns out The Seacliff Hotel was on fire!
I had never seen a real fire before and like every other person there, was morbidly curious about it ( I turn away from road accidents and the like but couldn't stop myself from staring at this). At the time we got there, the fire was pretty much confined to the back of the hotel but because of the hotel's thatched roofs, it was blazing angrily and looked like it might leap onto the neigbouring Seacliff Village building as well:
In view of this imminent danger, I noticed that they had closed and evacuated Seacliff Village so the vanilla essence was a no go. I had to go to Shrijee's and get the cheap kind which I disliked doing but powers greater than myself had thwarted my attempt at procuring good quality vanilla essence...what's a girl to do?
The Engineer, being far more morbid than I am and far less bothered by the lack of quality vanilla essence,rushed to the roof of our apartment building, the moment we got home, to see if he could spot the flames at Seacliff from there (which he could). He was eventually joined by Bead Queen's husband, Bead King and their little boy.
The Engineer and I went back to Seacliff the next morning and discovered the damage:
As far as I know no one was hurt (thankfully!) and I'm seriously glad that Seacliff Village Supermarket (which I can't live without) and the Java Lounge (which I also cannot live without because of their fabulous cafe latte) has been spared.
I just feel bad for the hotel guests and staff who must have had a terrible fright on Saturday night.
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