Smells of Cities and Countries - Bali, England, India, Singapore - and anti-Mosquito Perfumes

Singapore and the Smell of Jasmine 

When I am in department stores worldwide, and passing perfume counters at airports, I see Jasmine perfume and cosmetics featuring the aroma of the flowers.  I recall the colours and vivid smells of Singapore, especially the Jasmine. 

The national flower of Singapore is an orchid. The Botanical gardens has an orchid garden. You can also visit orchid farms. Restaurants often have an orchid flower in a small vase on the table. 

Singapore And Durian

Another distinctive seasonal smell of Singapore is durian. You will see signsbanning durian on the MRT (underground and overground railway). Taxis also ban durian. You can get it delivered. If you wrap it sufficintly well that nobody can smell it, then you could travel with it. That's the whole idea. You should not be carrying durian which others can smell, or which leaves a smell which lingers after you have left.

Bali and Tuberose

Is all the Far East the same? No. For me, Bali's distinctive smell is Tuberose. I encountered this in the lobby of a hotel. A huge central flower display in the hall. 

I afterwards ordered tuberose which I planted in my front garden in London. It did not thrive. So for me, the smell of tuberose is still the smell of Bali.

England, London and Lavender

The smells of London are roses. But also lavender. You can visit lavender farms. Lavender soaps and perfumes and hand creams are in supermarket, department stores and chemist shops (which Americans would call drug stores). 

Perfumes from flowers attract people, but also insects. When I realised that my perfumes from the UK were making me a magnet for mosquitos, I started stocking up on different perfumes.

Lavender is also said to repel mosquitos. I used to yo-yo between Signapore and London, before and after Covid. In London I would stock up on lavender cosmetics to take back to Singapore. Marks & Spencer stocked pefumed products in the UK and later in Singapore. But UK products were cheaper in the UK than in Singapore. A British lavender brand is Norfolk Lavender. 

France and French Lavender

France also has French lavender. I recall visiting a perfume factory in Grasse, in Southern France. I went there on holiday when I was single. After I married, I went there again with my husband.

Indian Spices in India, England and Worldwide

India has different spices in different areas. Meats are in muslim areas and markets and restaurants. Vegetarian dishes are in Hindu areas. In England you will find tandoori foods in almost every high street (Americans would say main street). Tandoori is from northern India and Pakistan. Many vegetarian restaurants are well known in India, Singapore and in London, such as in Rayners Lane near the Rayners Lane tube station.

Italy, Lemons and Citronella

In Italy I discovered that lemon aromas repel insects. The lemon scent is in citronella. 

Singapore's Little India

Singapore is tropical, high temperatures. Eternal summer, bright flowers, strong smells of flowers. My previous post was about jasmine in Singapore, which I smelled daily in my walk to Cashew station.. 

I previously lived in Singapore's Little India. Strong smells of spices waft from the flower sellers selling garlands in the markets of Little India. You also get aromas from treading on petals fallen onto the five foot ways, covered paths along the shops. Also strong smells of curry and spices from the restants and stalls in Little India.

I travel with lavender and lemon scented cosmetics and perfumes. (As well as mosquito and insect repellent, anti-insect spray for hotel bedrooms, and sting relief.