Singapore gives the impression that somebody went around Asia collecting all the best bits, gave them a polish and then assembled them in the most likely Asian climate (++humidity).
The airport is extremely quiet and tranquil. This may not be notable in itself to most people, but having lived in Hanoi, quiet and tranquil stand out in this part of the world.
I'd booked a hotel in Little India, for a few reasons; the main ones being that I was a little nostalgic about my time in Big India, I wanted to be somewhere that still felt like SE Asia, not only in terms of the weather, but somewhere less sterile than other parts of the city, and also I was desperate to have a masala dosa and some chai for breakfast. I made the right choice, as I got all those things over the four days I was there.
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| Window view |
We were denied access to our hotel room for an hour (we did arrive before check-in, bedraggled and jet-lagged) so went in search of sustenance and found it in the form of a street-side collection of counter-eateries with plastic tables and chairs that provided us with mixed meat and noodle soup and a Tiger beer (made here, don'tcha know). That was the moment, sat there in a humid cloud with noodley-broth on the side of a busy, busy street that I realised how much I missed SE Asia. I was happy to be back.
The next few days, which went by far too quickly, were spent catching up with friends, eating as much as possible - Gluttons' Bay, China Town, Japanese, Indian (of course)- and seeing as many sights as possible.
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| Modern Singapore |
The contrast was amazing between the bustle and colour of Little India, with market stalls, the sweet smell of mangoes* and flowers as they make the
gajra, ever-present incense and the little electric music boxes with tinny renditions of Hindi classics, vibrant fabrics, genuine smiles, chaotic shopping malls, and multi-coloured temples and the very shiny and ordered part of town by the waterfront and quays.
On the recommendation a friend, we went to a free musical light show in Gardens by the Bay, which was pretty surreal and lots of fun.
And then found a way to get up to the top of Marina Bay Sands Hotel** to look down on the next light show from high, high above:
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| Not suitable for vertigo sufferers! |
A visit to Chinatown was compulsory and included food. There is a street in the middle that is set up for eating and has pretty much anything you may want to eat from a range of Chinese cuisines. We went for grilled chicken and pork with rice, veg and broth. And a Tiger (beer, not wild cat).
The evening market was fun, if a bit touristy, and the main street was decorated with lanterns so that you couldn't forget which district you were in:
A very fast few days, and I definitely need to return. My main ambition for Singapore was to eat a lot, which I managed, but I'd still like to see the zoo, the night safari and a bit more of the Botanical Gardens.
Next stop, dose of Jet-lag and clean city: Auckland.
*How I miss the orange mangoes!
** You know, the iconic three towers-one
