I am the worst. Why has it taken me so long to write about my 2017 Singapore trip? Considering that I fell in love and want to move there (I say that about every new place I visit), but I mean it this time. Really!
Yes, I abhor humid weather and temperatures above 75 degrees. Yes, Singapore is ridiculously hot, all year round. It’s only one degree above the equator, if that helps you gauge the punishing scale of heat.
So why, Asian Fatass? Why?
First and most importantly, FOOD. Singapore is a food lover’s paradise. Hawker centres are everywhere you go.
The ones we visited were:
People’s Park Food Centre
Chinatown Complex Food Centre
Tekka Centre
Chinatown Food Street
Bedok Market Place
Telok Ayer Market
In Singapore, you get a mix of Chinese, Malay and Indian food. There are also others, but those will be the main ones you find in the hawker centres. So cheap! You don’t need to rely on just those, however. There are many regular restaurants, with a wide range of different cultural cuisines! I was told by my cousin that in Seoul, it is cheaper to eat out than to buy groceries. Singapore is the same, which is perfect for me.
Second, Singapore’s reputation as an immensely clean, very safe place is internationally known. I can attest to the fact that there is no exaggeration with these claims. During my stay, there was an area or two where I actually saw overflowing trash bins. Besides that, the cleanliness of the city is no joke. Nor is the feeling of safety. Walking around, you’ll see workers cleaning every crook and cranny of space on the streets and sidewalks, daily. Something else you’ll notice is the many CCTVs mounted around you. If you don’t like your daily routine being recorded, Singapore may not be the best place for you.
Third, public transport. You can get anywhere on their MRT (Mass Rapid Transit). Efficient, easy to use, and clean! And the fact that you can get a MRT ride directly from the airport to anywhere, and vice versa? Living in a not so big city in in the Midwest, that concept is amazing to me. One of the benefits of living in a tiny country.
Fourth, everyone speaks English! Singapore’s official languages are English, Mandarin Chinese, Malay, and Tamil. So it was very easy for Nathan, our friend Ha, and I to get around.
Ah, but this is a food blog. Let the photos commence!
So after a drunken night at a high end Japanese bar (a bit more of information on that later), we all walked back to our stays and through an Indian section of the neighborhood. At this establishment we tried Murtabak the first time. Suffice to say, it was amazing.
Nathan and I stayed in China People Complex. It was a very centrally located Airbnb, actually in the same building as a big mall with the huge People’s Park Food Centre attached!
I recommend the area for a bustling scene, unending food options and cheap prices!
The Laksa (top right) was one of Nathan’s favorite dishes.
Nathan and Ha loved Burning Oak, which is a famous little spot in Bedok Hawker Centre. I liked it, but it definitley wasn’t my favorite. It was a little too western for me.
This was easily one of my favorite meals, found in the Chinatown Food Centre. Nasi lemak, and everything I chose was vegetarian and incredibly delicious! When I go back to Singapore, I’m going to make a beeline for this place!
Singapore style Char Kway Teow, very different from the ones we tried in Penang. I liked it!
Sugarcane juice, meh? Overrated?
This restaurant is famous for being the cheapest Michilen Star restaurant on the planet!
My favorite temple to date. Beautiful exterior, interior, and I enjoyed reading about all the individual Buddhas and who they protect. Nathan and I also got to watch a little ceremony, a man and a monk reciting a chant and playing a gong to his Buddha. (You do have to pay to have that done.) I’m an atheist, but it did make me a little emotional, not gonna lie.
I was born in the year of the Dog, so my Buddha is Amitabha. They have descriptions posted that explain who your Buddha is and how he influences your life.
We didn’t get to go inside this one. I think there was an event going on at the time inside.
Singapore is incredibly tiny but very modern. I loved being immersed in the Chinese and Indian neighborhoods, and I also fell for the more modern and high end areas. Sitting right at the water with the tiny but beautiful skyline, I felt so peaceful and safe.
What are the cons of Singapore?
Well, speaking for alcoholics everywhere, it is incredibly expensive to imbibe here. They tax the crap out of alcohol, so when you go out with your friends to a nice Japanese bar and try various whiskies, for example, it really adds up.
Did I mention the heat? It’s hot as balls here, people. Fortunately, there is powerful AC everywhere you go. So it’s not all unbearable.
We were only in Singapore for four days, and we all agreed that it wasn’t nearly enough time. Guess we’ll see you again soon, Singapore!
justagrainofsalt. 