I Love Singapore
by Lester V. Ledesma
8AM
Don’t believe what you hear about Singapore being so tiny you can see it all in a day. It simply isn’t true.
You can, however, sample Uniquely Singapore (the tourist board’s catchline) experiences, if you start early. So I’m up and about at 8am, facing a traditional Singaporean breakfast of kaya toast (made with coconut jam), half-boiled eggs and local kopi, strong coffee laced with condensed milk all for SGD3.50 (SGD1 = PHP30/USD0.73). Most hawker centers and local food courts sell them, and I’m in one a few minutes walk from Raffles Place MRT station, which intersects two of the city’s three main train lines. Nipping into the MRT station, I pick up an EzyLink travel card. For a SGD5 deposit, I charge it up with SGD15, and I’m good to travel on all forms of public transport all day, or until the money runs out. Whatever I don’t spend is refunded when I return it at the end of my stay.
Raffles Place MRT Station | photo by Nergiz (Flickr)
9AM
Raffles Place shows Singaporeans at their busiest. It’s most obvious at the plaza above the MRT station. Down here, smartly-dressed businessmen walk to and fro with suitcases and cellphones in hand. Looking up you can marvel at the skyscraping skyline of glass and steel.
It is amazing to note that this urban landscape only came about in the last 50 years. Raffles Place, however, has been in business from the time Singapore was conceived over two centuries ago – this was where Sir Stamford Raffles established his trading post way back in 1819.
Raffles Place | photo by DanielKHC (Flickr)
9:30AM
A short walk from the plaza leads me to the mouth of the Singapore River and the symbolic heart of Singapore, the Merlion. The Merlion Park bustles with tourists eager to see this island’s famous symbol, the legendary half-fish, half-lion which stands at the water’s edge. On the other side of the river lies the Esplanade Theatres on the Bay, that still-spanking-new landmark that looks like a massive durian fruit split in two.
Merlion Park | photo by DanielKHC (Flickr)
10:45AM
Now this is where pasalubong shopping is done. The Chinatown street market greets me with Chinese antiques (old and new), Singapore t-shirts, fridge magnets and all sorts of tourist knickknacks. I’m on a tight budget though, so pull myself away and walk to the Chinatown Heritage Centre where an SGD8.80 entrance fee lets me into this shophouse-museum. It’s a fascinating look into the hardships that the first Chinese immigrants endured when they came here. The story is brought to life by audio-visual displays and the shophouse’s faithfully-restored interiors. It’s a far cry from all the cheerful activity outside, but the experience makes me appreciate the prosperity that this country now enjoys.
Chinatown Heritage Centre | photo by Icy (Flickr)
12pm
As we know, the best way to determine the quality of a restaurant is by how many locals eat there and Tak Po has plenty of Singaporeans lining up. I feast on classic Cantonese har gau (steamed shrimp dumplings) and siew mai (pork dumplings) for SGD6.50 and wash it all down with the house tea. Here’s a tip: when eating in local restaurants, leave the wet towels on the table alone – you’ll save a few bucks if you say you didn’t use them!
Tak Po | photo by Steel Wool (Flickr)
1pm
A short ride on bus #124 takes me to the edge of Stamford Road and the nearby National Museum of Singapore. Built within a 159-year-old building, this newly-renovated showcase of local art and history provides an interesting snapshot of the country. After paying the SGD10 ticket, I check out the many exhibits. I make a fool of myself at a huge real-time video wall, and then wander into the Singapore Living Galleries, which narrates the country’s history through rare artifacts and stirring light and sound displays.
National Museum of Singapore | photo by Icy (Flickr)
3:30pm
It’s back to the streets, to explore the heart of the island’s Muslim community at Kampong Glam, thanks to bus #80 which drops me off nearby. Not surprisingly, this place is called Arab Street, after the Middle Eastern merchants who have held businesses here since the 1800s. A Sultan Mosque dominates the skyline with its Moorish domes and minarets. I saunter down Arab Street with its traditional fabric and perfume shops, and then continue onto Haji Lane with its indie clothes boutiques and hookah bars. At Bussorah street, I have an alfresco snack of beef kebabs and strong, spice-laden coffee (SGD2) at DeliMoroccan Café.
Bussorah Street | photo by neiladerney123 (Flickr)
6pm
Suitably recharged, I do a 10-minute walk towards the ethnic quarter of Little India. If Kampong Glam is quiet and somewhat genteel, Little India is chaotic and bursting with life with throbbing Bhangra, pungent spices, and the lively colors of India. The place teems with subjects that beg to be photographed – there’s that bride-to-be on a doorway having her henna tattoo, flower garland shops and legions of devotees worshipping at the Sri Veeram Kaliamman Temple.
Mosque in Little India | photo by Farl (Flickr)
7:45pm
Food, glorious Indian food. A quick and easy way to sample this distinctive cuisine is to get fast food at Komala’s (Serangoon Rd or Kitchener Rd). Here, SGD7 gets me a trayful of spicy biriyani rice, crunchy-chewy poori bread, and all the curry I could possibly want.
11pm
I’m tired now. I plonk down SGD42 for a penthouse room and fall fast asleep, happy in the fact that I saw a good chunk of Singapore without burning my wallet.