Heat, Humidity and Hawker Centres

[Noel Mugavin]

As a teacher we are fortunate to get a long break over the Christmas/New Year period, just reward I think for putting up with other people's little darlings. 6 weeks of jobs around the house fixing what had been neglected during the year wouldn't sustain me, so needed to get out of the country for a bit of a break.

So where to go? Only wanted to go somewhere for a week or so, not too expensive as I have a couple of other trips to do during the year, and also pushing hard to finish off the mortgage.

Eventaully decided on Singapore, with a side trip to Kuala Lumpur, both places I had never been to. Booked my flight with Singapore Airlines, then found hotels at around the $100 a night mark.

Early morning flight on an A330.



Leg room



Breakfast



Had picked up a book at the airport and read that for the duration of the flight, so no use for the inflight entertainment

Very quick through immigration, even quicker at the baggage pick up, only about 10 or so people waiting for bags, the remainder obviously connecting to elsewhere.

Quickly through a very casual and low key customs gate, then picked up a tourist pass and on to the MRT to Chinatown



Off at the Chinatown Station, guessed correctly and exited about 50 metres from, and in view of, my hotel.



Hotel 81 on Upper Bridge Road. Around $100 a night, nothing fancy about it, but my view on hotels are they are there for you to sleep and shower and to store your luggage in, so bells and whistles don't interest me.
At check in, the gentleman there said the room I had booked was on the ground floor and noisy, so he had moved me to a room on the top floor. Nice start, then up to the room and within 3 minutes the phone rang, front desk again, lady saying the room I was in was quite small, and did I want to move to another. Didn't really bother me, so declined the offer, was a nice touch though.



Sorted myself and I was out the door ready to explore


Sri Mariammam Temple


Buddha Tooth Relic Temple

 

[Noel Mugavin]

I didn't go in to either of the above temples, as my goal was another location.



Off to try the famous chicken rice. Unfortunately the big dog of chicken rice, Tian Tian, was closed, so my first try would come from elsewhere



Chose this one because it had the longest line, and all my research suggested if unsure choose the longest line. After a short wait, paid my $5 found a seat and prepared for a culinary epiphany.



Words can't explain how thoroughly underwhelmed I was. Tried all variety of chilli sauce, chicken to rice ratios, but when it came down to it, it was simply chicken and rice.
My first culinary experience, Singapore had disappointed

Bit of a wander, grabbed a sugar cane juice



About $1.20, very refreshing, not overly sweet and a bit of an earthy taste. Not blown away, but quite a nice drink.

 

[Noel Mugavin]

Walked back into Chinatown and into the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple









There is an upstairs area but for the life of me could find no way to get up there.
Continued wandering though Chinatown, sampled some bakkwa which I found too sweet for my liking. Extremely crowded in Chinatown, so looked to get moving, passing by the Sri Mariammam Temple again.





Off to find the Amoy Street Hawker Centre, and was quite easy and not too far away from the Maxwell Centre.




It was however extremely dirty, about 3pm by this time, so just after the lunch rush I'm guessing, and the elderly cleaners were working hard to clear plates and rubbish.
Found one of the cleaner areas and picked up a curry puff, nothing different than what I have had in Perth



Tried a bean curd dessert, and found a winner. Cool, texture like a creme caramel and not overly sweet, happy to be able to eat this on a regular basis



After the little snack break, time for more walking and exploring.
Another temple not far from Amoy Street

 

[Noel Mugavin]

Continued walking in what I was guessing was the general direction of the harbour area. What I was taken with was the large numbers of people who smoked, both in general, and the large numbers of office workers congregating outside of their buildings having smoko.
Lau Pa Sat came into view and confirmed in my head that I was in the general vicinity of where I wanted to be going.



Didn't stop at Lau Pa Sat, but would be paying a visit later in the evening. A little further up the road, and first sighting of the Marina Bay Sands.



Entered the Olympic Walk on the way to the Marina Bay Sands



Into the shopping mall with the intent to get over to the Gardens By the Bay. Bit of an obstacle with no way to get over the road, walked around and through the shopping mall trying to find a way, at one stage being outside and turning back into the shopping mall within, what I later found out, about 10 metres from the boardwalk that would take me there. In my defence, there was hoarding up blocking my sight lines.

Eventually found my way through the hotel, and out to the gardens





Wandered for a while, photos here and there







The Cloud Forrest which I wanted to visit was closed for maintenance or the like, so after wandering headed back, taking a breather on the boardwalk out the front of the shopping centre, before heading back inside to get some fresh air. .

Walked around the harbour taking some snaps



And the stereotypical tourist shot of the Merlion

 

[Noel Mugavin]

Time for some more food, so completed my circuit of the harbour and back at Lau Pa Sat.
I'm not a seafood eater, but this trip was about trying a wider range of foods, and had seen and heard rave reviews about barbecued stingray. So stingray it was, and one back for Steve Irwen.



Amazing. Tender, fleshy, no overbearing fish taste, and the little cup of chilli sauce was one of the best things I had ever tasted. $15, a winner for Singapore food.
Needed a dessert, was a bit warm, so an ice kacang



Shaved ice, evaporated milk and different flavoured syrups such as pineapple, bandung, honeydew, palm sugar and one other that I couldn't make out. Eats well early, then a bit of a struggle half way through the ice, before the flavours become concentrated toward the bottom. Then it goes a bit obscure with the corn kernels and red kidney beans. Refreshing and less than $2, had finished the food day on a positive.

Back towards the Merlion, where I planned to take in the light show











I knew that the light show ran twice, but couldn't remember the times, and at this stage I was just about out of steam. My day had started at 3.30 that morning when I was up spreading fertilizer on my back and front lawns in anticipation of the rainfall that was predicted to hit Perth. I had walked some miles, the back was sending some angry messages, so the lights would wait for another night, as I hit the road back to the hotel for a decent sleep.

 

[OZDUCK]

Walked back into Chinatown and into the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple

I am enjoying these photos of Singapore.

For your interest, maybe, my late mother-in-law, who was born in Singapore and lived there for about 30 years, was very restless when we walked near the area where the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple is situated. It was vacant land for a number of years until the temple was built in 2007. Eventually we found out why - it had been the site of Chinese "death houses" Sago Lane | Infopedia .
Even though she was Eurasian and not Chinese she still considered it to be an unpleasant site.

 

[Noel Mugavin]

I am enjoying these photos of Singapore.

For your interest, maybe, my late mother-in-law, who was born in Singapore and lived there for about 30 years, was very restless when we walked near the area where the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple is situated. It was vacant land for a number of years until the temple was built in 2007. Eventually we found out why - it had been the site of Chinese "death houses" Sago Lane | Infopedia .
Even though she was Eurasian and not Chinese she still considered it to be an unpleasant site.

Cheers for that, always interested in extra information about places been/going to

 

[kpc]

Just noticed you are going to KL as well....the hawker food in KL, IMHO, is MUCH better than in Singapore and because of the exchange rate, MUCH, MUCH cheaper than in Singapore!!

 

[dajop]

Good trip report, always interesting to read peoples experiences, especially looking through a fresh set of eyes.

Hawker food can be hit and miss, and once you find one you like people stick with it. The other thing worth trying, if you like a peppery taste is Bak Kut Teh (Founders Is a reputable brand). Should have pork ribs falling of the bone and soak up the peppery soup with dough fritters

Words can't explain how thoroughly underwhelmed I was. Tried all variety of chilli sauce, chicken to rice ratios, but when it came down to it, it was simply chicken and rice.
My first culinary experience, Singapore had disappointed

A good Chicken RIce, as Tian Tian usually is, should not need any of the sauces, the rice should quite flavoursome (albeit a fairly subtle flavour) and the chicken should almost melt in your mouth, again with a quite subtle flavour. Most places serve up a poor imitation. ...

Bit of a wander, grabbed a sugar cane juice
About $1.20, very refreshing, not overly sweet and a bit of an earthy taste. Not blown away, but quite a nice drink.

I always like it with a sliver of lemon!

 

[kpc]

If you are in Chinatown KL, try the following place for chicken rice:
Chinatown – Nam Heong

I have been going to this store for over 40+ years. Try the beef soup as well...
Don't go to any other branches; the Chinatown branch is the original

 

[Noel Mugavin]

Up early and off for breakfast. Bit of a wander down to China Street, overnight decorations had been put up in anticipation of the Taiwanese lantern festival, from information I read along the street, not occurring until March.



Some sculptures down Nankin Street



To the Ya Kun Kaya toast shop, went to the counter, quickly told to sit, sit, sit. Always one to do as I'm told, I sat. Ordered the set 1, $4.80.



All the video blogs I had seen, all the reviews I have read, everyone raves about kaya toast. I'm another one to rave about it. Sweet, salty, crunchy, peppery, runny egg yolk, brilliant. Kopi a little strong for my taste.

Back up Nankin Street



Made my way towards Clarke Quay





Found my way to Fort Canning Park








.

 

[Noel Mugavin]

The reason for being in Fort Canning Park was to do the tour of Battlebox.



As usual though, I was extremely early for the 9.30 tour time, so a bit more walking around Fort Canning Park

Hotel Fort Canning, previously the British Far East Command Centre, also used by the Japanese during the occupation


Fort Canning Gate, remains from the Old Fort



After a bit of wandering, and a bit of sitting, time to start the tour






No cameras allowed inside, tour goes for about an hour and 15 minutes. Includes short videos in some rooms, mannequins for want of a better word in others, and a guide giving information as you went along. That night back at the hotel I went on the net to get some more information, and a lot of what the guide said was word for word what you could find on wikipedia, so that somewhat took a little away from the experience, although at the time of the tour, not an issue. Cost was about $20, it was a good experience to get in the tunnels where the decisions were made, however later on i the trip I did find a place that gave all the same information, plus more, as well as being open to photography and was free.

 

[Noel Mugavin]

Time for lunch, so a short walk to Dhoby Ghaut station and the ride to Newton, for the Newton Hawker Centre



Fortunately there are directional signs at the exit of the MRT, so the food centre was quite easy to find. As it was just before midday, quite a few of the stalls weren't opened as yet, a positive was that the centre appeared quite clean.



Had my eye on a carrot cake stall, but he was in the process of setting up and not taking orders as yet, so a sit down at a table with a cold bandung





I do have a sweet tooth, trying to ween myself away from it in the recent past, so the sweet rose water, together with the ice really hit the spot for me.
By this stage the carrot cake stall was ready for business, so a plate of dark and white, for $3 a plate



Went into the white, and wasn't impressed, so over to the black. A bit sweeter with the soy sauce, quite liked it. After a couple of forkfuls, back to the white. A revelation, on the second attempt I loved it. Back to the stall to get some of the chilli sauce. Last nights chilli with the stingray was a 10, this one was a 9.95. Finished the white off in no time, then the black went with the minimum of fuss as well.
Carrot cake convert right here.

 

[Noel Mugavin]

Next stop, Haw Par Villa, scenes of Chinese folklore, mythology and confucianism, or an acid trip. Built by the brothers who created Tiger Balm, the MRT is named Haw Par Villa, and is directly next to the entrance to the park, so very easy to get to.









Entrance to the 10 Courts of Hell

 

[Noel Mugavin]

Going to ignore whats going on here





Bit of advertising of the founder's product

 

[Noel Mugavin]

Walked around a bit and up to a little pool where I was admiring the turtle statues, then got a bit of a start when they started moving. Very inquisitive creatures, quite a few of them came swimming to where I was, and all gave the same look of disdain as these two are giving.



















Fourth city I've seen a Statue of Liberty.
There's little to no shelter at Haw Par, and had walked some miles and was feeling the heat, so a trip back to the hotel to lie in the air conditioning for an hour or so before heading out again.

 

[Noel Mugavin]

No pool at the hotel unfortunately, but was recharged after a spell off the feet and in the air con. Back on to the MRT, and off at Bugis Street Station, and a view of the Sultan Mosque.



Then to Zam Zam for a mutton murtabak, comes with the curry and a plate of the ever present cucumber



Another winner.

A wander around Kampong Glam







Then a short walk down to Bugis Street



Didn't spend a lot of time here, way too crowded for my liking, although I did pick up a Sour Sop drink. Walked past a durian stall, and didn't think the smell was too bad at all,or certainly not as offensive as I've read/heard it described.

Back on the MRT and back to the harbour where I planned to watch the light show. At about 7.30 there were some lights for a few minutes, and again I was underwhelmed. Not til I got back to the hotel and read the show doesn't start until 8.00 that I realised I had just seen the warm up.



Few more shots as I decided I needed a snack and headed back down to La Pau Sat



One of the streets next to the centre is closed off to traffic after dark, and this is whee the satay stalls and seating is set up. Spruikers out the front take you order, bit off putting is that they all have a cigarette in their hand.



Grabbed 5 each of chicken, pork and lamb, cost about $12, and more of a wander before heading back to the hotel

 

[LadyC]

Great TR so far, thanks for posting.

 

[Noel Mugavin]

Kaya toast set for breakfast again, this time with tea rather than coffee.
Dog decorations had gone up in celebration of upcoming Chinese New Year, and it being the year of the dog.



A walk through the civic area



Singapore Cricket Club, and where the shoreline used to be before land reclamation







Raffles Hotel, most of the rest of the building was covered in a drop sheets





Took a while to find an MRT station, and when I did next stop was Little India



Visited the Mustafa Centre, thought it was a shopping centre type set up with multiple shops, rather then one huge multi story store, albeit with separate departments. Bags cable tied before you enter.



Didn't spend too long in there and then more exploring of the neighbourhood

 

[Noel Mugavin]

A visit to Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple











Back toward Little India MRT station as it was time for some lunch



The train terminated at Stadium Station for some reason, so thought I'd get above ground and have a look.



Wandered around for 20 minutes or so, before time to get going the 2 stations to Mountbatten, and Old Airport Road hawker centre.
Smaller centre before the main course



And no more than 50 metres away from the smaller centre