E's Top Things to do in Singapore

Usually when people talk about Singapore and what they like about it (ex-pats, specifically) one of the first things they talk about is the ability to travel around the region. Of course it is one of the very best parts of living here, and we have tried to take as much advantage of its convenient geographic location and relatively low cost airfare as possible. Most conversations about Singapore include the obligatory "the weather's GREAT and it's so easy to weekend in Bali/Thailand"

So I was a little bit taken a back last night when a newly arrived expat asked me, "so what do you recommend doing IN Singapore..."

Embarrassingly, I really had to think about it for a minute. This is not to say Singapore is devoid of its own unique activities, but its just not that normal to extol the entirely domestic attributes of the island nation. New arrivals usually want tips on your favorite vacation spots in Thailand or advice on the various discount air carriers. Sometimes they want your thoughts on the best places to get western amenities, but rarely do they want to discuss the domestic pleasures of living in the Sing. Possibly this is because the smallness of Singapore makes it pretty easy to figure out on your own in just a few days. When Dave and I first got here, we did the typical tourist thing, and took a ride on the local double-decker guided tour bus to see the highlights. Of course there are the ethnic neighborhoods: Little India, Chinatown, Arab Street; and the many fancy malls, and lots of tall buildings... but after just a few short hours on the bus, you have seen the whole country and felt pretty comfortable with what is on offer in town.

But Singapore is great- and there are a lot of things to do here, which may or may not be included in the top-10 lists on offer in your handy travel guide. When you are bogged down in "normal-life" it is easy to forget to take advantage of what makes Singapore so special. But given our impending departure, I have been thinking a lot more recently about what I love about this place and what I will miss, and the list is long! So, for anyone interested (including anyone who has the misfortune to arrive at this blog when you were actually googling for useful tourist information on this fine country) please find my Uniquely Singapore Top 6 List (come on, I like work for a living and didn't have time for a full 10!), in no particular order:

1. Visit Mustafa Center in Little India: Now this is one of the things that is typically in your guide books list of activities in Little India. But its description as an Indian version of walmart doesn't actually make it sound that note-worthy or exciting. But really, its AMAZING. Its merit comes partially from the fact that walmart-esq stores are not prevalent in Singapore, so when you are living here, the opportunity to shop for diverse items under one (albiet large and mainly Indian) roof is pretty exciting. And they have almost anything you might need in life. Need a bandana and toy gun for a costume party? Done. Need a desk calendar? You got it. In the market for new luggage? They've got tons. Need groceries? No problem. Knock off DVDs? Duh, totally there. When someone asks where to find something in Singapore- the answer can always be Mustafa. I wish that I had checked this place out sooner when I was running around Singapore like a mad-woman trying to furnish our house with basic and impossible to find items like a plastic pitcher and pool towels. And I regret that I have only been there a few times, but it is a very enjoyable way to spend some time shopping. We went in with a pretty specific goal and left with BAGS of goodies. Its also neat to go at night and then stroll through the surrounding neighborhood. There are unsurprisingly rows upon rows of varied Indian cafes nearby and its a great place to grab a bit to eat to restore your energy after the shopping marathon.
2. Pulau Ubin: Ubin also usually gets atleast a passing mention in guidebooks, but it deserves a lot more in my book. An island off the North East coast of Singapore, this quaint place is a world apart. I've blogged about it before, but it is 100% worth a visit, especially if you are living in the Sing and in need of a little nature to calm your soul. Sure you save your self a S$4.00 ferry ride and rent bikes in East Coast Park and ride around on the beach, but if you do it in Ubin instead you will not have to navigate around gangly chinese pre-teens learning how to rollerblade or witness too many local men frolicking about in speedos. For the price of the ferry ride you get a peaceful, verdant, isolated patch of nature with plenty of bike paths and very few visitors. We went at a time that I was nearly dying with desire to get out of the Sing for a weekend and it totally did the trick. Ubin gets two-thumbs up in my book.
3. Satay Street: I actually don't think this one was listed in our book and we just happened upon it on our own one day. The delightful "Satay Street" can be found on a small road near Lau Pau Sat Festival Market which is magically converted from a normal metropolitan street during the day into a veritable satay mecca at dusk. When the road is closed, the air fills with smoke as vendors appear to hawk their meaty wears. Little plastic tables are procured to seat eager diners and on any given night there are hundreds of people there enjoying freshly bbq'd skewers of mutton, beef, pork and chicken fresh off the smoke filled grills of the vendors. The atmosphere is thick with gluttonous enjoyment of grilled meat and redolent of tasty peanut sauce. The hardest part is picking which stand to go to- there are tons. Luckily we are no experts on satay and usually pick our satay seller based on availability of seating in their territory. Once you are seated, women will come around and bring you pitchers of Tiger Beer while other waiters will come around and offer you a variety of Chinese food to supplement your satay. You can kick back and relax in the festive outdoor marketplace and wait for your heaping plate of sizzling meat-on-a-stick. Oh yea, and in addition to being fun and delicious, its also cheap. Bingo.
4. The Shophouses of Tanjong Pagar: OK, I might be biased because this is my 'hood, but its a really underrated part of Singapore and has numerous activities on offer. Lots of people go to Chinatown proper, but not that many, especially tourists, make it to the lesser known but still very Chinese area of Tanjong Pagar. Nestled between the sea port, Chinatown and the CBD, this adorable little area is full of narrow streets of shop houses and offers plenty to the casual explorer. Starting at Tanjong Pagar Plaza, the fruit market is unbeatable for strange vibrant tropical fruits. Living nearby and frequenting this place for over a year now, I am still amazed at the things one can buy from the very amiable fruit sellers available 24 hours a day. From the market you can walk up Tanjong Pagar road and explore all the retail outlets that have cropped up in the traditional style shop houses. For some reason this area is a bridal store hotspot- but even for those who have less than a passing interest in all-things-wedding, these stores offer a glimpse in to the high drama that are Singaporean weddings. The crazy, and I mean, wild, nutty and crazy, dresses that adorn the windows can be very entertaining and sometimes frightening. Beyond wedding stores there are also plenty of cute bars and cafes to pop in to for a drink or a bite to eat. Our favorite bar, O'Bama's Irish Bar can be found in a shop house not too far from the main drag. Of course there are also the obligatory antiques shops and stores selling all manner of herbal remedies, and it wouldn't be Singapore unless there were a few reflexology shops as well. Maybe its because of the fact that there are few tourists, but this area has a lovely local feel and wondering around here is a very enjoyable low-key activity. The closer you get to the big Chinese and Indian temples on North Bridge Road the less authentic it feels, but between these major sites and the Plaza, there is tons to explore. We have lived here for a year and I still constantly find a new cute spot in the area to be impressed by. Do your self a favor and skip the malls for a day and check out TP instead.
5. Robertson Quay: It's bigger flashier brothers Clarke Quay and Boat Quay get all the attention, but for more local ex-pat experience, I head to the Rob. Don't get me wrong, both Clarke and Boat serve their entertainment purposes, but the bright colors and plastic art decco design of Clarke, not to mention the hoards of inebriated tourists, gives me a headache, and I consider having to a walk down gauntlet at Boat to be akin to high pressure sales hell. This is not to say I haven't enjoyed hanging out at both- but you get much more bang (and piece of mind) for your buck at Robertson Quay. Located just far enough down the river that most tourists don't fathom its existence, the cheerful and cafe laden Robertson Walk is just about my idea of perfect in Singapore. There are lots of cuisines to choose from and plenty of out door seating on offer. It gets rowdy, but not too rowdy, during soccer and cricket matches, and there are a number of good bars, but the feeling is decidedly mellower than its neighbors. I have also recently discovered that if you dare go past the comforts of Robertson Walk there is an additional strip of quay-side al fresco dining to be had at a number of very nice looking cafes. High on my to-do list this weekend is catch a meal down by the water at one of these new-found eateries. Heavily influenced by the abundant luxury condos located nearby, the vibe at Rob is deeply ex-pat and western food dominates, but its cosy and cute and gets my vote over its Quay competitors every time.
6. Al Fresco at Arab Street/Bali Lane: You may be sensing that I have a penchant for eating outdoors, but with weather as spectacular as we get here in the Red Dot, I try to venture out of the air-con as much as possible, and the weather is particularly enjoyable once the relentless equatorial sun has called it a day. A lot of tourists visit Arab street but it is usually to gawk at the mosques and browse the stores selling Persian carpets. Some come for the varied middle eastern cuisine to be had, which also enjoy from time-to-time (try Cafe de Caire, the hummos is delish!). But the real treat in the Arab Quarter can be found on tiny Bali Lane. Home to a surprising number of eateries-cum-bars, almost all offer simple outdoor seating and affordable pitchers of beer. With the sweet scent of sheesha dancing in the warm tropical air and an array of music emerging from the depths of local bars, the sceen is set for a good night with friends. I can think of no better way to pass an relaxed evening than sitting outside, drinking cheap beer and sharing a flavored sheesha. For low key, affordable fun, look no further.

I can think of quite a few more, but I should be a productive human and do something like go to the gym instead of continuing my love letter to Singapore. Hope you enjoyed a quick glimpse in to my favorite Singapore activities. If anyone is actually reading this blog for advice on things-to-do in Singapore, feel free to give me a shout!

Potty Talk

With the exception of professional plumbers and those poor souls engaged in potty-training a child, there is really little reason to think about toilets on a daily basis right? They are there to serve a purpose, we appreciate that they are there, we like it better when they are clean...but that's about it. I however have realized that in the past year living in Asia, I have frequently had pottys on the mind.

And this is not solely due to the prevalence of toilets of the "squat" variety (See picture to the left for visual explanation- and don't let this fool you, this is a particularly nice pit toilet). I do prefer a western style toilet, but I am cool with this kind when it is my best option. I have travelled before and I have seen all manner of toilets across Europe, Asia, South America and Africa. There is very little in terms of toilets that surprises me. I have used fancy toilets in Japan that have more options and settings than my cellphone, I have had to pay dearly to use toilets in Egypt who's condition is simply to horrid to describe here, I have even recently used toilets on a moving train where I could see the train tracks whizzing by below me (pardon the pun). I have learned to always carry toilet paper with me and my mantra is often "this could be worse"...

I am sometimes puzzled by the logistics that go in to some of the styles I have seen in the past year.. (you want me to do what exactly with that cup of water next to the bowl?) and my thresholds for what constitutes an acceptable restroom have certainly adjusted. I'll admit that the toilets on the trains in India and Sumatra were on the extreme end of toilets I have experienced, but even that I handled quite well (and with an extra helping of purell). It does puzzle me why people would prefer to use this variety- many public bathrooms in Singapore offer both- but to each their own- I am all for respecting other people's cultural practices. I suppose it has the added bonus of giving you a little quads work out while you take care of your business.

So, if its not the style of toilet that boggles the mind, what is it?......

It is the instructions that come with the toilets! I have never in my life received more information on the proper manner to use the potty than I have in Singapore and Malaysia. Usually in multiple languages. Sometimes it includes a full step-by-step process. (I wonder how someone has managed to survive the rest of their life if they are dependent upon detailed potty directions at the local mall)

While there are quite a few funny signs and instructions to pick from, the following documents my all-time-favourite ones:

That's right folks, you are not supposed to stand ON the toilet. Nope, I know its tempting, but standing ON the toilet seat is not an option here. The two scene cartoon above is actually very prominent in Singapore these days, courtesy of a government initiative to enhance cleanliness in public bathrooms. (My tax dollars at work!)

Up until recently I thought these signs were ludicrous. WHO in the right mind would stand ON the toilet seat? Not only is it gross, but as the cartoon points out- involves some advanced balance to make it even possible. (I actually do a pose quite similar to this in my yoga classes and it is plenty difficult enough on flat ground thankyouverymuch) I understand the desire to hover, but climbing on top of the darn thing just doesn't seem to be that  good of an idea, even for someone who would otherwise be more comfortable with the pit style..... All that changed last week.

Imagine my surprise to walk in to a stall at the mall and come face to face with two perfectly formed foot prints on each side of the toilet seat! I nearly wet my pants laughing so hard. I am sure the people waiting in line to go next thought they had a mental patient on their hands- not socially acceptable behavior to laugh outrageously in a public potty. What was funnier is that there was one of the aforementioned obvious signs posted right on the door of the stall!

So the signs apparently do address a real threat! Who knew?!?

And before you accuse me of being a complete wierdo that thinks about these things I want you to google "Singapore toilets" and you will find that other people out there also have interesting things to say about the state of toilets in the Lion City. And, if you were wondering, I didn't run around Singapore documenting the bathroom instructions, I "borrowed" these from the web and appreciate that other photogs had the idea to document the absurdity for me. =)

Hello There- Weekend Update

Well, I have nothing terribly interesting to post about today... but my Grandmother is back online again- after having some internet difficulties for a few weeks, so I feel that I ought to provide her with some new reading material (Hi Grandma!)

While there haven't been too many picture-taking activities in the past week, it has been a pretty excellent week. Not the kind of week where its fabulous because of one major event, but the kind of week that just keeps getting better thanks to a series of small happy events.

For example, I had a STELLAR golf lesson on Friday. Which is so appreciated since the one the week before had been a slow-motion train wreck that very nearly involved tears and/or me throwing my clubs off the deck. During said disaster lesson- I really understood why people (I am looking at you Grandma) curse so much when the golf- its a damn &*#%ing frustrating sport! Just when you think you have it sorted out- BOOM- you do something wrong and you are back to square one. So I was a bit nervous that this lesson would be horror scene redux- but shockingly, I was wailing on the ball. My 7 iron skills were judged sufficient (it took 4 lessons to get there- jeez) and I was graduated to hitting my 3 wood. My wonderfully patient coach, who has figured out that I am straight nut-case, gave me a big pep talk about how hitting woods was different and harder and I shouldn't expect to even make contact my first swing...etc, just to lower my expectations. Well, I addressed the ball and NAILED it over 150 yards on my first try. While 150 yards is probably not impressive to my real golfer friends out there- it is a HUGE victory for this newbie golfer. The solid thwack that resonated from the club when I hit the ball was very very satisfying. My Coach, who I am guessing was pretty convinced that not only am I a nut-job, but also useless with a golf club, was visibly impressed. He tried to hold it back, to be polite, but the man was straight stunned. =) I am hoping it wasn't just a fluke and that I will be able to repeat my star-performance again this week.

The golf amazingness just set the tone for the weekend. Saturday involved me hanging out with a good friend, pretending to be a professional photographer and taking some snaps of other friends for their wedding save-the-date cards, baking my first ice cream cake and attending a super fun party with more friends. You REALLY cannot ask for more in a Saturday! The pictures, with the help of a little photoshop, turned out great by the way- I was horribly nervous and have a whole new respect for real photogs- its a lot of pressure!  But the couple is so lovely and in love that I suppose that a bad picture would be impossible even for an amateur clicker like myself.  The cake turned out rather less smashing than the photos unfortunately. I tried to do a Dairy Queen inspired number with two kinds of ice cream, oreo crumbles, fudge, yellow cake- and just in case there wasn't enough sugar, I added wedding-cake butter cream frosting. It was not only massive but also diabetes-inducing. Also I realized after I had started making it that ice cream cake is an incredibly inappropriate thing to make in Singapore- and also to bring to someone else's house. The hostess was very polite about the freezer space it required and also the mess it created- but I have assured her that she is allowed to bring finger paints or something equally as obnoxious to my house next time. You win some, you lose some.

In continuing the absolute parade of awesome, I got up this morning, went to yoga, met up with a friend and ran 5K in the blistering mid-day Singapore sun AND met up with another friend for some much deserved spa-time. And after all of that, I got to hold an adorable baby, got to see a funny light show at Marina Bay Sands from the Merlion, and had a spicy (carb free) Indian dinner with my running friend. Yup- possibly the best weekend ever.

And, I should mention that my wonderful husband was not even here this weekend (he was in China for work!)....so it was fun despite the fact that I was a single-lady for a weekend (not because of it, I swear =)). But his absence actually put the big red cherry on the time ice cream sunday of fantasticness that was this weekend- because he came home with a present! So I am writing to you while I admire by brand new wonderful Burberry wallet. He is sooooo good!!!!

And with that, I am calling it a night. I hope everyone's weekends were just as good as mine! XoXo

-Erin

Time to Say Goodbye

Well, as many of you know, our lives as FarEastCoasters will be coming to an end in just two short months. Its been such an amazing journey and we have been so fortunate to get to travel and experience Asia this past year. As of this week we have been in Singapore for over a year, which seems hard to believe. I cannot tell you it has all been good, but looking back, there has been a lot of good, and we have learned a lot and will take these memories with us forever. Going home will be bittersweet. We are thrilled to be moving back home to be closer to our friends and family, but will be sad to leave behind the wonderful group of friends we have met in Singapore. Its not hard to understand why people stay here forever, it can be a wonderful place, but after a lot of soul searching, we have decided that the right place for us is New York. I have been getting a little emotional recently about departing the Sing- in someways it feels like we just hit our stride here and may be leaving a bit too early, but life is full of different paths, and I am looking forward to the next chapter back home in the states.

But since our time is limited- its time to stop putting off all of those to-dos that we thought we might have longer to accomplish- and we are hoping to make the MOST of our time left on this side of the world. Here is my current to-do list, in no particular order:

1. Visit the temples of Ankor Watt in Cambodia
2. Weekend of fun in Bangkok
3. Visit the Singapore Zoo and Night Safari 
4. One more golf trip with the Singapore crew
5. Run another half marathon with my running buddy KK
6. Cross the bridge border to Malaysia and visit JB or Malacca 
7. Attend a cultural event at the Durian 
8. Make my first trip to the Marina Bay Sands casino and check out the view from the sky deck
9. Spend a weekend day at the beaches in Sentosa
10. Play my first 9 holes of golf in Asia
11. Say goodbye to my favorite island, Bali, with one last trip for mie goreng before we go. 
12. Party hard with a fabulous night out with friends (or two or three =)) 
13. Eat as many soup dumplings at Din Tai Fung as possible
14. Spa weekend in Singapore (coming right up next weekend!)
15. Do as much yoga as possible at my wonderful yoga studio

That's all I can think of for now, but it does seem like everyday I think of something else to add. The truth is you could be here a whole lifetime and never get done everything great there is to do in South East Asia. I think we have done a pretty good job taking life by the horns and getting out and exploring so I have faith that we will get the most out of our short time left in Singapore. Stay tuned to see the progress we make on our to-do list! 

India Day 4- Part 2

With our trip to India coming to a close, our last stop before the airport was India gate to play with my camera and try to take some night pictures.

Traffic around India Gate aka: learning how to use shutter settings on the camera

 

And after playing with the camera and the tri-pod for a bit, we said good bye to India and headed back to Singapore. It was really the adventure of a life time. I have always always wanted to visit India, and it didn't dissappoint. It was every bit as beautiful, crazy, dirty, hectic and wonderful as I thought it would be. It was also really special to have a friend from Delhi to act as our tour consultant (thanks K.!) Until next time India....

India Redux- Day 4- Part 1

I cannot believe its been over a month since we got back from India. After 100 posts exclusively dedicated to India, I decided to take a break and revisit the trip later, so here is the final installment of India pictures, from Day 4 of the trip. 

Last thing on our Delhi to-do list was Qutub Minar, the worlds tallest brick minaret. 

 

Detail on the engravings on the side of the minaret. 

We were a bit exhausted after our whirl wind trip through India, but we were trying to make the best of our last day in India and take in the final sights. 

Passageway fail. 

Its always appropriate to stop for a little yoga in the middle of a historical islamic site. 

You shoulda seen the looks I was getting for this little folly. 

HSBC Women's Champions Golf Tourny

I got so behind on posts for a while that I almost totally forgot about this event! But since it was such a good time, we will take a step back and post some pictures from our big day at Tanah Merah Golf Course!

After my first experience with golf tournaments last year on Sentosa- I was pumped to go to another one- and this time a ladies tournament. Dave was admittedly less pumped about seeing Michelle Wie than he was about Phil Mickelson, but he was a good sport and we had a pretty fun day in the sun. And we were super lucky that one of our fabulous friends C. works at a fancy hotel in Singapore and so kindly got us super clubhouse access tickets for the weekend. Chilling at the air conditioned club house was certainly a great way to spend a very hot Saturday afternoon.

View from the clubhouse. Pretty nice golf course! 

In addition to their actually being a real golf tournament happening (it would have been actually easy to overlook that fact given the other entertainment options) there was also this super cool interactive village set up for the fans. We did the putting challenge above- which we are pretty sure was impossible, although Dave came very  close (me, not so much)...

And free 5 minute golf lessons where you go to swing in to this neat inflatable cage. I am thinking one of these things would be awesome at the beach house! 

After playing around in the fan village, it was time to go see some real golf, and find Michelle Wie. 

It is pretty amazing to see the professionals hit. I'd like to think I picked up a few tips, but what I really was thinking is "their outfits are so cute... must get cuter golf clothes" 

Too bad I started using the umbrella-method a little to late in the day and ended up with a vicious sunburn. Not only was I bright red, but I had some pretty ridiculous looking tan lines from the tank- top and lanyard combination. Ugh. Aloe please! 

Men in funny pants crossing! 

Well hello Paula Creamer. 

I am thinking it was pretty hot inside the golf ball costumes. 

We had see enough golf for the day and headed back to the fan village to play some more games. 

Golf simulators- I was pretty excited that I have made enough progress in my lessons to play one of theses! 

Who loves ladies golf? This guy! 

I never thought I would be the kind of person that likes golf tournaments, because I have spent a lot of my life rolling my eyes and whining when family members want to watch tournaments on TV... but being there is actually a lot of fun! Its nice to be outside, its fun to watch professional athletes doing their thing and the ice cold beer on a sunny day is pretty nice too. It also gives me a little inspiration to try a bit harder in my golf lessons- I am certainly never going to be a professional, but I'd like to look half as good as these girls do swinging a club. 

Couples Retreat Bintan- Part 2

This was one of those trips, that even though it was only 2 days long, and a few things didn't go as planned, it was so much fun! While the girls were off golfing 27 holes, and drinking a prolific amount of beer, the girls were spending a leisurely afternoon at the Nirwana resort....

J. enjoying a post massage cup of tea. Such a relaxing afternoon! 

While we all had a great time on the SUNNY tropical island, some of us had a bit too much sun....

Ouch M.! Ouch!!!!  This is what two hours in direct sunlight will to do you....

In a close second place for the "really should have used sunscreen" award- Dave and his visor tan. 

When asked why he didn't use the sunscreen that I had thoughtfully provided him right before he left for golf, he said he "didn't want to get his hands greasy"... logical. Greasy hands < Massive sunburn

Impromptu drinking and dance party in a hotel room. Oh man, doesn't take much for us to have a good time.

We eventually made it to dinner at a Chinese restaurant.... after Dave spilled soy sauce all over B. and the boys realized they were too exhausted to even finish 2 pitchers of beer, we called it a night and headed home.  

 

We LOVE Bintan! =) Wild night out on the town or emotion themed photo shoot? You decide? 

Day 2, after a lovely sleep in- I headed out to the driving range to make my coach proud and get in some practice. Let's just say I am not the next Tiger Woods, but it was nice to be outside getting some fresh air, and I think I am making some decent progress on my swing! 

Well Ria Bintan- the boys may have loved your courses and especially your mens locker room, the girls give you one thumbs down- because really- why would an island resort not have a swimming pool! Sigh. 

While the boys were off golfing again the 2nd day, the girls (minus our sunburn victim M.) headed out to check out another resort for some yummy lunch and a walk on the beach at Bintan Laguna.  

So pretty- next time we should stay here!!!! 

We lucked out for weather- it couldn't have been any prettier and sunnier.

 A nice change from the recently rainy weather in the Sing! 

Check out the cool Koi in the hotel lobby! I am like a child when it comes to gold fish- just love them!

Our final activity in Bintan- a wild game of spoons. I am proud to announce that despite it being my first spoons experience, I managed to make the final 4, before being dominated by the 3 true spoons experts. 

It was a FABULOUS weekend. Couples Retreat = success. 

We owe a big thanks to our friend D. (and J.) for planning the trip and organizing....we had a blast... looking forward to doing it again next month!