Singapore - Day 29 - May 29, 2011

Day 29 - May 29
Location: Singapore


We discovered a great place for breakfast and it was right around the corner from our hotel in the Digital Mall -- and the Digital Mall is another whole Singapore shopping phenomenon, but I will tell you about that another time -- suffice it for now to say it was five floors of primarily digital equipment. We met someone today who told us, "Singapore is the only shopping mall with a seat at the UN" :)

Anyway, Part of our breakfast consisted of constructing our own soup -- we picked seven ingredients (veggies, hard boiled eggs, 5+ versions of tofu, 5+ fish based 'things' and a bunch of unidentified food products. They cut up everything you select and boil it in chicken broth in this huge cauldron that has sections -- like a giant apple corer dividing the pot into four big sections with a center ring. Most of the ingredients go in one section, in another section of the pot of boiling chicken broth, they add your choice of rice, noodles, beans or whatever kind of starch. Then it all goes into a big bowl -- enough for us to split. Costs about $4 total.


Then, at another food stall is fresh  fruit. You select what you want, it all goes onto one plate and you pay based on what you select. Papaya, kiwi, mango and dragon fruit were our favorites  Costs about $5.


In a very expensive city like Singapore it's a great deal to get a tasty, filling breakfast for two for under $10.


After breakfast, MJ and I took the Hop On to a vert ritzy part of the city to check in with Singapore Air -- for our return flight.  Singapore Air office is in the most luxurious shopping district -- in an upscale shopping mall that has eight floors of high end, designer shops; about four floors underground, marble, glass, chrome and brass.  Unbelievable. The underground floors also serve to get you across the streets. You can't cross the streets in this area above ground.






Orchard Road -- Extreme Shopping!



It was an interesting excursion. We had to ask for directions to find our way out!
After confirming our flights, we made a stop at Starbucks to check e-mail. WIFI is hard to find here, but there are lots if Starbucks around the shopping areas, so that's been our best bet. Starbucks mugs in Bali cost $5-9 dependent upon the pattern. In Singapore same mugs are $18.


Now that we know where  Little India is, we thought we'd go there today. We took the Hop On and enjoyed the ride, winding around through the city. Totally different "flavor" in Little India" -- there is a market that sells all manner of Indian stuff, but most of the independent shops are either gold jewelry or silk for sarongs. Fun to look at, but not my style and all way out of my price range.






One of many silk shops in Little India, Singapore

We had a good lunch at an Indian restaurant where a friendly Indian family, at the table next to us, helped us order. It's hard to order food when nothing is in English. Everything was delicious.


We Rushed back to hotel, took a quick shower and headed out to Lau Pa Sat to experience the food hawkers at night. They block a street off on one side of Lau Pa Sat and the satay vendors set up shop on the side of the street. The whole center section of the street is tables. Masses of people and smoke from the satay fires add an "other world" feeling to the whole scene.


Next stop was Raffles for my ridiculously expensive Singapore Sling. Check that one off my list :) We sat out in the courtyard and enjoyed the opulence -- if only for an hour.






Raffles, site of my insanely expensive Singapore Sling :)


Back to the hotel by 10:00 where proceeded to reorganize and pack. Another big day.
MUM/Nancy