Singapore - Beautiful, Delicious and Far Away

After enduring a very LONG 24-hour journey, we finally touched down in Singapore, greeted by the sweltering heat even at 1:30 in the morning. The city lived up to its reputation with its gleaming skyscrapers and lush greenery, but also with omnipresent surveillance cameras and stern posters cautioning against misbehavior. Yet, these are the norms in one of the world's safest havens.

Checking into our hotel at the ungodly hour of 2 AM, we wasted no time in surrendering to sleep, bracing ourselves for a packed itinerary the next day.

Our agenda today? A three-hour exploration of Singapore's diverse ethnic enclaves: Chinatown, Little India, and Kampong Gelam, home to Malay and Arab communities. Singapore prides itself on religious harmony; here, when ethnic Chinese don Tamil attire, it's a gesture of solidarity, not mockery.


Sultan Mosque

Colorful buildings in Little India

Despite Singapore's technological prowess, it clings to traditional customs, like children staying with their parents until marriage, even past 35. When our guide explained Singapore's history, only have received independence in 1965, we commnented that its such a young country compared to the U.S. but to Singaporeans, even this mere 50 years Singapores has transformed itself from literally a jungle and swamp to a marvel of architectural splendor.

Case in point: the renowned Gardens by the Bay and its iconic SuperTree Observatory. Though our visit coincided with a closure of the outdoor walkway and cancellation of the light show due to rain, the allure of the place remained undiminished.

The Merlion Statue

The beauty at the Flower Dome

The SuperTree Observatory

And what's a visit to Singapore without indulging in its culinary delights? With three major ethnic cuisines to savor, our taste buds were in for a treat. From the vibrant Hawker Centers—reminiscent of American food courts—where vendors specialize in signature dishes, we sampled delights at Tekka Center in Little India, Lau Pa Sat, and Chinatown Centre and Complex. The flavors were a departure from the familiar, with South Indian fare reigning supreme and tantalizing new dishes like Malaysian Lontong and Perkanian Laksa winning unanimous approval.

I could probably continue for a few more pages describing the food, but hopefully the pictures below will say all that needs to be said.