I just returned from a fabulous weekend in Singapore. I enjoyed every little street, dish, neighborhood, park, drink and mall (yes, I admit it).

I arrived late in the evening and went straight to my hostel “Hangout @Mt. Emily” which was perfect. The hostel is located in Little India at a top of a hill, right by a beautiful park. It has a great vibe and a gorgeous rooftop deck with beautiful view of the city. It has been a long time since I last stayed at a youth hostel but I was glad to see nothing has changed, not even the browser version on the public computers.

I spent the first morning in Little India exploring the shops, temples and houses. Every alley was so picturesque with quaint houses and lots of colorful shutters. People in traditional outfits were rushing to work or going to temple to offer a gift to the gods.

From little India, I crossed straight into to the Arab Quarter. As I was entering the Arab Quarter, the smell of curry was replaced by a strong smell of coffee. Mmmm. This neighborhood was simply gorgeous. Much of it has been renovated and it is so aesthetically pleasing. Small coffee shops are nestled between designer stores and beautiful mosques. So much of it reminded me of the Middle East, certain streets looked a lot like Jaffa and Neve Tzedek (Tel Aviv). By lunch time, I was so homesick and just had to get Egyptian food on Arab St (Cafe Le Caire), it was excellent. I chatted with the restaurant owner for a bit and got a long list of recommendations of things to see and taste while in Singapore.

I spent the whole afternoon walking around CBD (Central Biz District) and Chinatown. It’s amazing to think this area used to be full of secret societies, opium dens and crime. There is none of that left. Instead, the neighborhood is one of the most colorful ones I’ve seen. The shophouses, the bustling markets and great food make it a great place to visit and walk around. I got to speak a little Mandarin and was able to read a few signs which made me 高兴 (happy).

One of the things I enjoyed most in Singapore is the number of parks and massive greenery everywhere. The whole city feels like a tropical island with luscious green trees, many of which are not originally from Singapore. I spent a few hours on Saturday walking around the Botanic Gardens with friends admiring the plants and great orchid garden.

Getting around Singapore is so easy and convenient. The super clean and mighty fast subway system (MRT) gets you everywhere in no time. Every station name is announced in three languages: English, Mandarin and Hindi (how about that MTA?!). The signage is great and if you still somehow get lost, a friendly Singaporean is always happy to help.

So what’s with the shopping??
Everybody told me that Singapore is all about the shopping (which is why I was hesitant to go). My original plan was to visit Singapore without doing any shopping. I realize that is much like going to Vegas without gambling but given my lack of patience for malls, I thought I’d better skip the whole thing. Shopping in Singapore turned out to be an extraordinary experience. I really liked a lot of the local labels, it is so very chic and reasonably priced! I spent two hours going in and out of stylish malls on Orchard Rd and managed to buy 2 skirts, 3 tops and 1 pillow case, not bad.

Sunday morning I visited the Asian Civilizations Museum which is housed in a grand colonial building. The museum features many interactive displays and screens videos on the floor, doors and screens. It was very interesting and I learned a great deal about this great continent.

Sitting outside the museum by the Quay, I had my palm read by a Yogi. He was a very nice man, he also happened to say a couple of accurate things…

Singapore was definitely a lot more exciting than I had expected. Its multiculturalism is fascinating, the food is a real delight and yes, the shopping is like no other place. I would definitely like to go back and see more.

Check out the three new photo albums for Singapore!

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