Singapore Sling
Only across the causeway, yet the trip down Singapore was quite a culture shock for me. I reckon the trip down Singapore this time, gave me a good insight and prepared me for the eventual move down ( when i do find a job ).
Everything is so clinical. So clean. So structured. So strict. So judicial. I'm even afraid to cross the street or hail a cab in the middle of the street, in case i get fined. Getting a cab during rush hours is nightmarish, so be sure to have at least 5 cab companies' numbers in your mobile phone. And if you ever want to catch a cab at 11.45pm, tough luck, cabs only appear at 12am, because that's when the double surcharge kicks in.
There is also a SMOKING ZONE law passed now, which made it very hard for smokers to light up. Smokers are confined to their little yellow line / zone. Sitting outdoors at cafes and restaurants, should you want to light up, you'll have to walk away from the table, and stand in your corner to smoke. In 3 months time, smoking will be be prohibitted in clubs. Personally, I think it's a very good law! However, I don't think, it'll ever be successfully implemented in law abiding Malaysia!
Singapore has changed so much ( i last visited s'pore in March 06). It's even more cosmopolitan now. Oh, there's also an "eye" of Singapore being constructed. The new buildings and architectural structured being constructed now are magnificent. Such a vast difference from that of KL. It made Singapore look almost futuristic.
That said, I've also been on the "dark" side of Singapore.. When Evie unknowingly booked us into Hotel 81. Quoting Murphy : "Goong Hei lei! Lei Singapore zi Kai Tau!". Well, although Hotel 81 on Bencoolen street is a "better" budget hotel, it still was a "Kai Tao" / "Akua" joint. Walking into the Hotel at 3am in the morning every night didn't help. Oh, and Alvin found a used condom in the lobby toilet ( ha ha ha ). I guess it's a first for us, to be staying in a "Kai Tao".
Another thing which i learnt, don't be fooled that Singapore is only KL big, you can get extremely lost in it. I was rushing down for an appointment - a chat for a job in Singapore, and had to get myself to Orchard. From Tuas, we so heroically drove ourselves to Woodlands checkpoint trying to look for Cairnhill circle ( thanks diana!). Few calls to Adrian later, got us back on track. I made it in time for the chat, but had to push the appointment and hour back. Which means, I was late for hi-tea with Aunty Yvonne & family. That's when the "can i hail a cab in the middle of the road dilemma" happened. I decided to take the MRT instead. Not realising that at City Hall, there were 2 entrances. And i had to pick the wrong one on the first attempt to get to Royal Scotts hotel. Another getting lost incident happened on Sunday, when Evie and me decided to follow a "tourist map" and went in circles around Singapore trying to get into Orchard, Shaw Parade not realising that, Orchard is a one-way street. Therefore you'll need to go through an alternative road ( Nut, i don't know how you did it, driving around!).
Now for the fun bits! Highlights of the trip!
Day 01 : Meeting up with Aunty Yvonne, Unc Eng Loo, Ryan & Celia...I was so late for the hi-tea. I was there 5.10pm and hi-tea ends at 5.30pm. So you can imagine the gobble gobble gobble. This is Celia's 20th year with the family, and she'll be leaving for Philippines for good!
Day 1: 7pm, Me and me first dwink - Kilkenny at Penny Black, Boat Quay.. ahh...
Day 1: 8.30pm ,Dinner at Bobby's, Chijmes.. It's a lovely place.. but i still don't quite agree on the concept of changing a church area into dining / pubs. They have lovely ribs & steak! yum yum..this is where i discovered, the "SMOKING ZONE". Those who wanted to smoke had to step to the next table ( hi bar) which is just next to us!
Day 01: 10.30pm, Timbre - Couldn't take much of that place. Basically a place to cultivate young budding Singaporean musicians. It's open air, set with wooden chairs and tables. The place is like Laundry, The Curve. I was told they do fantastic Bon Jovi covers. I guess that night the band that was playing was too young to know who Bon Jovi was. I feel SO OLD!!
Day 02 : 12pm,Met up with Bee & baby Ethan for Singapore Hei Mee. I must say, for Singapore food, this hei mee is quite tasty! Baby Ethan's pouty, cos he just had his jab!
Day 02: 4.30pm, Hui Tsin, Diana, me & Evie ( not in picture) catching the Phantom of the Opera at the Esplanade.
Day 02: 6.00pm, Funny sign at Sentosa's Carpark : Telling visitors that their cars may be "violated" by Peacocks during mating season. Especially if your car is shiny and polished, as male peacocks may mistaken their reflection as a mate and attack the car.
Day 02: 6.30pm, Chilling out at Cafe Del Mar, Siloso Beach, Sentosa! Had a few rounds of cocktails by the jugs, nice breezy evening, great company... Bliss!
Day 02: 9.30pm, Dinner at Brewerks, Clark Quay.. The selection of BEERS are gorgeously rich. Fruit Beer! haha my way of saying - is this healthy or is this healthy!? We ate so much, it's sinful.. cos there's so much leftovers. The portions are so huge, the ribs are succulent, the creamy mussels melts in my mouth...and BEER BEER BEER!!
Day 02: 11.30pm Clark Quay has changed so much! I really liked the concept of this bar - Clinic. Very conceptual.Follows through the name and theme, tone & manner. You can even drink from the "Blood Bag". Unfortunately i didn't have time to pop by. Next round, i'll check it out.
Day 02: 11.45pm, Next stop, MOS, Studio 54! I lurve the music here. It's better than MAMBO. It's RETRO and 80s. So kids that are 25 and below are totally lost in here ( yeah.. jo is ). Why don't they play these kinda music in KL? I'll be dancing my night away! Check out these cool bobble seats. It feels so GROOOVVVVY.
Day 03 :1.30pm , Last day in Singapore... Dim Sum Lunch at East Ocean Teo Chew Restaurant, Shaw Parade. Quite the yum yums. The slack thing is that you feel so hurried to eat. Everything is very luin sui, because there were too many people around, and even with reservations, you would need to queue. Met up with Yoke Kheng, and finally, after a LOOOONG time, Murphy.
Day 03: 3.30pm, We had to wait for Tze to come in from Batam, because he "injured" his knee in some wild night out, and he was following us home to KL. So we decided to head towards Demsey Road to PS Cafe. I wonder why KL doesn't have gorgeous places like this. You could turn few bungalows in Bukit Tunku into a warm cosy house with high glass windows. I was tempted with the Double Chocolate Cake and ice cream... orgasmic!
So now I'm back from my weekend sling, 1kg heavier ( amidst all that walking! how did that happen?) , RM1000 broke, a visit to the doc & heavily medicated. I've also learnt that the next time i head down to Singapore, i'm bringing my flaties. Running & boogie-ing around the island on heels is too detrimental to my poor knees!
My Singapore Sling Pictures
