Singapore's Chinatown and Clark Quay

This is my concluding post on my Singapore trip. For my earlier posts, go here, here, here, and here.

I was fortunate that the hotel I stayed in, The Scarlet, was located strategically in Chinatown. From the hotel lobby, turn right and as you descend Ann Siang Hill, you would see the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum, a popular tourist attraction.

If you want to sample hawker-style Singaporean food, Maxwell Food Center is just down another corner form the hotel. This is where I tasted what to me is the best Hainanese Chicken, the Tian Tian Chicken Rice, which I featured earlier.

Pictured below is the Red Dot Design Museum. I wasn't able to visit the building. Perhaps next time. 

I love how they reused old buildings, maintaining the facade, and painting them in brilliant hues. Above is the Red Dot Museum, which exhibits the latest trends in the international design scene. I made a mental note to drop by here on my next visit.

Below is the Jinrikisha Station in Tanjong Pagar, the first area targeted for conservation by the city-state in the 80s. This used to issue licenses for rickshaws, but now houses cafes, bars, and restaurants. 

old buildings repurposed for modern use at amoy street

On my last day day, a Sunday, another Singapore-based friend treated me to lunch at bak kut teh institution Song Fa located near Clark Quay. This branch has been around for ages, and was packed with the Sunday lunch crowd. For more, click here. 

More pictures below of Clark Quay, a historic riverside wharf named after Singapore's second governor. The quay is located upstream from the mouth of the Singapore river, and  was the center of trade during the city-state's colonial period. The area has been transformed into a commercial, residential, and entertainment precinct. 

This is where my friend's office is located. Imagine walking to this building everyday.

View of the river and surrounding environs from the office.

The Central Mall just across Clark Quay 

This concludes the series of posts on my trip to Singapore. My take-away from the experience: say yes to possibilities. I'll be back in Singapore for more adventures. "Til then.

Singapore Quick City Tour

Earlier in my series of post on Singapore, I wrote about a sexy boutique hotel where I stayed, a quirky gift shop and cafe, and what made me go to Singapore in the first place. I originally intended to go exploring on my own, but when friends learned that I was in the city-state, a couple were kind enough to offer to show me around. One of them was a former foreign language classmate who is now based in Singapore.

I soon discovered that one can cover Singapore in a day, thanks in large part to its very efficient MRT system. I must admit I found traveling by train intimidating, and so it was a blessing to have my classmate guide me along. By the way, this post is full of pictures of me. You've been warned. :-)

Since I was in Chinatown, we first made a pit-stop at the stall-lined streets and the nearby Sri Mariamman  temple, the oldest Hindu temple in Singapore, pictured below.

Next stop was Sentosa Island, where Resorts World's Universal Studios theme park is located. Frankly, Western theme parks transported in Asia don't appeal to me. I rather spend my pesos on local cuisine and taxi (smile). I posed for the obligatory souvenir shots and bought some candies from Reese's and that's it. We went  there by train, and my friend oriented me on the rules for surviving daily life in the city, i.e. keeping to your left.

From Sentosa, we explored Orchard Road, described as the retail and entertainment hub of Singapore. On weekdays there is not much people, but since it was a Saturday the streets were crawling with tourists and weekenders. We passed by Lucky Plaza shopping center, where many Pinoys congregate. Stopping by for a light in front of the building, we were soon joined by compatriots. It suddenly felt like home. I also heard some squawking overhead. Looking up we noticed crows crowding the trees that lined the streets.

We went inside the boutiques of Abercrombie and Fitch and H&M. I particularly requested for the latter, since the first H&M branch I visited was in Toronto, where I had fond memories.

The city was bright with holiday lights, but no one beats Pinoys when celebrating Christmas.

We boarded the train again and after alighting, we walked towards the Central Business District. It was practically deserted.

We then parked ourselves at one of the outdoor tables at Starbucks One Fullerton to get a ringside view of  Marina Bay Sands' Wonder Full light and water show, which was on nightly. We were about an hour early, so we killed time exploring the nearby Merlion Park and the exhibits at the Esplanade. Quick note: Singapore was originally a fishing village and its original name, Singapura, means lion city, thus the merlion symbol is apt. 

Singapore skyline pictured above. I wonder how it feels like working here. I won't mind doing so.

Starbucks was full when we returned, but we still got a good spot along the water banks. Check the schedule before heading to the area. And come in early to get a good spot. 

My friend and I returned to my hotel on foot. Needless to say it's safe to walk around Singapore at night. I'm grateful for my friend for giving me a quick tour of the city, otherwise I wouldn't have covered half as much as we did. 

Next post: historic Clarke Quay and the rest of Chinatown

Quirk Overload: Singapore's Kki Sweets and The Little Dröm Store

In my last post, I fell in love with sexy and dramatic Scarlet Hotel. I arrived the night before, and I was tempted to stay in, but good thing I had the good sense to venture out. I knew I wanted to go to indie knickknack shop Little Dröm Store, located two minutes away on foot from my hotel at Ann Siang Hill. I didn't know it also shares space with Kki Sweets, a fine pastries purveyor.

my heart skipped a beat when i saw these signs. i scoped out
ann siang hill in my first morning in singapore. the place opens at 11 am

kki sweets share the premises with little dröm store. their cakes are lovingly made, and cute!

exhibit a: the little red riding hood. choco mousse encased in dark choco,
with raspberry center. moist, rich, and pretty

i had tea with my order.
the place has a very scandanavian design sensibility--
blonde wood, clean lines, but with a sense of humor

table top ornament. less is more

quirky knickknacks galore. it was difficult to choose a souvenir. felt like a kid again,
with all these nostalgia-triggers on display 

ultimately, this little cherub went home with me from singapore.

i thought my little angel, a kewpie doll, was a girl, until i noticed  his
pototoy. kewpies, as they are called, are based on illustrations
by rose o'neill that appeared in the ladies home journal in 1909

For my next post, I'll write about how I stumbled upon the Hainanese Chicken approved by Anthony Bourdain.

Kki Sweets
The Little Dröm Store
No. 7 Ann Siang Hill
Singapore

Traveling Solo: Singapore's The Scarlet Hotel

I've written about how I enjoyed my first solo leisure travel three years ago here. A handful of similar travels later, I decided it was time for my first solo out-of-the-country leisure travel, using my frequent flyer miles. I was supposed to go last January 2012, but for some reason or another I had to resched to late November.

If you're the handful of people following this blog, you'd know I have a peculiar way of traveling, like most people I guess. I splurge on the things I deem important (like hotels and inland transport), but I'm not above a good bargain (there's not a hawker center I didn't like). I don't feel smug, neither do I feel any less, because of the way I travel. What I can't stand are sanctimonious people who proclaim that their mode of traveling is more authentic than anyone else's. That's probably true, after all what they say reveals more of who they are, and what feels right to them, but I don't give a hoot. I maintain this blog because I want to share my love of traveling, and if this is of help to someone else, then well and good. Now on to the subject of this post.

Smart traveling involves a lot of planning (something I should do more, LOL). In the weeks leading to my departure date I accumulated a sheaf of clippings on the island-state, and one thing that stood out was to book this quaint boutique hotel, The Scarlet, conveniently located at Chinatown, and a hop and a jump away from the Maxwell Food Center and the vibrant bar scene in Club Street, which reminded me of Malate in the 90s. 

the morning after. the night before, a friday, my taxi deposited me at this corner.
i had to take a few steps to the left to reach the lobby. this was a quiet corner in a
happening area, but i decided to rest rather than go out. i liked early morning jaunts
when traveling. the less people, the better

christmas was quite upon us, and thus the decor. still, it was all about gothic drama.
one of the receptionists during my last day was a filipina. it's quite a comfort meeting
compatriots in strange places

my room! so excited

what could be gayer than this? my singapore-based told me as much.
what it lacked in size, my room made up in attitude

my welcome drink--blood orange italian soda. thankfully, it
wasn't that sugary at all. 

my favorite corner, where i'd scribble the day's events in
my diary and pore over  the receipts of my purchases
(not that i did much at all)

this could have been overdone, but they know when to rein in their maximalist tendencies

detail of the bathroom lighting

table lamp situation

muted colors tempered the exuberant details

this is my favorite design element--so witty!

just above the lobby

hotels with fresh flowers are always a plus

Let's just say that in spite of my teeny room, I love this hotel. Many rooms have no windows--luckily, I had one, so ask before booking. The hotel is near a few bars, but I was roomed in the quieter section, and so I slept soundly. Very accommodating staff, fast and reliable WIFI. Try the rooftop bar, if you're into it. I skipped that, opting to stay in my room, instead. Which is not a bad idea at all, staying in.

The Scarlet Hotel
33 Erskine Road, Singapore