Things I Miss in Singapura (Part One)
My wife and I have just spent one year and two months in the Lion City and we have brought home some good as well as not-so-good memories of our stay there. I will write more about our experiences in Singapore in my future (near future, that is) journal entries. For now, I have come up with my list of things that I will miss in that very little yet prosperous country, Singapura..
1.) Food
During my first week in Singapore, I told my friend that I am surprised to see how a little country could have a wide variety of food. The first food court I have seen is the one in Suntec City. There, they offer Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Indonesian, Western, Malaysian, and Indian food. During the first couple of months there, I was intent on lowering my blood pressure so I did not give in to the temptation of over-indulging in food. I selected what I ate so my first tast of hawker food is the Yong Tau Fu. I thought I wouldn't like this food a bit, but I tell you, even though it is just vegetables and tofu, I never got tired of having this dish as my dinner.
After two months of dieting, I was successful in lowering my blood pressure and I now allowed myself to taste the different Singapore cuisines. Next on my list was the Roti Prata. My wife and I had our first taste of Roti Prata when we watched Finding Neverland in Fort Canning. At first, the curry (the locals sometimes call this as gravy) was too hot for us and we did not really enjoy it. On the day we transferred from Paya Lebar to Ang Mo Kio, my wife and I were famished and we really needed a quick bite. Fortunately, there was a hawker just across the street and an Indian was making some Roti Prata. Because of hunger, we ignored our first experience with the food and bought a pair of Roti Prata and this time, we ordered it with egg and cheese. After our first bite, our taste buds experienced Nirvana and since then, we had Roti Prata for breakfast on Saturday mornings. Of course, there was a time when we got tired of it but now, when I think of Singapore, Roti Prata is something that comes to mind.
I will also miss the nights when my wife and I will have dinner at Lau Pa Sat. It is a simple bliss for us to have good food after a hard day's work. I usually have Chicken Murtabak while my wife will have cheese and mushroom prata. If ever you, my dear reader, will have the chance to visit Singapore, I recommend you to try the prata and murtabak at the Pratarajah stall in Lau Pa Sat. If we're not into prata or murtabak, and we are in Lau Pa Sat, we have chicken satay for dinner. Boon Tat Street is closed in the evenings and you could see one long line of Chicken Satay vendors. I refuse to believe the rumour I have read about how they prepare the Chicken Satay sauce because for me, the sauce makes the difference.
Another favourite hawker of ours is the A-Star located in Ang Mo Kio Avenue 8. We never get tired of the Handmade Noodle there. Whenever I go to that stall, and if auntie is the one who is managing the stall at that time (sometimes it is her son), I just gesture with my hands when I order. Eventually, she utters these words whenever she sees me.. "Two, No Chili".. and I just nod and smile and go back to my seat, and that was it, she got our order correctly. It is not just the food that I like but the people managing that stall. They are unlike the other vendors for they show a big and sincere smile.
My wife and I tried the other Singapore dishes and the ones I liked were the Laksa, Po Piah (but Filipino fresh lumpia is better), Curry Puff (we tried to make these ourselves and we were successful), Chicken Rice (my wife's favourite), Char Shiew, Beef Rendang, Ayam Panggang, Chicken Briyani, and Tahu Telor. My wife really really enjoyed the Pepper Crab especially the one in A-Star.
2.) Public Transportation
This is one thing that will make me not want to return to the Philippines. Singapore's public transportation is very efficient that owning a car is a luxury. I believe Singapore is just as big as Metro Manila but travelling from one place to another is not a big deal. Here in Metro Manila, you hesitate to go to a mall in Las Pinas and then go to Makati and then to Paranaque all in the same day. The problem is that you get very dizzy and sweaty due to the heat, pollution, traffic and how chaotic and anarchic people become behind the wheel. In Singapore, I get to read books when travelling via the MRT. Since Singapore is near the equator, you also get sweaty when you travel but you will never experience the dizziness and the shortness of breath when you travel in Manila. I also have not seen a single bus with a cockroach crawling in the seat in front of you. I have also not experienced preachers or con artists who will just stand in the middle of the bus and preach about 'God's word' and ask for Love Offering at the end of their babble. I have not seen bus drivers who race each other not caring about the safety of the passengers. I have not taken a taxi where the air conditioning is malfunctioning and the seats have stains of mysterious fluids. I have never met a taxi driver who asks for additional money on top of the fare shown in the meter.
How easy is it to get accustomed to Singapore's public transportation system? My mother-in-law has a poor sense of direction that she even gets lost in Megamall. When she visited us in Singapore, my wife and I were worried that she might get lost because we cannot accompany her on the days when we have to work. We were surprised to know that she did not get lost when she went from Ang Mo Kio to Chinatown and back all by herself. Because of this, I raise my hands in admiration to this country's transportation system.
3.) Pollution Free
One of the first things that greeted us when my wife and I returned to the Philippines is the black smoke coming out from one of the FX taxis in the airport. I held my breath and started to miss Singapore. I am glad we spent a year there because my breathing has greatly improved. Here in the Philippines, whenever I commute to my workplace, I already get dizzy and tired because during the travel, I often hold my breath because there will always be visible pollutants coming out of the vehicles especially from the jeepneys and buses.
4.) The Birds and The Trees
One of our first impressions of Singapore is that it seems that it is one big UP Diliman. This is because of the trees. Singapore has so many trees that the natural green hue will give you a sense of relaxation as you travel around on foot or by bus. During my first month, whenever I am in a bus to work, I let myself relax and prepare for another day at work by looking at the trees. I thank Singapore for leaving the trees intact even there is continuing urbanization in the City-State.
I was happy that my wife got a unit for us in Ang Mo Kio. Even if this is far from our workplace, I consider this as Singapore's suburbia. I enjoy the birds' din (yes, it's actually a noise) welcoming us on the morning of our weekends. It is far far better than the inane novely songs that is being played by our neighbors in the morning here in the Philippines. What is surprising about the birds in Singapore is that they do not shy away from people. Most probably they do not experience being harmed by human beings so they are not afraid to approach us.
5.) Park Hopper
You haven't really visited Singapore if you haven't been to the three animal parks namely: Singapore Zoo, Night Safari, and Jurong Bird Park. How many times have my wife and I been to these places in a year's time? Four times. And we enjoyed every moment of it. We especially enjoyed feeding the elephants at the zoo and feeding the lorries inside a big (I really mean big) aviary. Mama especially found the animal shows very entertaining. Will we have a fifth Park Hopper when we return to Singapore? Well, will the sun rise on the morrow?
To be continued...
1.) Food
During my first week in Singapore, I told my friend that I am surprised to see how a little country could have a wide variety of food. The first food court I have seen is the one in Suntec City. There, they offer Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Indonesian, Western, Malaysian, and Indian food. During the first couple of months there, I was intent on lowering my blood pressure so I did not give in to the temptation of over-indulging in food. I selected what I ate so my first tast of hawker food is the Yong Tau Fu. I thought I wouldn't like this food a bit, but I tell you, even though it is just vegetables and tofu, I never got tired of having this dish as my dinner.
After two months of dieting, I was successful in lowering my blood pressure and I now allowed myself to taste the different Singapore cuisines. Next on my list was the Roti Prata. My wife and I had our first taste of Roti Prata when we watched Finding Neverland in Fort Canning. At first, the curry (the locals sometimes call this as gravy) was too hot for us and we did not really enjoy it. On the day we transferred from Paya Lebar to Ang Mo Kio, my wife and I were famished and we really needed a quick bite. Fortunately, there was a hawker just across the street and an Indian was making some Roti Prata. Because of hunger, we ignored our first experience with the food and bought a pair of Roti Prata and this time, we ordered it with egg and cheese. After our first bite, our taste buds experienced Nirvana and since then, we had Roti Prata for breakfast on Saturday mornings. Of course, there was a time when we got tired of it but now, when I think of Singapore, Roti Prata is something that comes to mind.
I will also miss the nights when my wife and I will have dinner at Lau Pa Sat. It is a simple bliss for us to have good food after a hard day's work. I usually have Chicken Murtabak while my wife will have cheese and mushroom prata. If ever you, my dear reader, will have the chance to visit Singapore, I recommend you to try the prata and murtabak at the Pratarajah stall in Lau Pa Sat. If we're not into prata or murtabak, and we are in Lau Pa Sat, we have chicken satay for dinner. Boon Tat Street is closed in the evenings and you could see one long line of Chicken Satay vendors. I refuse to believe the rumour I have read about how they prepare the Chicken Satay sauce because for me, the sauce makes the difference.
Another favourite hawker of ours is the A-Star located in Ang Mo Kio Avenue 8. We never get tired of the Handmade Noodle there. Whenever I go to that stall, and if auntie is the one who is managing the stall at that time (sometimes it is her son), I just gesture with my hands when I order. Eventually, she utters these words whenever she sees me.. "Two, No Chili".. and I just nod and smile and go back to my seat, and that was it, she got our order correctly. It is not just the food that I like but the people managing that stall. They are unlike the other vendors for they show a big and sincere smile.
My wife and I tried the other Singapore dishes and the ones I liked were the Laksa, Po Piah (but Filipino fresh lumpia is better), Curry Puff (we tried to make these ourselves and we were successful), Chicken Rice (my wife's favourite), Char Shiew, Beef Rendang, Ayam Panggang, Chicken Briyani, and Tahu Telor. My wife really really enjoyed the Pepper Crab especially the one in A-Star.
2.) Public Transportation
This is one thing that will make me not want to return to the Philippines. Singapore's public transportation is very efficient that owning a car is a luxury. I believe Singapore is just as big as Metro Manila but travelling from one place to another is not a big deal. Here in Metro Manila, you hesitate to go to a mall in Las Pinas and then go to Makati and then to Paranaque all in the same day. The problem is that you get very dizzy and sweaty due to the heat, pollution, traffic and how chaotic and anarchic people become behind the wheel. In Singapore, I get to read books when travelling via the MRT. Since Singapore is near the equator, you also get sweaty when you travel but you will never experience the dizziness and the shortness of breath when you travel in Manila. I also have not seen a single bus with a cockroach crawling in the seat in front of you. I have also not experienced preachers or con artists who will just stand in the middle of the bus and preach about 'God's word' and ask for Love Offering at the end of their babble. I have not seen bus drivers who race each other not caring about the safety of the passengers. I have not taken a taxi where the air conditioning is malfunctioning and the seats have stains of mysterious fluids. I have never met a taxi driver who asks for additional money on top of the fare shown in the meter.
How easy is it to get accustomed to Singapore's public transportation system? My mother-in-law has a poor sense of direction that she even gets lost in Megamall. When she visited us in Singapore, my wife and I were worried that she might get lost because we cannot accompany her on the days when we have to work. We were surprised to know that she did not get lost when she went from Ang Mo Kio to Chinatown and back all by herself. Because of this, I raise my hands in admiration to this country's transportation system.
3.) Pollution Free
One of the first things that greeted us when my wife and I returned to the Philippines is the black smoke coming out from one of the FX taxis in the airport. I held my breath and started to miss Singapore. I am glad we spent a year there because my breathing has greatly improved. Here in the Philippines, whenever I commute to my workplace, I already get dizzy and tired because during the travel, I often hold my breath because there will always be visible pollutants coming out of the vehicles especially from the jeepneys and buses.
4.) The Birds and The Trees
One of our first impressions of Singapore is that it seems that it is one big UP Diliman. This is because of the trees. Singapore has so many trees that the natural green hue will give you a sense of relaxation as you travel around on foot or by bus. During my first month, whenever I am in a bus to work, I let myself relax and prepare for another day at work by looking at the trees. I thank Singapore for leaving the trees intact even there is continuing urbanization in the City-State.
I was happy that my wife got a unit for us in Ang Mo Kio. Even if this is far from our workplace, I consider this as Singapore's suburbia. I enjoy the birds' din (yes, it's actually a noise) welcoming us on the morning of our weekends. It is far far better than the inane novely songs that is being played by our neighbors in the morning here in the Philippines. What is surprising about the birds in Singapore is that they do not shy away from people. Most probably they do not experience being harmed by human beings so they are not afraid to approach us.
5.) Park Hopper
You haven't really visited Singapore if you haven't been to the three animal parks namely: Singapore Zoo, Night Safari, and Jurong Bird Park. How many times have my wife and I been to these places in a year's time? Four times. And we enjoyed every moment of it. We especially enjoyed feeding the elephants at the zoo and feeding the lorries inside a big (I really mean big) aviary. Mama especially found the animal shows very entertaining. Will we have a fifth Park Hopper when we return to Singapore? Well, will the sun rise on the morrow?
To be continued...
