Random Singapore - Make sure it's got aircon

Random Singapore

Where'd you buy your suit? At the... toilet store?

Random Singapore - Doorway cat

Random Singapore - Coconut Breaking Place

Your guess is as good as mine...

Random Singapore - The Chewing Gum of the Orientals

It's... dried squid!

Formula 1 Night Race

The Birthday of the Monkey God

Qi Tian Gong, a temple at Eng Hoon Street/Tiong Poh Road junction, is about 80 years old. Twice a year, it celebrates in honour of its resident Deity, Qi Tian Da Sheng. Today was it was the birthday of the Monkey God.

This normally sleepy corner of Tiong Bahru estate came alive with colours, movement and noise. A procession walked through the streets with lion dancers, dragons, Kong Kuan (a traditional Teochew troupe of gongs and cymbals directed by a big drum), three sedan chairs carrying statues of the Deities, one of them being the Monkey God, followed by the medium and devotees.

Back at the temple, the lions and dragon were there to greet the Monkey God back, with the dragon forming an arch for the medium and his entourage to walk through. The devotees went across the street to have dinner with the buffet offered by the temple. (So did we!) Some stayed back to watch the Kim Eng Teochew Opera, but our time was up and we walked home…

Singapore 2010 - Saturday

Today we followed a Lonely Planet walking route around the Colonial District, starting at the Esplanade Theatre. This is a modern complex that resembles two halves of a durian, with sparkling glass and metal cladding. Inside is a shopping mall, the city's premiere theatres, and an art space - where we saw a neat collection of pixel art versions of famous paintings, such as David's Napoleon and Botticelli's Birth of Venus. You could even tailor your own version of Michelangelo's Creation of Man from the Sistine Chapel.

Got a bit lost outside, as the streets are all fenced off for next week's Formula 1 night race. We eventually made it through some underground malls, resurfacing at the War Memorial, and then walking along the City Hall, Supreme Court and Parliament buildings. The sun was scorching, so we had lunch at the Clarke Quay, which is on the riverside. Despite being dressed in shorts, sandals and Army of Darkness t-shirt, we gained entry into the upmarket Peony Jade, where the food was exquisite. The highlights were the baked cod with mango sauce, and the large prawns with curry leaf.

Fortified, we assaulted Fort Canning park, an intimidating hill that rises abruptly out of the flat city. The British had their war bunkers up here, which I will visit another time. It's quite a sight to be up so high, looking across at skyscrapers through a dense jungle! Down the other side, we wandered through a few exhibits at the Singapore National Museum. There was one on women's fashion over the years, the local film and changi (Chinese opera) scene, and our current favourite subject: food! We've already talked about the food here, but it really is a central part of Singapore's cultural fabric. The way different ethnic food styles have hybridised over time reflects how the different peoples here have integrated. It was actually quite touching to read how the food courts mix customers from all backgrounds and social classes. Well, food this tasty should make everyone feel agreeable all the time!

Zipped home via Doby Ghaut MRT station for some poolside RNR, before heading out again to Outram Park to join a Chinese lantern procession. By mistake or boldness, we managed to nab a couple of free lantern (and snack) packs. We lit these up and entered the happy throngs, marching behind drummers, a swooping, circling dragon dance troupe, and some men with an extremely tall flagpole which they were balancing on their heads (with mixed success). Ended up at the waterfront once more, but could now see the displays lit up. We then had an appointment to meet Alistair, the brother of a friend of ours, who has been living here for years. Had a good time drinking extremely expensive Asahi and meeting some fun new people.

Sunday was a big recovery day!

Singapore 2010 - Friday

Yesterday we bought the "Makansutra", an indispensable guide to Singapore's cuisine. We have already tried some of the local delicacies, and could tick off a couple of the recommend places. For lunch, we aimed to knock out a couple more at the frenetic Maxwell Centre. Started with a snack of Ngoh Hiang, or Szechuan (ie. Chinese) street fritters. These were OK, but not amazing. We had better luck with our follow up, Anna trying the Prawn Mee (Hokkien noodles with prawns and chili) and my eating a yummy white 'Carrot Cake' or Chai Tow Kueh, a kind of omelette with julienned radish and rice flour.

Spent many hours wandering the endless expanse of malls and shops at Orchard Road once again, this time trying to pick some essential items such as a watch that shows two time zones (for me), a nice new belt from Massimo Dutti (one for me, one for Anna), a clothes drying stand, a computer/TV cable, singlets (me) etc. I had an appointment at Mohan's to be measured for my wedding suit. Seemed to go well, though I need to come back in a couple more times. It's a family business, and they used to make the uniforms for the NZRAF who were stationed in Singapore during the war.

Had a much needed pick me up at a little kopi tiam, or coffee shop. They do little cups of strong black coffee, but with a deliciously smooth flavour. I had mine with sweetened condensed milk, which I can see becoming a new favourite. We also tried the ice cream toast, which was like an eskimo pie, but with toast. How odd!

Singapore 2010 - Thursday

It's a long trip out to the zoo! First of all, it's in the center of the island (where they have actual wild jungle), so that's a dozen MRT stops. But then it's a long-winded ride on a rickety public bus, before you arrive. We suspect most tourists go on hotel-organised tours, so don't have to experience all this. But it was interesting to see the outer neighbourhoods, and to note that the high rise living continues out that far.

Singapore Zoo is sited alongside the island's rain catchment (ie. water supply), and has a unique semi-open plan to the enclosures. This makes you feel much closer to the animals, and there are even some that are allowed to range freely, such as macaques and even orang utans.

Saw some interesting beasties we hadn't seen before, such as the proboscis monkey (ugly), hamadryas baboons (nasty butts) and sun bear (world's smallest bears!) plus old favourites like the tapirs, meerkats, banded mongoose, otters, rock hyrax and a assortment of squirrels and squirrel-like critters. Watched some of the animals being fed, including the meerkats who had a good tussle over a chicken leg, plus I fed a pair of white rhinoceros, who also had a good chomp on my hand. A bit like sticking your fingers in a pool filter. Shlorp!

We were hot and tired, but stopped at Orchard Road again on the way back for dinner at the fabulous Ling Zhi vegetarian restaurant. Quite novel food! Here was our set menu:

• Shredded Rice Flour Skin with Chef's Special Salad Dressing, Beancurd Skin Rolls and Fresh Truffle
• Braised Shark’s Fin Melon with Bird's Nest, Lily Bulb and Golden Mushrooms
• Crisp-fried Pumpkin Roll with Mushrooms and Chef's Special Blended Sauce
• Braised Bai Ling Mushrooms with Chestnuts
• Braised Noodles with Shredded Vegetables
• Chilled Apricot with White Fungus

We also bought a tin of mooncakes, which are being sold everywhere at the moment as part of the Chinese new moon festival. They're expensive, but are beautifully decorated. An unusual taste and texture, but like all things pastry, I love 'em!

Singapore 2010 - Wednesday

Had our first rain today, and what a show it was - thunder and lightning, the works! It's a lot more frightening when you're part way towards the sky where all that noise is taking place. But it was all over fairly quickly, and we took our chances with the elements, walking to a recommended Indian restaurant called Annalakshmi. It was a buffet set-up, with signs proudly proclaiming that all food was prepared 'without onion or garlic', a statement whose significance was rather lost on us. After yesterday's over-indulgence we were careful to stop when no longer hungry, though it was so tasty I could have eaten a second meal if I could have found somewhere to put it. All washed down with some lovely pineapple juice. The restaurant has a policy whereby you pay what you thought the meal was worth. I'm sure we paid more than anyone else there.

Afterwards we wandered at our leisure, dropping into the Thian Hock Keng Temple (The Temple of Heavenly Bliss), the oldest and most important Hokkien temple in Singapore. The main temple is dedicated to Mazu, the Taoist goddess of the sea and protector of all seamen, while a second temple at the back is a Buddhist one dedicated to Kuan Yin, the bodhisattva of mercy. We saw a few people pray there, including a newly wed couple with the groom's mother. The colours and ornamentation were splendid, and there were many strange and monstrous statues throughout. Pantheist iconography sure is fascinating!

Also in the neighbourhood were several enormous food courts, plus the Fu Tak Chi Museum, a restoration of Singapore's oldest Chinese temple, which oddly now serves as a pedestrian through-route to a shopping mall. Passing through the CBD with its towering glass spectaculars, we ended up at the waterfront promenade where the ghastly Merlion sits spewing water into the harbour. More authentic sights were available as we followed the river inland, walking under the historic Cavenagh and Elgin bridges, and between various Chinese paper lantern and flotilla displays.

Anna was feeling worn out by the heat, so we hopped on the MRT home, pausing to visit the Seng Wong Beo Temple by our apartment complex, where they still perform 'ghost marriages'. We lazed by the pool for the afternoon, before Anna sent me out for food. I walked to the well-known Maxwell Road hawker complex, with its endless array of stalls, to pick up the famed (Hainanese) "Number 10" Tian Tian Chicken Rice for Anna.

Singapore 2010 - Tuesday

Got up early and hit the gym again. Cooled off in the pool afterwards, where I tried the massaging waterfall feature - very nice! Went to Orchard Road - Singapore's Champs Elysees - for an appointment with my recruitment agency. The roads in this area are not pedestrian friendly, with the crossing lights taking a very long time, and many 'underpass' diversions that take you into an underground shopping mall, and leave you there not knowing how to get out again. We got some maps and info at the tourism building, then headed off for the Botanic Gardens. It was a long, long walk, and we were starving. Tried to find another recommended Indian restaurant - this time it seemed to no longer exist - eventually settling for a food court out of desperation. We were disappointed at first, but I did find some veggie curries, and they were fantastic! Another great meal.

The gardens were picturesque, but not stunning. There were also some insects or other animal making loud noises, which we originally thought were mechanical in nature! They were like sirens, crossed with dentist drills, plus the sound that trucks make when reversing. Beastly little sods, whatever they were...

Saw a nice ginger garden, I found a turtle in a pond, and we payed the entrance fee to wander the National Orchid Garden. This was very beautiful, and would have been a big hit with my mum. Took lots of nice photos, but by then the heat was doing me in. I was desperate enough that I eve drank a can of something called 'Pocari Sweat' to see if it would restore me! We caught a bus back to the MRT station, and whipped back to our lovely pool. After recovering with the help of a poolside nap, a few salutory dips, and a frappucino, we had enough zest to go wandering again. This time I was keen to check out the mid-Autumn festival in Chinatown, where everybody was busy hanging coloured lanterns and making mooncakes. Had a spot of dinner, this time courtesy of a Tibetan vegetarian restaurant (I say restaurant, but it only cost $8), which served us a wonderful pumpkin soup and an assorted brown rice and veggie platter. Walked around some more, saw one interesting temples, plus a mesmerisingly cheesy pop music performance.

Singapore 2010 - Monday

Monday morning we had a bit of a sleep in, a lazy breakfast, followed by a session in the gym. All the equipment have built in TV screens! We explored the complex a bit, marvelling at the views as well as the giddying sight-lines down to the ground level. Afterwards we bought MRT cards, and took the underground train to Little India so we could do some household shopping at the famous Mustafa Centre. It's actually a crummy old place, with a decidely op-shop feel to it. We bought some towels, mugs, glasses, bed linens, which all have a pretty ghastly cast to them, plus I found a so-bad-it's-good wall hanging of a sexy lady with a snake.

On the way back, we began our culinary adventure, as I sought out, then joined, the longest queue at the local foodcourt. I ordered a ramen with bean curd (a delicious, spicy soup with noodles and tofu) and a 'fried fish salad sauce' (fish on rice, with mayonnaise). The ramen was fantastic. Plus, super cheap - each meal only cost a few dollars.

Back home, we spent several hours in the wonderful pool complex, sunning ourselves, floating about, and playing with the bubble jets. The water was warm and silky smooth. We had thought that it was late afternoon, but it turned out to still be early. This threw us a little bit, and were pretty zoned out. But I perked us up with a couple of iced coffees, and we journeyed out to find an Inidian restaurant that was lauded in our Lonely Planet guide. Alas, it turned out to be a lunch-only affair, so I convinced Anna to join me at a hawker court, where we tried the Singaporean delicacy 'char kway teow' - delicious ribbon noodle, served with fried clams, chili and black bean sauce. Num nums! And all for $5 in total!

Singapore 2010 - Sunday arrival

So, starting a new job in a foreign country... how best to go about this? My approach was to leave 1 day after finishing my current job, after squeezing in my stag do and a heap of admin for our November wedding, and buying a house, arnaging finance, opening new bank accounts and generally getting all that palaver sorted. Fortunately, I at least have the good sense to arrange for a week off in Singapore before heading into the office. I think I'm going to need it to get accilmated to the heat!

We spent Sunday travelling, leaving Auckland at midday and arriving in the evening of the same day (Singapore is 4 hours behind). We didn't sleep on the plane, instead watching about 4/5 films, and seemingly eating every half hour or so. It was an easy flight, and I had no issues bringing my Pelican camera case on board the plane, and getting through baggage claims and customs.

Stepping out the front door, we were hit with that familiar pillow of dense warm air, but it wasn't long before we were in an air conditioned taxi, winging our way into the city. The apartment that I had organised (or rather, which was organised for me by my super-helpful colleague Mimi, and her family - thanks!) is actually right behind the building where I will be working. It's right in the CBD, but there is a nearby fruit market, and it is a short walk to Chinatown and lots of great sights and eateries. It's got a whopping 39 floors, and has a sprawling pool network on the 7th floor, and a gym with a sky-touching view on level 39. There are groovy amenities all over the place, and the architecture is great. The apartment is only small, but nicely appointed, and with 2 air conditioning units.

It was a slightly fraught arrival, as our agent wasn't there. The concierge was also not letting us in. Eventually he lent us a phone, and we called the agent. Thoughts about the various rental scams danced through our heads until she arrived, and let us in. Once all the paperwokr was sorted, we had a sroll around the block, and bought a few basics at a supermarket. Saw our first durians at the fruit market, and plenty of odd things on the supermarket shelves: Quail eggs, Jackie Chan-endorsed hair darkening shampoo, all sorts of unusual canned drinks, dragonfruit, green tea Haagen Dasz and piglet-shaped mooncakes.

We thought that 14 years, 4 months and 29 days was a sufficient courtship period, and finally tied the knot on 20 November 2010.

Venue: Mantells Mt Eden

Itinerary: Saturday 20 November 2010

• 4:00 Doors open
• 4:30 Ceremony
• Special music performance/photographs/refreshments
• 6:30 Dinner
• 7:30 Speeches
• 8:00 Cutting of wedding cake / Dessert
• 9:00 Dancing/dessert
• 11:00 Anna and Michael depart