What’s the first thing you do when visiting a shopping mall?
When, once is a blue moon, find myself in a mall, I normally walk straight to the directory and locate the exact store that brought me there. I calculate the most efficient route to reach my destination being sure to avoid too many potential detours. Shopping malls with outdoor sporting goods and record stores are my worst nemeses. If I find myself accidentally stumbling into one of these potential traps, I am doomed to spend serious amounts of time and money. If a delicious Japanese crepe cafe were to be added to the formula, you get the perfect equation to drown me in the world of shopping. Say hello to Singapore!
My first impression of Singapore was molded by the strategic juxtaposition of shopping malls and the unique local colors peppered among them. When I travel thousands of miles from home I expect to find myself engulfed in new and unfamiliar surroundings. There was an unsettling absurdity in feeling comfortable seeing the familiar names of many international companies everywhere in the city. Singapore’s urban planning made it very easy to get lost in the jungle of shopping malls. An aimless tourist could easily become trapped in the endless international merchandising and go a whole visit without realizing the distinctly unique aspects of local culture. Food, food culture, and its establishment history are by far the most distinctly unique and inspiring parts of a journey to Singapore.. Today’s blog post is about the authentic side of Singapore, hidden behind the curtain of curated shopping mall storefronts.
When we got out of the car at the eastern end of Orchard Road, the air was filled with the fresh smell of summer rain (It was the week before Christmas – keep in mind!). Orchard Road is one of the famous shopping meccas of Singapore. Brand names sprawl across the buildings up and down the street. We stopped at Seven Eleven and bought umbrellas and water bottles to stay comfortable in the weather. It was early in the afternoon and the sun had just started to glimmer through the dispersing rain clouds having just given the city its morning shower.
Our small excursion really started to become interesting when we made a turn at a picturesque street called Emerald Hill Road. There we found an old fashioned supply store and beautiful pastel colored building tucked in the little corner of a major shopping destination. Later I learned they are called Peranakan style. Emerald Hill Road instantly hit me with the quaint and authentic face of Singapore that I had hoped to see. It sparked joy in my traveler’s heart. Sometimes, you have to go off the grid, or at least a few steps off of the main road, to find unique local color.
Emerald Hill Road was a definite highlight for visiting the Orchard Road area. We felt content and hitched a ride to Newton Food Center to grab some lunch before our friends’ wedding rehearsal (the main reason for our visit to Singapore). It was late for lunch but the food court was vibrant and filled with many amazing options. We were excited to delve into the best part of Singaporean experience: street food.
Over the course of our Singapore and Malaysia trip, I developed a serious addiction to Hawker Food. Every hawker stall that we stumbled upon had its own charm and welcoming atmosphere. Newton Food Center was, in my opinion, our first proper meal in Singapore. It was a perfect introduction to the local specialties. The square-shaped plaza was filled with lunch-goers and curious tourists like us. We got a table by the sun-drenched courtyard and started our culinary exploration with some basic–chicken satay–and worked our way down the menu.
Let me just say this: All the hype about Singaporean street food that I heard leading up to this trip was 100% on point! There are literally infinite options to eat delicious for cheap. Although Singapore is notoriously among the most expensive places to live (I laugh at myself as I type this from my desk in San Francisco – drinking an $8 coffee), I think at least one of the foundational needs for human living is quite attainable in this country.
Our friends Kea and David had a beautiful wedding at their family’s “house” (more appropriately referred to as mansion). We were invited, as part of the wedding party, to continue the celebration at The Fullerton Hotel. In my usual fashion, I utilized the small down time between events and explored around The Fullerton Hotel and adjacent Merlion Park. The Fullerton Hotel is a prestigious architectural landmark originally used as a post office and now a major destination to host beautiful wedding receptions.
As it was pouring outside, I did not make my way all the way to Merlion. Instead, I took a few snaps of people yearning for the perfect clear sky over the most popular tourist destination in Singapore. The Fullerton Hotel was especially beautiful adorned with Christmas decorations and twinkling lights.
Thank you for reading my blog post!
Next up, I will post the photos from Merlion Park captured at the break of dawn the morning after the wedding. Please stay tuned for a view of the most famous skyline of Singapore taken at the magic hour. Until then…
Shiok la bro!
Written by: Kosuke Haga
Edited by: Rebecca Hoover