Asia, Travel Tips

Snaps of Singapore and Malaysia: Chapter 6

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Tropical Christmas arrived in Singapore with clear blue skies and puffy lazy clouds. The hotel lobby was filled with Christmas music and vacationers wearing shorts ready for another summery day on the tropical island. We started our Christmas Day adventure from Maxwell Food Center and experienced some of the gold standards of Singaporean street food.

Chicken Rice from Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice

Maxwell Food Center is one of the most well-known hawker centers in Singapore – made famous by Hainanese chicken rice. There are several chicken rice stalls competing with each other for the longest lines and snaking around the storefronts. We hopped in the line for Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice and ordered three plates of Singapore’s golden standard.M

Chicken rice is exactly what the name suggests, it is a plate full of steamed chicken over a rice glazed with savory sauce. This simple, yet flavorful dish is one of Singapore’s most essential delicacies, and it enthralls food enthusiasts from all over the world; not to mention, Anthony Bourdain. We also tried laksa and chicken satay at Maxwell Food Center, but nothing really stood out in comparison to the brilliance of the chicken rice. Hawker hopping was a really fun way to start Christmas with big flavors. After breakfast, we made our way to Merlion Park.

Durian popsicle from a souvenir store near Merlion.

Merlion Park was more lively than when I visited in the early morning three days ago. We took obligatory trick photos and explored around the park. After spending some time at the souvenir store, Becca and Michelle headed to Orchard Road for Christmas shopping, and I took a taxi to Joo Chait/Katong to visit the old Peranakan Houses.

Peranakan Houses near Joo Chiat Road

Katong District is located in the southeastern part of Singapore and preserves many old heritage buildings. Peranakan style buildings in this neighborhood were among the most beautiful architectural styles remaining in Singapore. They display the extravagance of the wealthy lifestyle of middle class citizens in the early 20th century. Peranakan style buildings are colorful, intricately designed, and incredibly photogenic. If you have ever visited the Painted Ladies in San Francisco (a.k.a. “The Full House” houses), the charming appearance of the Peranakan Houses in Katong might remind you of the family sitcom minus the catchy theme song.

However, the most memorable site in Katong/Joo Chiat was actually not the Peranakan Houses. What really left a vivid impression was the contrasting sight of small residential streets tucked behind the beloved houses. The alleyway that took me through the series of worn out residential buildings spoke more powerfully. There were definitive signs of life in the inconspicuous streets of a beige-colored residential neighborhood.

When I go on street photography excursions, I often find myself searching for something that is less adorned and more natural. Making my way through the maze of residential alleys in Katong satisfied my desire to witness the authentic side of Singapore as well as its contrasting beauty. Sure, the camera-ready heritage houses were eye-catching, alluding to the time of their youth and vibrancy. However, in the meticulousness of their preservation, they seemed locked in an expressionless conservation of former glory. Seeing the frayed walls of rusty apartment buildings showed a side of Singapore lacking the same pretension and grace, but inexcusably raw, thriving and beautiful in its earnestness. The two contrasting visuals made Katong a perfect place for street photography.

Joo Chiat Road
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Joo Chiat Road, which cuts through Katong District, is full of restaurants and retailers curated for its residents. I did not see many tourists in this area, and it was especially quiet on Christmas Day. There were many Peranakan style buildings along the Joo Chiat Road that kept my camera entertained throughout the stroll. It was also fun to see the contrasting styles of modern buildings blending into this heritage street. I stopped to take photos at Choice Cuts Goods + Coffee record store and Sinpopo Brand cafe having been caught by their modern, kitchy storefronts.

Sinpopo Brand signature “Muay Pop” was a soda filled with sour plum ice pops.
It was a perfect Christmas beverage in hot and humid Singapore.

It was the final full day in Singapore before heading to Malaysia, so I decided to eat my way through the rest of Christmas in Singapore, visiting another food center in Katong. It was important to try all the essential eats so that my taste buds could remember this wonderful country forever. My next hunt for the hawker stalls was bak kut teh. “What is bak kut teh?,” you might ask. This is a Malaysian-style pork rib, slow cooked in a broth flavored with anise, cloves, cinnamon, peppers, garlic, and other secret spices. The soup was deep in flavor and soothing. It was not difficult to believe this dish is usually consumed as a means to beat the cold and reinvigorate the body after a long day of labor in Singapore.

Bak kut teh

The food center that I visited in Katong was very calm. It was remote, far from tourist attractions and busy landmarks. It gave an impression of how an average day in the life in this small corner of the mega city goes. The weather in Singapore is unpredictable and the forecast is usually not reliable. When I finished my bowl of bak kut teh, the rain really started to pick up and the white noise of heavy downpour muffled everything around the food center. It was a peaceful moment to sit at the vacant food hall table and listen to the rain. It made me feel people’s lives were amplified while the world around went silent.

Christmas night was spent with friends and families at Newton Food Center. We ordered many Singaporean street food standards like hokkien mee (fried noodles with shrimps), chai tow kway (carrot cake), and chili crab. It was a beautiful evening of friendship and indulgence and I couldn’t be more grateful to have such wonderful company to find home within such a distant part of the world. Travel is always more meaningful when there are people to share the experiences with.

Thank you for following our journey with us through this blog post!
Up next, I will take you to the beautiful little island of Penang in Malaysia for more amazing food and colorful photos please stay tuned!

Written by: Kosuke Haga
Edited by: Rebecca Hoover


Asia, Travel Tips

Snaps of Singapore and Malaysia: Chapter 5

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Singapore is a gem of a place – a multi-faceted gem in fact. One of the many things that really stood out during our visit was the bustling energy of many ethnic quarters. I had so much fun strolling around and snapping photos in colorful Little India and Bugis/Arab Street. It was truly a valuable experience to feel the heartbeat of each of Singapore’s diverse cultures thriving in these neighborhoods and to feel how closely these cultures are woven together. Like the faces of a gem, each of Singapore’s neighborhoods shine brightly in their uniqueness.

Little India’s vibrant colored murals struck me immediately upon arrival. Almost every street-sided wall was painted in high contrast and vibrant hues like the spilled memories from childhood dreams. These murals reminded me of simpler times, and stimulated my curiosity to learn more about the painters. I saw a temple and markets that stood in the center of the neighborhood and witnessed the houses built around them. Little India exhibited the authentic reflection of people’s lifestyle revolving around religion and ancient custom.

A walk from Little India to the Bugis neighborhood was a pleasant way to experience the transition of the multi-cultural aspect of Singapore. My initial objective was just to get a bowl of Singaporean laksa at Sungei Road Laksa, but little did I know, this small task soon expanded into a journey that simulated a transcontinental expedition within a few metro stations distance. My camera and I were on high alert for exciting street photography opportunities on this journey.

Sungei Road Laksa was just about to get really busy for the lunch crowd. This famous hawker stall inside a small food center was a popular lunch destination for many local workers to slurp on the goodness. Singaporean laksa is prepared in a smooth and mildly tangy seafood broth, and it was quite delicious and different from the Malaysian-style laksa that I tasted later on in our trip. My formal introduction to laksa didn’t last for long and I quickly reached the bottom of the bowl before the satisfaction set in.

A bowl of laksa at Sungei Road Laksa. A delicious noodle soup for just 5 SGD.
A scene of food court on my way from Little India to Bugis.
Bumped into these horses on my way to Bugis. There was a big construction in the city for Lunar New Year fair.

Laksa was delicious, but it didn’t completely stop my hunger and further cravings. I stumbled upon a food article about the best curry rice in Singapore, and one of the highest ranking dishes was a “scissor cut curry rice” on Beach Road. The article mentioned a hawker stall that is supposedly one of the last remaining torchbearers of old-time Singaporean favorites. It turned out, Beach Road Scissor-Cut Curry Rice was only a few minutes walk from Sungei Road Laksa, so I followed my instincts to find the restaurant that serves this mysterious dish.

The sign for Beach Road Scissor-Cut Curry Rice facing the Kitchener Road. It literally says scissors and curry rice in one sign. There was something very barber shop like about the typography.
Storefront view of the hawker stall. I could hear the sound of clinking from the outside, and the scissors logo just could not allow me to dissociate the restaurant from barber shop.
It’s not quite visible in this photo, but there are two guys behind the glass case cutting the curry topping with scissors. There are many options for topping like pork belly cutlet, pork chop cutlet, and fried tofu. It was similar idea to Japanese katsu-curry except you can go really hard on topping (I got 3 different proteins with fried eggs) and the server will pour a generous dollop of curry gravy to send you straight to heaven.
My first experience of scissor-cut curry rice and it was so tasty. Not quite sure what exactly the sauce was made out of, but it was extremely savory. My taste bud was in ecstasy.

Beach Road Scissor-Cut Curry Rice really deserves to be added to any foodies’ go-to list in Singapore. An indulgent amount of pork belly and pork chop were perfectly cut into bite size pieces with the skillful usage of scissors and topped over rice with eggs and vegetables. The whole plate was then garnished with a rich and thick gravy that tied everything together into one transcendental culinary experience. This was not a light meal option whatsoever and it demanded my taste bud’s full attention. I never quite tasted anything as good or as satisfying as this before.B

Masjid Sultan

Bugis is a Muslim quarter in Singapore signified by the beautiful Masjid Sultan mosque and busy Arab Street. The moment I stepped into Bugis, I was drawn-in by the intricate patterns of tapestries hanging from the store ceilings and the busy foot traffic of people attending the mosque. Becca, Michelle, and I met up at the entrance of Arab Street and explored the series of beautiful garment shops around Masjid Sultan.

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Even just a few minutes of strolling around the streets of Bugis really incited this new feeling of discovery in me. I never before visited a country where Islam is the predominant religion, and my contact with Muslim culture through food and customs over the course of this trip really opened my eyes to the rest of the world. There was a gorgeous art gallery on the market street adorned with delicate light fixtures and beautiful water pots. I stepped in and admired the magical ambiance created by meticulous crafts. Bugis is also a great place to have a coffee. We turned on Baghdad Street and stopped at %Arabica Singapore coffee shop for a short break. Just as we entered the cafe, a drizzle of rain began to replenish the humidity in the air.

%Arabica Singapore was a cool third wave coffee shop perfect to get cups of latte.

We waited out the momentary rainfall at the cafe and continued our journey through a narrow alley to Haji Lane. Haji Lane is a bohemian street that runs parallel to Arab Street and has many small boutique shops accompanied by eye-catching murals and sculptures. As my friend Joe, who moved from San Francisco to Singapore three years ago perfectly put it, Haji Lane is like the Haight Street of Singapore. We did some window shopping, tried a cup of yuzu sorbet and headed towards Bugis Junction to catch the metro.

High skyscrapers full of financial offices and the busyness of intersecting city roads became more apparent as we got closer to the metro station. The sight of exotic Muslim quarter quickly became replaced by the expansion of a stenciled urban living. Singapore yet again returned to the face of the mega city.

We entered the Bugis Junction Metro Station and spent some touristy moments finding the ticket machine. Singapore’s metro system was punctual, efficient and, with utmost importance, spotlessly clean! It was still early in the afternoon, so we dodged the commuter rush and hopped on the train to join a manageable crowd of weekday travelers moving through the veins of the Singapore underground. Chinatown was only two stations away.

Chinatown in daytime was very different from the time I spent in the evening alone. Many people were out and about in this exciting neighborhood. Becca, Michelle, and I explored the street vendors all decorated with red New Years ornaments and bought many souvenirs such as beef jerky, salted egg fish skin, and kaya coconut jelly. Becca and I also tried a fish foot massage and got our feet tickled by hungry little fish. It was the perfect way to conclude the long day of walking.

I hope you get to enjoy the scenery of the unique ethnic quarters of Singapore through this blog post. Thank you for reading! Up next, we will continue with our culinary exploration of Singapore on Christmas Day!

Written by: Kosuke Haga
Edited by: Rebecca Hoover

Asia, Travel Tips

Snaps of Singapore and Malaysia: Chapter 4

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It was the best birthday present to spend a whole day of adventure with great company! The day was spent sharing the experience of two of Singapore’s most amazing destinations: Garden by the Bay and Night Safari. My heart was full by the end of the day, though my body, another year older, was exhausted after such an eventful day. Here’s the documentation of our longest day in Singapore.

The first impression of Cloud Forest.

Garden by the Bay is a grandiose museum of flowers with two enormous conservatories called Cloud Forest and Flower Dome. This fantastic garden is easily accessible from the city center yet full of naturey-goodness. It is a big attraction so I would highly recommend allocating at least one full day to explore it. We visited the garden in the morning while the tides of the crowd were still low and spent a good few hours taking in the gorgeous waterfalls and meticulous details of Cloud Forest.

Immediately upon entering the structure, Cloud Forest welcomed us with therapeutic oxygen generated from a mass photosynthesis. An impressive tower covered in green plants and roaring waterfalls immediately captured our sights. Stepping into the conservatory from the humid tropical climate was not an entirely world-apart experience, but it rather gave me an impression of discovering a secret paradise encased inside a delicate glassware.

I have visited the Cal Academy of Sciences in San Francisco and the Biodome in Montreal. Both were amazing. But, my visit to Garden by the Bay moved me to a whole different level. Garden by the Bay was carefully curated to create an environment that resonates with Singapore’s tropical climate. The openness and the scale of this garden was simply mind-blowing and its design was very precise. Even the smallest of details, including the arrangement of sculptures amongst the flowers, had been considered. I’ve never visited any place quite like this before.

We started to explore the conservatory from the ground level, and looped around the circumference of the tower structure. There were many beautiful flowers including the gallery dedicated to hybrid orchids. Eventually, the tour route led us to an elevator that took us to the top of the tower aptly named the “Secret Garden.”

A view from about half way on the tower structure.
The sky walk that wraps around the green tower.

The “Secret Garden” was a starting point to explore the galleries of natural and man-made artworks. The conservatory was filled with small whimsical details such as wooden sculptures and stone figurines hiding behind the blooming orchids. While the fragrant exhibition of flowers was truly mesmerizing, these artworks added an amusing touch. From the “Secret Garden,” we slowly spiraled our way down the tower through the sky walk.

Artwork at the Secret Garden.
A meticulous sculpture works were seen everywhere in the conservatory.

Reaching the bottom of Cloud Forest was a journey of its own. It was a transformative experience to wander through the tunnels and misty passages under the waterfalls. With every transition, every movement through the space, under the waterfalls, down the ramps, over the thresholds, we felt a significant change in climate – activating our senses in a similar way to experiencing a well-curated meal or a narrative instrumental piece of music. When we finally reached the exit, we were content and ready for a lunch break. The conservatory was getting more crowded and it was perfect timing for break. After lunch, we proceeded to Flower Dome.

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While Cloud Forest was designed to travel vertically from top to the bottom, the other conservatory, Flower Dome, was an expansive arena that opened horizontally in all directions. Flower Dome was sectioned into various climate zones and housed many different vegetations from around the world. This specific part of the exhibition was quite familiar to us. We were especially at home in the area about desert plants and Californian vegetation. We browsed through quickly and were on our way. I particularly enjoyed the Christmas market in the center part of the conservatory and some of the art installation in Flower Dome.

Garden by the Bay really left a powerful impression on me and it was one of the best memories from Singapore. After we returned to the hotel, Becca and Michelle celebrated my birthday with a surprise Japanese cheesecake(!) ordered from a local cake shop through a delivery app called Grab (which by the way, you must download on your phone when traveling through this part of the world). The cake was too delicious and I was too busy eating it all up that it completely escaped me to take a photo of it. Sorry foodies!

A view of infinity pool from the restaurant we stopped at before the night safari adventure.
The sun is setting and the night is coming near for nocturnal animals…

After the sun disappeared into the skylines, Becca had gathered friends from the wedding party and we went out for a quick dinner followed by the #1 attraction of Singapore: Night Safari.

Night Safari “pre-game” as I called it. Rainforest Lumina transformed the portion of Singapore Zoo into a light show with subtle ambient music.

When we arrived at Singapore Zoo, the ticket vendor recommended that we explore the Rainforest Lumina instead of jumping on the tram to Night Safari right away. I don’t think “laser show” was the perfect word to describe Rainforest Lumina, but basically the whole zoo turned into an LED art installation. It was magical and awesome. The path inside the park was arranged with gimmicks involving projection mapping and sound effects. It was a perfect “pre-game” to the one-of-a-kind experience of seeing the animals at night.

Night Safari was a truly special experience. We hopped on the tram that carried us through the dark forests only illuminated by a few lights exposing freely roaming beasts. It was a night after a heavy rain and many animals, including lions, were out in the open to watch us from their casual after-dinner strolls. The park was intended to display the animals in their natural habitat. This was accomplished by digging a moat between the tour trails and the animal homes. Night Safari was a completely cage-free experience. We were relieved that the lions were not into free-range human meat.

The only snap that turned out decent from the dark tram ride – lions roaming behind the moat.

If you are visiting Singapore, you should definitely consider trying the two attractions mentioned in this post.

Up next, I will post colorful street photos from various ethnic quarters of Singapore. This will be the most vibrant photo post yet! Please stay tuned.

Shiok la bro!


Written by: Kosuke Haga
Edited by: Rebecca Hoover

content creator | entrepreneur camping expert | father

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