Hello From Singapore
 

Hello- I have a good internet connection here in Singapore, and thought I'd take the opportunity to do a post "live" from the road and to thank everyone here that responded to my questions about Shanghai and Singapore. Shanghai was an amazing place-we went to Jia Jia Tang Bao twice and Yang's Fry Dumplings across the street once. Both were so good! Hunger is becoming a very foreign sensation on this trip. I am eating so much more for lunch than I usually do that I'm not hungry for dinner, but eat it anyway, because I don't know how long it will be before I'm back again! Hopefully not too long! It had been several years since I'd been in Asia and I had just forgotten how great it is here.

Past two days in Singapore: We spent our second day in Singapore today. Yesterday we went to the Raffles Hotel and saw the Hotel museum, which was interesting-a history of the hotel, with lots of old photos from the early 1900s and travel brochures and memorabilia from the first half of the 20th century. We then went to lunch in Little India then to the Mustafa shopping center/department store. It was unbelievable. It is the largest single store I have seen in my life, I think, selling more goods and "stuff" than you can imagine. Several very large floors - everything from groceries, jewelry, clothing, suitcases, furniture, you name it, they had it! I somehow found the women's clothing and bought 2 embroidered linen shirts. After this we went to a Buddhist temple and a Taoist temple, which were very interesting. Came back to hotel, then went to the Night Safari up near the Zoo. We took a tram ride around, getting out to walk the trails at one point. We saw lots of animals. I think the walking part was the highlight, because you could hear all the jungle noises, and at one point we went through an enclosure where bats were flying around. They had some bananas and other fruit hanging for the bats to eat, and we saw one land on some bananas about a foot from the trail, and we were able to watch him eat close up!

Today, we went to Chinatown and bought a lot of stuff in the street stalls-shirts for both of us, postcards, several silk embroidered purses. Went to Maxwell Road hawker center for lunch, which was great fun-I saw so many things I wanted to try, but finally decided on a noodle and fish soup, DH had a seafood noodle dish. Went to two more temples, then made one last pass through the street market in Chinatown - conveniently located all around the MRT metro station, and now wer're back at the hotel for a swim. It is very hot and steamy, but at least we live in Florida, so it isn't anything new for us!

Tomorrow we plan to do a walking tour of the Colonial District and I haven't planned out what to do in the afternoon. Thanks again for everyone's help-and thanks for the seaweed egg flower soup recipe, Shanghainese--I know I'll be making that when I get home! After that, we are off to London, France and Budapest, then home. I will do full trip reports when I return!

Glad you are enjoying Singapore. The chinese restaurant at Rafflrs is one of the best I have eaten at so if your schedule permits it would be a pleasant end to the trip.

Thanks for the report. I am looking forward to my Singapore trip next month though the itinerary is still yet finalized. Please keep reporting in this thread.

thanks for the report

If you're at Maxwell Road hawker center do try the Tian Tian Chicken rice which is considered to be the best in Singapore.

You can find Fuzhou UFOs (oyster cakes) there as well. It's not commonly found here.

Funny you mention that, KMLoke, we just had lunch there and I had hte Fuzhou Oyster Cakes! The Tian Tian chicken stall wasn't open. Guess that will have to wait for the next visit! This morning we did an Original Singapore Walks tour called In The Time of Empire and it was very interesting. Boy, was it hot, though! We made another pass through Chinatown and bought a few last items, and are now back at the hotel for a swim. I think we're going to Newton Circus hawker center for dinner tonight!

what hotel did you stay in?

Rhkkmk, we are staying at the Raffles Town Club-no
connection to the hotel-my husband belongs to a
club in the US that has reciprocal privileges. We are
very happy with it-very comfortable room, great pool,
helpful staff. It is right off Bukit Timah Road-we take a
5-10 min bus ride to Newton to catch the MRT.

We just got back from Newton Circus hawker
center-had King Prawns, chili squid and sweet
and sour chicken and 2 big cans of Tiger beer.

We leave for London tomorrow-then France, Budapest-not
sure if I'll have Internet there, so if not, I'll post full reports
when we get home!
we get home at end of month!

Sorry about the weird posting-doing
this from an iphone and it's acting weird.

enjoy your time in europe....you have had a great trip thus far

Hi Florida1, I'm just back from Singapore and Japan and met you on the walking tour of the Colonial area on Monday! How wild is that? I remember you and your husband. I was the other American, from the other side of the country, Seattle! Small world of the fodorites! Great tour! More soon. I'm supposed to be unpacking. I went on the Little India tour on Wednesday, too. It was wonderful!