It’s been almost two months since I got back from Singapore and I finally gotten around to post something on my blog. In a word, Singapore was a blast. Although it was a major metropolitan area, it didn’t quite feel like it. Unlike Hong Kong, Singapore’s areas and districts were separated and you could see the differences. Singapore had lots of gardens and greens; after all, it did bill itself as the “city in a garden.”
So what did I do there? I went with my mom to my cousin Jacob’s wedding. The first day we got there was a Thursday night. We had gotten to the hotel and it was nearly dinner time. I was hungry but my mom was still full from the airline lunch. We went to look for food near the hotel. We came upon a Sichuanese restaurant and I ordered dumplings. It wasn’t much but I wasn’t too hungry either. The prices were reasonable so I was satisfied. I asked for mild to no spices which made one of the waitresses come over and tell us she knew we were not locals. Ha! And the reason is because I order little to no spice, something which a Sichuanese or Singaporean would not do. After an awkward conversation in Mandarin, I ate in peace and we returned to the hotel.
The next day, we met up with one of my mom’s friends and her husband. They had a car and drove us around town. First, we went to Mount Faber (see image on the top.) From there we could see the southern half of Singapore. After that, we had lunch at the Singapore Swimming Club where I had satay for the first time in years. Then there was driving down Orchard Road, buying souvenirs and treats in Little India, and snacks at Le’s Cafe where they served durian bean curd tarts. After that, there was the Marina Bay Sands Casino. The distinctive feature of this casino was the upper structure which resembled a ship but bent like a banana. At the top was the swimming pool and restaurants. In the middle were the hotel rooms. In the basement was the casino and a mall. Obviously, everything there was way out of my price range. A few photos and browsing in the food court and that was it. I should mention that Singapore is known for the food courts. There are hundreds and each vary from the “authentic” street side food to upscale mall food. 5pm came and it was time for me and mom and her friends to go our separate ways. While mom went back to the hotel to meet up with my uncles and aunts for dinner, I was headed to Jacob’s bachelor party.
At the Intro Bar in the Swiss Hotel, I met up with Jacob, his brother Josiah, Lewis, Chris, and two other guys whose names I have forgotten but will remember when looking through Facebook photos. There, Jacob violated my Rules for Life # 18: Never drink on an empty stomach. Jacob had been running up and down Singpore that morning for his wedding rehearsal. The last bite he ate was around 10am. I don’t know why, but he decided to have two beers on an empty stomach then ate two large portions for dinner where upon returning to the hotel, lay down on the bed and starting moaning in pain. Cuz, you are 26 years old, about to get married, and an officer in the Australian Army; not your best move. Jacob decided to lie down next to the pool while Josiah and I planned the wedding reception games while treading water in the hotel pool.
The next day was the big day. Jacob decided to go running at 7am and he was in a much better mood. Did I mention it was 90F and 90% humidity? Well he went. Meanwhile, his mom got dressed and had her hair done while I went his dad to go buy lunch at 9:30am. There was not going to be any food until 3pm and it was time to eat lunch and be strong. At the wedding, I finally met his wife Debbie for the first time. We had talked before on Skype but that was about it. I also met a whole bunch of people who were my cousins. The last time they saw me, I was in diapers. Specifically, these were my late grandmother’s youngest brother’s children. Jacob also asked me to be a witness signatory on his wedding license which was odd.
Still, it was an honor. I had a great time at the wedding reception.
Sunday morning came and my uncle said he was the most relaxed in days. The wedding and reception were over. Jacob and Debbie were on their way to their honeymoon. It was now time to relax a bit. That morning, I went to an English service at a Methodist Church while my mom went to a Chinese speaking church. That day was also momentous in the amount of food I ate. For breakfast, it was buffet at the hotel. For lunch, it was at an Indonesian restaurant on Orchard Road. There were potato pancakes, pineapple dishes, satay, fish, and lots of fried vegetables. For dinner, it was Jumbo Seafood Restaurant. 
That place I probably ate the least since I was still full from breakfast and lunch (pictured left). Another reason was my seafood allergy. Still, there was the ho fun (flat egg noodles), the chicken, and vegetables. Jumbo Seafood also had a great view of the sea lanes leading to and from Singapore.
We made one more trip to the casino on Monday before getting on the plane. And yes, I did eat McDo there. I also saw a Carl’s Jr there in passing but didn’t eat there. That’s something for the next trip.
amicusveritae 