Photography by Yuri Krasov, except Damai Spa images
>
Singapore… a city-state that walks by itself. Compact like a dollhouse, and clean as a whistle, the country of Merlion can be traversed from one boarder to another in a 45-minute drive. No road trips for you here; no domestic flights either... Lush greenery, as seen through a hotel floor-to-ceiling window, looks cool, fresh, and inviting, but it’s a trompe-l’oeil. The minute I step out, the island’s hot and humid no-season weather drenches my linen-clad body like a giant steam room. My shades fog out, and I’m sweating as if I’ve been walking up a Stairmaster, not down the street. This is so un-ladylike, I run for cover. Good that on every step in Singapore there is a shopping mall, a hotel, a restaurant, or at the very least, an air-conned overpass crossing a busy street. In Singapore, the history started only 45 years ago, when the country acquired its independence from Malaysia through peaceful voting. 
Even its symbol, Merlion, a cross between a lion and a mermaid, was created by a tourism industry professional to better attract visitors. 
Singaporeans pride themselves in their ethnic and religious diversity and peaceful coexistence of various creeds. Children are being taught at school to take care of their small country as if it were their apartment. There is a strict enforcement in place for all kinds of violations, from spitting on a sidewalk to having “unnatural sex” with one’s spouse. 
Hotel Quincy (http://www.quincy.com.sg/) where we stayed during my husband’s business trip to Singapore is a modern all-inclusive property. It boasts excellent service and an amazing swimming pool on the 12th floor with clear glass walls. While swimming among the skyscrapers, I often felt like staying in the cool and comfortable hotel the entire day, but then there would be no story to tell… So, here goes. As a flagship of South-East Asia, economically advanced and politically stable, Singapore enjoys booming tourism from all over the world. Not surprisingly, the best restaurants are located in the big-name hotels, and all the shopping around them. On our trip, we decided to try as many of the recommended places as possible. 
Our first visit to StraitsKitchen at Grand Hyatt Singapore (http://www.singapore.grand.hyatt.com/) was, just as a first love, unforgettable. Piping hot and refreshingly spicy red laksa with silky rice noodles, crunchy bean sprouts and soothing coconut milk was followed by a deliciously-eggy roti prata and simple yet addictive Hainanese chicken rice. I won’t soon forget ayam buah keluak – chicken stew with Indonesian black nuts, their soft insides resembling olive tapenade in dark chocolate mousse. As they say in Singlish, people have cravings lah! And now I’m one of those people mah... A dessert of durian ice cream re-established me as the only adventurous eater in the family. Chinese, Indian, Malay and Indonesian delights prepared here in open kitchens to individual orders attract local clans and large groups of friends. We heard a happy birthday song, probably, eight or ten times during our dinner, and made a reservation for another night to bring our own new friends to this fragrant oasis of Singaporean cuisine. Grand Hyatt Singapore has another not-to-be-missed attraction, the Damai spa. The word Damai means peace, and it would be hard not to feel peaceful after visiting this serene and utterly relaxing space. 
I felt immediate relief from heat upon entering a narrow corridor filled with icy blue light. A treatment room was neat and quiet, and I believe I fell fast asleep, and even snored, ever so slightly, during the heavenly “orchid massage,” induced by a pair of skillful angelic hands… 
An award-winning Carousel at Roayl Plaza on Scotts (http://www.royalplaza.com.sg/) was our next Food Odyssey (a title of the Carousel cookbook). The freshest oysters were quite surprisingly flown from Canada, while the executive chef Abraham Tan and sous chef Robert Mak were putting together an impressive array of European and Asian dishes, all freshly-made, like our perfectly Italian spaghetti al-dente, glistening with olive oil and specked with parsley. Then it was time to climb to the top of Equinox Restaurant on the 70th floor of Swissotel The Stamford, one of the tallest hotel buildings in Southeast Asia (www.swissotel.com/singapore-stamford). 
A spectacular bird-view of the city was only rivaled by the lunch-time spread of international cuisine. 
Jewel-like sashimi with shaved daikon radish shared space with pickled herring in mustard sauce, and seared foie gras came right off the skillet as one of the appetizers, while meat and fish courses were offered a la carte in addition to the luscious buffet. Following the trend, our next lunch was scheduled at Swissotel Merchant Court (www.swissotel.com/singapore-merchantcourt) where Ellenborough Market Café served Peranakan specialties, inspired by the Straits Chinese cuisine from the 15-16th centuries.
Kueh pie tee (top hats) consisted of grated turnip, prawns, bean curd and coriander leaves in deep fried dough cups. The dish was light, refreshing, and satisfying. When it was time for dessert, I tried green crepes with toasted coconut filling, called kueh dadar, and sago cake with bean paste. I also learned that Swissotel Merchant Court was the first hotel in Singapore to start serving durian pengat, a mousse of fresh durian, coconut milk, and palm sugar. Originally, this dessert was supposed to be served warm, but because it couldn’t stand on a buffet counter without losing its freshness, the chef decided to chill it, and it worked even better! Village Hotels & Residences (http://www.stayvillage.com/) are all located within ethnic communities and entice tourists with design, cuisine, and monthly crafts programs pertinent to one or another “village.” 
At Albert Court Village Hotel in the heart of Little India, guest activities can vary from chef’s demos to perfume mixings and henna tattoos. 
At Landmark Village Hotel, Riverwalk Tandoor Restaurant serves fine Indian cuisine on a poolside terrace. Many treasures can be discovered on a leisurely walk around the “villages.” 
On a street corner, we tried a traditional Taiwanese snack: soy bean curd pudding and youtiao (fried dough stick) in Rochor Original Beancurd, in business since 1960. 
On Arab Street, we strolled through endless shops overflowing with shiny fabrics, batiks, beaded shoes, crooked daggers, and jewelry. 
All kinds of exotic fruit were on display at a crowded Bugis Street market. 
At Jamal Kazura Aromatics (http://www.jamalkazura.com/) on North Bridge Road, we stopped and smelled the roses in perfume bottles with familiar names. Any fragrance can be replicated to order here, even if it’s been discontinued for years. 
On McNally Street, we walked through a spacious campus of LaSalle College of the Arts with its glass buildings of exhibition galleries and performance studios. 
We also visited a Taoist temple of Kuan Yin, the Goddess of Mercy, decorated with lotus flowers and filled with worshippers. Many of them believe that in this temple “ask and you shall receive.” 
Raffles Hotel (http://www.raffles.com/), named after the founder of Singapore, Sir Stamford Raffles, is the most glamorous historic property of the colonial era, designated a National Monument in its centennial year. 
Built in 1887 by the four Sarkies brothers, originally from Armenia, it adhered to the “Exotic East” theme in décor and opulence while catering to the rich and famous westerners. 
Having lunch at the white-table-cloth Tiffin Room, opened in 1892 by the hotel founders, was like traveling back in time to the heyday of the praised property. Northern Indian hot and cold appetizers and entrees, presented under silvery domes, followed a centuries-old tradition of tiffin carriers of rice, curry, fish, and meat. A dessert table seemed crowded with sweet dough morsels floating in milk and honey, and studded with raisins and rosebuds. 
Across the marble hotel lobby with a skylight, dark wood staircase, oriental rugs, and grandfather clock, I stopped by a closed at daytime Writers Bar, named after some of the Raffles’ most prominent visitors, like Joseph Conrad, Somerset Maugham, and Noel Coward. 
For a sweet finale, we sat under the Malayan plantation-style slow fans at the famous Long Bar, home of the original Singapore Sling. 
The drink was conceived here at the turn of the century by a bartender Ngiam Tong Boon. The well-mannered ladies of the Victorian era were not encouraged to drink alcohol alongside their husbands; therefore they were invited to sit on an outside terrace at the Raffles, and sip fruit juices. Trying to please the outcasts, the bartender started splashing gin into the juice and bitters mixture. I guess, by the time their husbands were rolling out, the ladies were rather in a good mood. Today, the Long Bar sells about 2000 Singapore Slings a day. 
Not all island attractions are about food and drink, and luxurious accommodations. 
For the weather-resistant there are some amazing things to see outdoors, like Jurong Bird Park (http://www.birdpark.com.sg/). Walk-in aviaries create an illusion of natural habitats, and simulated environments on more than 20 hectares of tropical land allow 8000 birds from Southeast Asia, Africa, and South America to thrive. Some 600 amazing species, like crowned pigeons the size of a good turkey, and almost unnaturally-bright scarlet ibises reside here next to hornbills and toucans, hawks and eagles, penguins and owls. Bonding with visitors during feeding time is probably both parties’ (birds and humans) favorite activity. I extended my hand with dry feed to a bunch of golden parakeets at the Parrot Paradise, and in a second dozens of tiny claws were poking at my arm and shoulder. Then I felt that one of the birds, most likely a kindred-soul female, who loves shiny, started pulling an earring out of my ear. 
At the Singapore Zoo (http://www.zoo.com.sg/) we were duly wowed by a pygmy hippopotamus, a family of white tigers, and a mind-boggling mouse deer. Then we watched a chimp pulling a tree branch out of the canal surrounding his family area, and using it as a tool, or in other words, trying to evolve right in front of our eyes. Too bad he got bored soon, and dropped the branch right back into the water. 
In the Underwater World Singapore (http://www.underwaterworld.com.sg/) we watched the feeding of giant turtles and sting rays, and a show with pink dolphins, and walked through the glass-walled tunnel inhabited by the creatures of the deep. 
On the day of our departure from the small country of many wonders, we squeezed in a must-do visit to the Asian Civilizations Museum (http://www.acm.org.sg/) on the bank of Singapore River. In its many galleries, through its many marvelous artifacts, we learned about the fascinating history and culture of the land – peaceful and proud of its diversity, rooted in traditions and energetically directed toward the future. During our visit, the Museum also hosted a traveling exhibition Treasury of the World: Jeweled Arts of India and the Age of the Mughals. Marveling at the rubies the size of a walnut, and at the filigree work on household items and weaponry, I thought that one visit to Singapore, however extended, might just not be enough. 
0 comments:
Post a Comment