Our family of three flew to Singapore to visit our son, who is studying there. The flight from Japan takes about 6.5 hours.
Day 1: Bak Kut Teh and Little India
We left Japan in the morning, arrived at our hotel in the evening and went straight out for dinner at a famous bak kut teh restaurant. Bak kut teh is a peppery, garlicky soup of pork ribs, served with rice, fried dough sticks and simple vegetable dishes. The restaurant was busy and full of local families.
It was the first time in a long while that the four of us had dinner together.
After dinner we went shopping in Little India. The streets were decorated with bright lights and colorful figures.
Day 2: Kampong Glam, a Hawker Centre and Marina Bay
On the second day we visited the Kampong Glam area. The golden dome of the Sultan Mosque stands out against the sky, and the nearby lanes are full of colorful murals and small shops. One shop was packed from floor to ceiling with glowing mosaic lamps.
We also walked past rows of pastel-colored Peranakan shophouses with detailed tiles and shutters, one of the most photogenic sights in Singapore.
For lunch we ate at a hawker centre, East Coast Lagoon Food Village. Hawker centres are open-air food courts where you can try many local dishes cheaply. We had fried noodles and grilled chicken wings.
At night we saw the Merlion and Marina Bay. The light and water show over the bay, the illuminated Marina Bay Sands and the Supertree Grove at Gardens by the Bay were all spectacular.
Day 3: Chinatown and Chicken Rice
In the morning we went to Chinatown. We started with a local breakfast of kopi (coffee) and soft-boiled eggs, then explored the shops and street art.
After shopping in Chinatown, we had Hainanese chicken rice for lunch, one of Singapore’s national dishes.
In the evening we enjoyed North Indian food: chole bhature, a huge puffed bread served with chickpea curry.
Day 4: Marina Bay Sands and Sentosa Island
In the afternoon we went to Sentosa Island and watched a beautiful sunset from the beach.
For our last dinner we went to a lively night hawker centre, where we had satay skewers with peanut sauce and grilled prawns.
Finally, here are the souvenirs we brought home from Singapore.
