The Opening Celebration, from 4-6 July, is a review of
Singapore’s hawkers of the 50s and 60s with over 40 stalls for you to enjoy!

In the second weekend of July (12-13 July), we would have the heritage food trail:

@Chinatown: cuisines of different Chinese dialects
@Malay Heritage Centre at Kampong Glam: local meals
@Little India: vegetarian food fair.

Near to our conference period, we would have:

18-20 July: Uniquely Singapore seafood event. Enjoy the famous Singapore Chilli Crab
on the warm shore of East Coast Beach.

26-27 July: Barbecue at Sentosa with live music. Enjoy the dishes you like in the relaxed ambience at Sentosa with music…something to be remembered!

Many other food events with no less fun such as food challenge, Chef’s Secrets
take place everyday around Singapore during this month. And I am sure
they would give you the best food for thought of the Sigir

What’s more? Bring along your passport to Singapore Visitors’Centers to get Singapore
Sampler vouchers, which would entitle you to a free sampling of any three local
delights.

So what are you waiting for? Singapore’s best dishes are waiting for you!

For more details, please visit the Singapore Food Festival website at:
http://www.singaporefoodfestival.com

• International chess: Singapore Chess Federation (http://www.singaporechess.org.sg/)
• Chinese chess: Singapore Xiangqi General Association (http://www.sixga.org/)
• Go: Singapore Weiqi Association (http://www.weiqi.org.sg/)
• Contract bridge: Singapore Contract Bridge Association (http://www.scba.org.sg/)

Note: For players who intend to play only Go, I personally recommend going to the City clubhouse at Bugis instead for a better playing environment. No comments on the other three organizations as I know nothing about them. I am currently an inactive member of the Singapore Weiqi Association, but am writing in my own capacity.

The system of paying bus or train fares in Singapore is designed to be very efficient for the masses, but it does make it slightly awkward for the visitor who makes only a very limited number of rides on our transportation system. For buses, the system should be familiar to most people – you can pay your bus fare by cash when boarding the bus, but you need to prepare the exact amount since no change is given. However, things are slightly different for trains, because all fare gates at train systems are operated using contactless cards. To travel by train paying in cash, first go to a ticketing machine and pay the train fare plus a S$1 deposit, and you will be issued a contactless card. Then you tap your card at the fare gates to go to the platforms. A common mistake is to tap at the screen itself, when you are supposed to tap your card on the sensor below the screen. Upon reaching your destination station, tap your way out of the fare gates. The final step is to go to one of the ticketing machines, insert the contactless card and you will be refunded your S$1 deposit. The whole process is a bit cumbersome, but the good thing about Singapore’s train system is that when transferring from one line to another, there is no need to pass through fare gates at all even if the two lines belongs to different companies.

All the above explanation is made for the visitor who is expected to make only a very limited number of trips on our buss or trains. For us Singaporeans, what we do is that we simply buy a stored-value contactless card, more commonly known as the EZ-Link card, and then we simply tap in and tap out on buses and trains. We only need to top-up our card when its stored value runs low, which is very convenient and efficient. An interesting side-effect of the convenience is that most of us are unable to recall the exact fare even our most routine commutes, since the fares are automatically deducted from the stored-value card. To encourage the use of the EZ-Link card, it is cheaper to pay bus or train fares by EZ-Link card instead of paying by cash, and EZ-Link card holders get a rebate of 25 cents each time when making a bus or train transfer. However, purchasing an adult EZ-Link card comes with a non-refundable card cost of S$5. Therefore, I do not advise visitors who intend to use the Singapore public transport for only a few times to buy the EZ-Link card, because the savings is not worth the card cost.

The Bukit Timah Hill, at 164 m above sea level, is the highest point in Singapore, and is located in Bukit Timah Nature Reserve at the geographical central part of Singapore. Here you can see the tropical rainforest that is typical in the equatorial territories. According to National Parks Board, there are more than 840 species of flora and 500 species of fauna in this relatively undisturbed nature reserve. Adding to the tranquility of this place are two disused quarries, and occasionally you can observe monkeys and other animals roaming about. While it is possible to reach the summit from the entrance in 30 minutes using the most direct Main Road, I suggest that visitors explore the various side trails, such as the Dairy Farm Loop for added surprises, as well as some physical challenge. For more information, see http://www.nparks.gov.sg/nature_bukit.asp.

At Sungei Buloh Wetlands Nature Reserve, you can get to see a natural mangrove swamp in Singapore that faces Johor Bahru in southern Malaysia, well away from the bustling city center. The area covered by the ponds where fresh water and salt water mix is large enough that you can spend an entire afternoon or even a whole day in it. This nature reserve also serves as a refueling point as birds migrate between the northern hemisphere and the southern hemisphere during the migration seasons, making it a paradise for bird watchers. Along the way, you might also see iguanas, koi fish, small crabs, mudskippers and others roaming freely about. Also noteworthy are the prawn farms where the traditional method of harvesting can be seen. For further details, please go to http://www.sbwr.org.sg/.

For nature lovers, the HSBC Tree-Top Walk is also a must. This is a suspension bridge that connects two of the highest points in the MacRitchie area, and gives a bird’s eye view of the forest canopy below. According to National Parks Board, this bridge is about 250 m long and is up to 25 m above the forest floor, and facilitates research on how the forest ecosystem work. Located in the Central Catchment Nature Reserve, it is fairly near Upper Pierce Reservoir, although it is more easily accessed from MacRitchie Reservoir. The trails in this catchment area that leads to the Tree-Top Walk also brings you through different parts of the mature secondary forest as well as the tranquil water reservoirs. Please refer to http://www.nparks.gov.sg/nature_central_treetops.asp for more details.

There are quite a few more places in Singapore for nature lovers. Check out Chek Jawa in Pulau Ubin, Labrador Park, Fort Canning Park and others!

You may notice taxi drivers in Singapore don’t really stay in their lanes much. My friends who came to Singapore were quite shocked that their taxi driver swerved around other cars seemingly without thought, especially with the reputation of S’poreans being very law abiding. Strangely, I was also puzzled for quite a while about this. Now, after several years, I think I’ve figured it out. SG, being a very densely populated city, has numerous intersections, traffic road repair diversions, flagging taxi passengers, itinerant garbage recyclers (”karang guni”), trishaw ice cream sellers, not to mention jaywalkers — all to keep drivers fluid, changing in and out of lanes and anticipating which lane to be in to make the turns three intersections ahead.

You might also notice that traffic congestion is pretty minimal in SG. The most famous part of the reason for this is called ‘ERP’, or for the uninitiated, “congestion road pricing”. RFID gates across the city register passing cars’ presence and charge tolls accordingly, hopefully keeping your trip relatively jam free. Another part of the equation is ‘COE’, or new vehicle entitlements. Such a Certificate Of Entitlement lets you own and drive a vehicle. SG regulates how many vehicles may ply the roads in proportion to the amount of capacity available. As more new roads are built, more old cars exported and more passengers choose to use public transport, the more entitlements there are to be auctioned off to future-vehicle owners. This keeps traffic in check and puts market demand and supply to work to regulate traffic.

But mass transit certainly has its role in keeping order in SG. The subway rail lines are modern and originated as a single project, unlike other older cities which merged several competitors. As recent as
2003 there were only two lines, but as SG targets to attract more immigrants to stay and contribute, the rail system is growing, currently building and planning and additional two lines to add to the three main trunks and light rail exchanges.

While the MRT system is growing and efficient, clean and hi-tech, for many S’poreans, the bus is the way to go. Early on, transport planners envisioned the MRT as the backbone for bus feeders to take passengers the “final mile” from MRT stations, and planned to shut down long, cross-island routes — especially those that partially mirrored rail stations. However, buses require less walking and often have seats (ok, ok, maybe not during rush hour and seldom in the city center), and so such long haul buses were retained and are still used by many commuters.

Bus stops in SG are often very close by, within 2-3 minutes walking distance, sometimes clearly visible just down the street. Coming from less congested cities, you may wonder why S’poreans will opt to wait 20 minutes for a bus that takes them 100 m closer to their destination or will huddle at bus stops, deathly afraid of the radiant sunlight. Once you’ve tried that extra two-three minute walk, you might guess why — it’s simply too hot to walk around and not get sweaty and stinky. So be patient and wait for the extra couple of minutes — your friends, colleagues and family will thank you.

A favorite activity I think is fun for visitors to try is what I call the “random bus game”. You take any form of mass transit and randomly get off at any place that seems interesting. Switch, transfer in any direction you might like and it can take you someplace off the beaten track (well as far as visitors go, anyways . Remember, Singapore is safe, and next to impossible to get lost in. A taxi ride of 20 SGD will get almost anywhere (perhaps just not at rush hour).

One last thing: coming from the US and other large places, I have gotten used to using compass directions to navigate places. In SG, it may not help much. Locals remember directions by left and rights and by place names. Highway signs are thus marked for “Changi” or “Tuas” and not “East” and “West”. I have yet to devise yet-another theory for this; so if you figure it out, please do tell me

Visitors often ask about tipping, and often locals are confused by it. There’s a simple rule that keeps everyone happy. Don’t tip. Most places have a service charge already built into your bill as part of that single price. Even in restaurants where the price may be sans service charge and tax, tips are not expected, even when a “TIP: -” line is present on a credit card slip. I’ve seen visitors attempt to leave tips only to see the helpful, nosey aunty sitting next to the table or the waiter scold them for forgetting to pick up their money (ok, that’s a bit of an exaggeration). People don’t expect it in any part of their job and it keeps life simple.

Singapore also follows a reasonable set of currency denominations. Colored, different sized notes (most now plastic), unlike the U.S.’s uniform and uninspired greenback. Coins and notes are denominated in 1, 2, 5, 10 units (with the minor exception of not having a widely circulated 20 dollar note), making change easy to produce and light to carry (unlike Aussie change, which I personally think should be banned on flights for being handheld weapons — they’re sooo heavy ^_^ ). Single cent coins are largely unused, with rounding to the nearest .05 in effect. The one thing I wish Singapore would adopt is some practice of differentiating coins with a hole (as in JPY) or fringed edges (as in GBP, HKD). I found that nice and useful system when feeling around for change.

So what is the price of living in S’pore? Well, practically everything in S’pore is imported, even the water (that’s another story altogether), so that has an effect on price. I find most things here are around the same price as in other countries with some exceptions:

Pricier:

Western groceries – as it’s imported for the expat market

CDs – Apple iTunes not here yet?

Cars – actually probably comparable to most other places except for US which has its own particularities with petrol and cars (I’m not getting started on that tirade).

Cheaper:

Electronics – perhaps slightly cheaper than nearby ASEAN countries, due to volume of consumers. Buy your camcorder, mp3 player and other goods here. Just make sure that it comes with a voltage transformer that you can just easily plug in back home. Try Sim Lim or Funan IT malls — see your travel guide for info on that.

Wines – we import a lot of wines from Australia and as the public learns how to drink more, import volume has increased and prices have dropped.

Ladies shoes – in the region in general, we have a lot of cheap shoes for tropical weather. Stock up. My wife will tell you that you can never have enough shoes.

Transport – cheap and good. Mass transit is still good and even taxi prices are relative low compared to other nearby metropolitan areas. Did we mention commutes are also shorter usually? That saves you even more money, timewise too.

Hawker food – a great, cheap and easy way to fatten (oops, I meant flatten) your way to a gastronomically indulgent lifestyle.

While the rest of the visitors may be having their cafe latte at Starbucks, you can be local and enjoy a fine cup of coffee “kopi” or tea “teh”, along with a local snack. Kopi comes in three standard flavors – plain “kopi” that comes with evaporated milk and sugar, “kopi C” that comes with condensed milk and sugar or “kopi kosong” which is black coffee. The same three options exist for tea “teh” too. I prefer a “teh C” myself. Tea and coffee are often brewed identically alongside each other in large kettles that feature a sock-like filter. At certain Indian or Malay restaurants or drink stalls you can also order “teh tarik” (pulled tea) which is mixed by pouring the tea between pots, or “teh halia” (ginger tea), great when your feeling a bit under the weather.

Milo and to a lesser extent Ovaltine (both cocoa drink powders) are also staples in drinks in SG and the nearby region. You can try having an iced Milo or a Dinosaur, the latter which is the Iced Milo with extra powder on the top for making Milo sugar bombs in your drink.

Need a snack to go with that drink? How about a local snack: soft boiled eggs with a side of kaya toast. Actually perhaps it is the toast with a side of eggs; I never did figure it out. Kaya is a greenish spread that an infused flavor of pandan leaves, which adds a bit of tang to the flavor. Many enjoy the eggs with a dash of soy sauce.

There are many food stands here, gathered into “food courts” (air conditioned centers or hawker centers: open air plazas. What we’re after here is the hawker center. Why hawkers? Well, they are called hawker centers, named after the hawkers (callers) who used to go around the neighborhood crying out to advertise the food that they had to offer (”get your fresh fishball noodles here!!”). In more recent times these mobile food vendors were legislated and localized to a specific food stall for inspection purposes, among other things. Each center consists usually of about 15-50 stalls (although usually many fewer will be actually open) offering various Chinese, Indian, Muslim and occasionally other foods, such as Japanese, vegetarian or Italian. Within each plaza there is always a central stand serving drinks (thus you buy your beverages at a different stall), which sometimes doubles as a fresh fruit stand (because many of the beverages are freshly squeezed/pulped fruit juices). There are many variants of Chinese food that I didn’t recognize here when I first arrived in SG and for the most part I have been ordering what I can pronounce reasonably ok (it’s easier to use English and you probably sound less like you’re trying hard if you do). Also, family is a big thing here. There are practically no single people eating at these plazas, unlike the food courts of the US. Mostly families or friends or couples going out. The price of food at these hawker stands is also very cheap. Your average dinner at the food plazas will be around 6 SGD (4 USD), although our local school’s canteen, you might be hard pressed to spend more than 4 dollars for a regular meal. Eating times vary a bit from other global metropolises, where it is always possible to get a meal 24 hours a day. That can be done easily in Singapore too, but just in certain areas (ask me!). I find the hawker food good to eat and sometimes have a hard time in justifying the difference in cost to eat at an actual restaurant (the cost is about 15-20 SGD or much more), since the hawker food is already quite good for my taste.

Hawker food comes in many different varieties but there are some simple rules to remember about eating out:

- Bring tissues. Those small packs of tissue are essential for the traveller in Asia. If you don’t have one by the time you are at a hawker center, buy one from the drink stand (there’s always one open), or borrow one from your friend who came along and was better prepared than you

- Make sure to reserve a seat. One of the customs here is to “reserve” a seat at a table. Send your friends to buy their food first and then when they return it’s your turn. You did bring someone to eat with, didn’t you? Yes, it does waste valuable table space, seeing as many people in a hawker center are there just to reserve a space. But when in Rome…

- “Self-service” In the US, this means you pump your own petrol. But in Singapore, it means that you have to get the food after it’s cooked and return to your seat. If there’s no such sign, you can let the stall owner have their helper deliver it to your table (yes, that’s what the table number is for).

- “$2 $3 $5″: Don’t let someone fool you into thinking these are different prices for locals, expats and tourists. Nah, it’s for the portion size you might want to eat. Many dishes can be made with more ingredients to make a richer plate of food. You can tell the stall owner how much money you wish your food to cost. Typically, a higher price corresponds to more meat/veggies and not carbo, so it’s not quite the same as upsizing your McMeal.

- So are you ready? Listen to what locals tell their hawkers when ordering. If you can pick out the meaning, you’ll hear the dialogue being negotiated in a semi-fixed order. Usually, people tell the hawker what dish they want, followed by the dollar amount, whether they want chili or not, and specify *exactly* how they want it cooked (Burger King’s got nothing on this.) Other details follow: whether they want it “packet” (to go) or to “makan” (eat here, “makan” is eat/food in Malay) and where they are sitting (if it is to be delivered to your table).

Good luck and go forth and practice!