Singapore's Ethnic Enclaves

Singapore is very westernized and commercialized, so much so that I often feel that I am not having much of a cultural experience. A few neighborhoods, however, hold on to a bit of old ethnic charm. So along with the parks and the tourist attractions, we put the following neighborhoods onto the McL. to-do list (which we kept on a whiteboard in the living room and checked off accordingly). 

Little India adds a splash of color to the often uniform Little Red Dot (one of Singapore's nicknames).  The street stalls display rich hues with flower necklaces, produce, and textiles. Though you know you are still in Singapore, because it is still relatively clean and orderly. We weaved in and out of stores in the narrow lanes (not always easy with a toddler in tow). Both men and women alike stopped to fawn over C.; I had never seen so many guys seem genuinely struck by a toddler's cuteness. For lunch, we had an inexpensive and satisfying vegetarian meal at Komala Vilas. Besides eating and window shopping, the McL. also ducked into the Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple, while I took watch of the stroller and shoes. Our last stop was Mustafas (like an Indian version of a Super-Walmart), which OD had insisted was a must-do. C., however, was not impressed by the vast array of cheap merchandise and after only one floor declared it was time to go home. She promptly passed out in her stroller and we lugged her back onto the metro. 

 A lot less crowded than the real India I imagine

The McL. exiting the temple barefoot.

With the majority of the Singaporean population of Chinese descent, of course there is also a Chinatown. It can seem like a bit of a tourist trap, with stalls hawking cheap souvenirs, but at least it has more character than the mall. C. though was not as popular there as she was in Little India, as the shopkeepers didn't seem to appreciate a toddler pawning their merchandise.We had planned on having lunch, but at this point in the trip, we had all lost our appetite for non-western food. For a snack though, my sister and I did try some fresh dragonfruit juice. The Buddha Tooth Relic Temple was also on our agenda, and though I should have learned from my last visit wearing a miniskirt and tank-top, I again was sleeveless so I took one of the sarongs provided to drape my bare shoulders. C. though quickly grabbed it away to wear herself and I could not get her to give it back. As my sister's shirt at least half-covered her shoulders, I took hers instead. C. kept us amused parading around and adjusting her stolen sarong.   

C. measuring ancient currency outside the Coin and Notes Museum.

C. trying to figure out how to wear her stolen sarong.

The Arab Quarter was my neighborhood of choice for my "girl day" with my sister. We headed to Cafe Le Caire for a delicious Mediterranean lunch and ice tea with fresh mint leaves. We then wondered around the textile and rug shops, eventually coming to Sultan Mosque. It must have been a busy time of day for the mosque, because they were quite a few people milling about and a number of parked motorbikes. On Bussorah street, I found a cute denim dress on sale and was surprised it actually fit (usually when I try on clothes at a boutique shop here, the proportions are all wrong). My sister was supposed to get herself a souvenir, but couldn't decide on anything, so bought scarves for mom and in-law instead. Before heading back from our toddler and men-free day, we stopped at a cafe — not my usual Starbucks for once — and my sister ordered what all the locals were having, a sweetened coffee drink with milk. It was great having some quality time with my sis and being able to talk freely without boys or babies around. If only it could be a regular thing!
 

 

Kid-Friendly Singapore

I had the impression that Singapore was kid-friendly, but I didn't know how much until my 22-month old niece came for a visit. I found that the parks and malls had plenty to entertain a little one, partially by design and partially because toddlers are interested in everything. C. even seemed to like taking the "baby bus" and the "baby train" (adding the adjective "baby" somehow made it all that more exciting to her), which was lucky as we had some long commutes from our suburb apartment to the city attractions. Of course, she would usually nap on the way home while us adults had to suffer through the waiting.

Our first stop was West Coast Park, a short distance from our apt. complex. It has several different playgrounds geared toward different ages (and even tempting to adults).  C., not being shy, jumped right in to playing in the sand with some local children. The language barrier didn't stop her from "borrowing" their toys, though when  one of the older boys growled at her, I thought it might be time to say goodbye to our new friends. We then convinced R. to climb up a spiderweb rope course connected to a slide. The three of us adults also tried the zipline and C. had the realization that kids aren't the only ones that get to have fun, proclaiming "Mama fun"as her mother zipped across to the other side.

C. making frienemies with local kids at West Coast Park.

We actually went to the Singapore Botanic Gardens twice, once to the water park at the Children's Garden (see Singapore: Water City post) and once to the National Orchid Garden. The Botanic Gardens seemed to be a very popular place with families on Sunday morning; we certainly weren't the only ones toting a stroller. The orchid garden has some beautiful displays, which deserves its own post eventually. C., however, was as

much mesmerized with the fountains and statues as she was with the flowers. 

Of course, no tourist circuit of Singapore would be complete without a visit to Sentosa, the disneyworld equivalent of this disney-like country (though I've never actually been to Disney, so I can't make a true comparison). Since we only spending an afternoon there, we selected just a couple of the numerous attractions available. Meandering past the other Merlion, much larger than the original one downtown, we headed to the Butterfly Garden. I was a bit disappointed, as it seemed a bit rundown already and didn't seem to have that many butterflies. Next after waiting out a mid-afternoon shower, C. and I hung out while her parents went down the Skyline Luge. Later they reported that going down was actually pretty slow, not the speedfest I had imagined, but was still a fun ride down all the way to the beach. After a while, C. noticed that her parents had gone missing, but she was easy enough to distract by repeatedly watching the Tiger Sky Tower slowly go up and slowly go back down.

merlion at Marina Bay

merlion at Sentosa

Singapore: Water City

Water was a major theme of the McL. visit. Rainy season was already in swing upon their arrival and it showered many afternoons during their 2 1/2 week stay. Coming from Seattle, they are not phased by rain, but there it often drizzles while here it is usually a full-on downpour. On a rainy Saturday, we headed to one of Singapore's megamalls, Vivocity, for some indoor activity. C. loved the pet store on the top floor; she crouched in front of the animal cages with another little girl, pointing and repeating each other's words (which were either in Chinese or toddler language). The $2 Japanese store was also a hit with its abundance of toys and knickknacks. C. is such an experienced shopper that she pulled a basket off one of the shelves and put her items in. While the rest of the group finished eating at the foodcourt, I took C. out to the roof deck for a break. I wasn't sure how to entertain her at first, but it turns out that catching raindrops is endlessly fascinating for a toddler! The elephants on parade exhibit was also on display and the statues looked quite whimsical in the rain.

What's great about rainy season in Singapore is that mornings are often still sunny and warm enough to splash around in the water. The Jacob Ballas Children's Garden, part of the Singapore Botanic Garden, has a wonderful (and free!) water park. We went on a Sunday morning and it seemed to be the hotspot for expat kids. C. got more water-catching practice and learned how to redirect the sprinkler with her foot.  

The sunglasses seem to be affecting her aim.

One foot in the action.

Water activities were never far away, as our apartment complex has a very nice pool and the McL. were sure to take advantage of it. One of the best things about living in Singapore is definitely year-round swimming. In Seattle, you are lucky if it is warm enough for outdoor swimming 2 months of the year. I was a little worried that fair red-headed C. would get burned with all the sun exposure, but she was very cooperative in putting on sunscreen (I wish OD would be as obliging about it).

Another water-themed activity was the Ducktour; I have a slight addiction to Groupon and so I just couldn't resist their package deal. The Ducktour is also very popular in Seattle and when I lived there the McL. always joked that they wanted to go, but would feel lame being locals. Well, OD and I often look like tourists here (mainly because OD is partial to carrying his hiking bag and his camera on almost any outing) so we had no shame in taking the Ducktour. It was a pleasant ride through downtown and around Marina Bay as the guide pointed out landmarks and offered factoids about Singapore, but I'm glad we didn't pay full price. We took a lot of photos of the sights, but it being an overcast and slightly rainy day, they didn't come out great -- except for the ones of C. playing peek-a-boo with OD.