Day 5: Exploring Chinatown

Today I got to see one of Singapore's most colorful areas: Chinatown. I got there early before the markets opened so I could get a good look at everything before it got too busy. I spend the morning strolling through the streets while tailors and various merchants assailed me for my business. This was definitely overwhelming at first as it not the way I'm used to shopping in Canada. I also visited a mosque, a Hindu temple, a Buddhist temple and a Christian church. The temples are by far the most ornate of these buildings, decorated with brightly painted statues and offerings for their various deities.

I had lunch in yet another hawker centre, but not before visiting the wet market in the basement of the building. There you could buy any and all foodstuff, from fruits of veggies (some of which I have never seen before), meat and fish, herbs and spices, fresh noodles and dumplings and all sorts of other things. I'll upload those pictures on another post since there is a maximum of 6 per post. I ate a "shark nugget" sweet noodle soup, after which I relaxed by watching some old men play checkers and Chinese chess. I was going to play a game myself, but when I saw money being exchanged after games and heated arguments over move take-backs (yikes, these guys are way too serious!), I decided to stay out of trouble and move on.

I visited another church, mosque, temple and shrine and then made my way to the Singapore City Gallery, where I saw exhibits spanning the city's history from its foundation in the 1800s as well as plans and displays of upcoming infrastructure projects on the island. Before I headed home I wanted to also visit Singapore's oldest temple (now turned into a museum and heritage site) as well as the Majestic opera house but sadly they were both closed for renovations. Oh well, I guess I'll just have to come back next year.Read more