SINGAPORE

Your training wheels for Asia

Sweltering heat, tantalising street food and a bustling cityscape – Singapore has it all. No longer just a stopover between here and there, the island city-state has reinvented itself as a must-visit destination, as Bonnie Tai discovers.

Singapore is a world of contrasts: old meets new, rich meets poor, East meets West. And whilst standing on the outskirts of China Town looking over the city, the architecture here echoes this sentiment. Nestled between British colonial buildings and quaint Chinese shop houses are towering futuristic-looking skyscrapers; whilst on the roads, run-down taxis weave effortlessly through a bevy of luxury sports cars. Although in other places, it’s the differences that divide; in Singapore it seems that diversity is the glue which holds the country together and helps it to flourish. Immigrants from China, India and Malaysia make up the cultural fabric of this vibrant destination, contributing to the city exotic foods and ancient traditions. Singapore offers a smorgasbord of Asian experiences. And it’s really no wonder that it earned itself the nickname ‘Asia for Beginners’. Here, it is possible to walk the streets of Mumbai, immerse yourself in Chinese culture and get a taste of the enticing cuisine of Malaysia all in one place. We begin our mini Asia escape in China Town, where little old ladies selling their wares announce the day’s bargains first in Cantonese, then in Mandarin, followed by English; switching with ease between the three languages. “These would look great on your girlfriend,” a street vendor tells my partner, holding up strings of costume jewellery. We politely decline and instead make our way to Nanyang Old Coffee, a traditional-style café right in the heart of China Town. Here, we indulge in Chinese pork buns and a local favourite – kaya toast – which is bread filled with butter and a type of jam made from eggs, sugar, coconut milk and pandan leaves. Another must-try while you’re in town is Kopi, a dark and full-bodied brew often served with condensed milk – and if you’re game, you

can attempt to order it in the local vernacular. For a hot black coffee with sugar ask for a ‘kopi-oh’ or for a coffee without sugar and condensed milk it’s a ‘kopi O Kosong’ that you’re after. There are about 12 different ways to order a cuppa in Singapore – so don’t stress if it all sounds a little complicated. With some practice and a bit of luck, the right drink will arrive at your table. The next day we arrive at the MRT station, Singapore’s rail transit network, which spans the entire city-state to get to Little India, our next destination. As we enter the depot, we notice a rather distinct warning sign plastered at the entry of the station. “No Smoking, No eating and Drinking, No flammable goods and No Durians on the train,” it read. For those not in the know, durians are a notoriously pungent fruit which are aplenty here. And you’ll smell them before you see them. The overpowering sensation has often been described as a cross between rotting onions, turpentine and raw sewage. But if you can get past the intense odour, the flesh within is akin to rich custard and it is – in fact – incredibly sweet and delicious. While carrying drinks, foods or flammables on board the train can elicit you on-the-spot fines of between SG$500 and SG$5,000 – getting caught with one of these spikey babies will only get you a slap on the wrist and a warning to either dispose or consume it before entering the station. But the sign, never-the-less, is amusing and unlike anything you’d see at home in Australia. As we exit the station at Little India and walk onto Buffalo Road – one of the district’s main drags – a myriad of exotic aromas greets us. Wafting through the air is the smell of ground spices, curries and fragrant flowers, and in our immediate vicinity a distinct sound of humming catches our attention. To our right, a woman adorned in traditional Indian garb is calmly stringing together brightly coloured flower garlands as thousands of bees buzz around her. But neither she nor the queue of customers seemed to mind the stingers that much, as we watched her happily interacting with everyone – her face a hive of activity. When lunchtime arrives, we find ourselves at a hole-in-the-wall restaurant packed with patrons chatting loudly to one another. What I love about this place is that the curries are served on top of banana leaves – authentic Indian style – and the use of any cutlery is entirely optional. It takes only one bite to realise that the food here is the real-deal, and not something watered down to suit Western palates (a far cry from butter chicken). As I finish my meal and lick the last remnants of food off my fingers, I can’t help but draw a comparison between this little eatery and the over-arching culture of Singapore. Because here, it’s not weird to share your meal with strangers. In fact, it doesn’t matter where you’re from, there’s always a place at the table.