Dining is said to be one of Singapore's national pastimes.
Singapore boasts a variety of different ethnic local foods like Chinese, Malay,
Indian and hawker food.
The diversity is touted as one of the main reasons to visit the country and my stomach agrees. The variety of gastronomic delights gives visitors a tantalizing experience.
And this time of year provides even more treats than usual with the beginning of the Singapore Food Festival, which will go on for the entire month of July. Singapore has cuisines from the four corners of the globe. Embark on a mouth-watering journey and discover bold aromas, subtle flavours and culinary delights.
It is a sensory experience employing sight, smell, taste and even touch. Many people eat with their hands - more often than chopsticks, forks, or spoons.
My girlfriend and I arrived in Singapore at four in the afternoon after a day-long flight. I was ready to try some of Singapore's hyped-up cuisine.
We hightailed from our hotel to the newly revamped waterfront. Singapore is a coastal city and the waterfront district is a modern delight.
The two most outstanding modern architectural treasures in Singapore are across from the Glutton Bay Hawker Centre, our diner destination. The first is the bizarre Marina Bay Sands Hotel with its boat-like observation deck that is supported by three massive high-rise towers.
On the 55th story observation deck, you can go for a swim in the pool or have a 20$ beer at the bar. The other modern wonder is the white Art Science Museum, shaped an outstretched hand, or a retro easy chair, or an upside down crab. Singapore Hawker Centres (or food centres) are the name given to open-air complexes housing numerous stalls that sell a variety of inexpensive food.
When we finally arrived at the Hawker Centre it was 7 p.m. and our stomachs were grumbling. We found a massive line-up of people beside an even bigger display of seafood on ice and decided this was the place.
As a rule of thumb, Travel and Dining 101 states that without a prior recommendation, always eat where the largest concentrations of locals are.
We joined the crowd and ordered a massive portion of prawns and vegetable curry, the world's best garlic and tomato mussels, a plate of geelang in oyster sauce (Chinese broccoli) and two bowls of fluffy white rice.
It was here that we came to the realization that we must train our stomachs so we can eat five meals a day. Despite the onset of food coma, we waddled ourselves back to our hotel via the waterfront boardwalk.
For lunch the next day, we found an amazing place in one of the ground level hawker centres.
Most of the small stalls will serve noodles, rice, vegetables, seafood, pork, chicken, and duck, done in exotic and appetizing flavourings. These can often be the best and cheapest meals you can get in Singapore ($3 to $6 for most dishes).
The iced desserts are a must try and a welcome treat in the 32 degree heat of the afternoon.
One of my favourites is Chendol. It is served in a 250 ml plastic cup mixed with ice green pea noodles, red kidney beans, and sweetened coconut milk, a yummy mid-afternoon snack.
For the more conventional there are iced coffee, espresso, cappuccino, mocha, vendors on almost every block.
With special food events running throughout July, there is plenty to see and even more to eat, adding to an unforgettable experience in Singapore.
James Cruikshank is a freelance writer, urban recycler and abuser of languages. He studied Environmental Science at the University of Victoria in BC. He has traveled extensively; climbing mountains in Argentina, Bolivia, and Scotland; paid baksheesh and bribes in Mexico, Honduras, and India. He has also survived a very traumatic and painful elephant trampling in Nepal. He has worked abroad, as a kayak and hiking guide, movie extra, psychology guinea pig, and house sitter, covering 38 countries on six continents.
