Singapore: Day 1

I took an early flight to Singapore. I was up at 4 a.m. and by 5 a.m., I was already at the airport. I flew via Philippine Airlines, PAL. I found myself crying on my flight. I already miss my nephew Tim and his sisters Daniele and Nica who are due to leave for Canada this Sunday. I won't be seeing them anymore to send them off since they would be at the airport when my flight lands on a different airport. The guy sitting beside me (an OFW) must have seen my distress and asked where I was going and probably assumed that I left a passel of kids in Manila while I slave away in a foreign land. Couldn't blame him, he was probably on the same boat, forced to work abroad to provide his family with a better life.

Anyway, my flight was uneventful except for some moments of crying. The airline food wasn't bad too.

I arrived in Singapore ten minutes ahead of time which allowed hubby and me to have a quick lunch together. We dined at the Central Mall, also walking distance from our hotel and AIG's offices here in singapore (Incidentally, our hotel is right around the corner from the Singapore office).

We chose to have Lunch at the manhattan Seafood Restaurant overlooking the river. Too bad it was too hot to sit outside. The view is so much better.



We ordered the Manhattan Seafood Platter of fried calamari, oysters, chiips, cream dory, rice and prawns flambed in front of us. I'm not sure if you can see the flames from the photo but there was flame. An added entertainment value. The meal comes with soup and peach iced tea.







Since hubby has to go back to work, I decided to proceed to Ikea and get most of my shopping done. I forgot which station to get off to get there so we ask the waiter to tell me, he told me it was in Tampines which is very very far. Fortunately, hubby researched when he got back to the office and set me straight. The nearer Ikea was in Queenstown. I had to get off the train and go back! When I reached Ikea, I discovered that they are renovating the place and they don't have the full stock! I managed to but a cute stailess steel fruit bowl though so my trip wasn't a total waste :-)

Taxis here in Singapore are very expensive, more than twice the cost compared to Manila. Taxis here also change rates the later it gets, so beware. Unless, you're extremely tired or unless you have a heavy package, take the MRT or the bus. I was forced to take a cab back to the hotel because I was dead tired.

Hubby informed that he couldn't join me for dinner due to a dinner invitation by his Singaporean hosts.

I decided to go to Arab street on my own, because I haven't been there yet. It was a bit late when I left the hotel plus the hundred mile walk to the MRT :-), by the time I got to Arab Street, most the shops are already closed. In a nutshell, Arab street is like Little India. They're almost the same. They sell the same stuff, the streets smell the same. So I felt that I didn't miss much.





I had dinner at Fish Head Curry Restaurant, just across the Mosque. I had Chicken Murtabak.

Half of the fun is watching this guy beat the dough, hit the dought against the table many times and spin it around like a pizza dough, crack an egg in the middle of the dough, spread it around, add the chciken, onions and other ongredients, fold it like a package and toast it in a massive heated thingy.









The Murtabak had chicken bits, onions, spices and a curry dipping sauce.