Singapore

Day 4. Sunday, January 15, 2006.
Today we visited Little India with our hosts Andy and Swee Hua. It encompasses several blocks of small shops, selling everything you can imagine; groceries, jewelry, clothing, fabric, CD’s. You can even have your fortune told. (I didn’t want to know). There are many restaurants including an Indian Fast Food place. Being Sunday, the Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple was a mass of humanity.

We dined at “Muthu’s Curry“, where we sampled spicy southern Indian cuisine and later at the Delhi Restaurant, specializing in the northern Indian cuisine of a milder taste. Both were outstanding.

The Raffles Hotel (the present building was constructed in 1899) is a monument to the British Colonial period. It is an architectural goldmine with magnificent displays of colonial period artifacts. The Long Bar on the second level was rocking, even for a Sunday night. The live band was so loud we dared not venture up the spiral staircase to have a look. Instead we were content to sip our Singapore Slings in the very spot where they were invented.

Just across the street is Chijmes, now restaurants, bars and specialty shops, surrounding a magnificent cathedral, used for weddings, concerts, etc. Originally built in 1854 as the Convent of the Holy Infant Jesus, (hence the CHIJ in the name), it operated as such until 1983.

Notable beverages that we have enjoyed: coconut water, lime juice, sugar cane juice, lassi (yoghurt and other stuff) and hot ginger tea. And of course the Singapore Sling and Tiger beer.

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