Church Hopping in Singapore

In our visits to Singapore, one of the places that we never fail to visit are its churches. Considering the multi-faceted culture of the people in Singapore, almost every race and religion imaginable has its own place of worship in the city. The striking contrast in architectural structures here is something to marvel at...well, at least for me.

Take for example St. Andrew's Cathedral, at 11 Andrew's Road.

Exploring the Food in Singapore

In my visits to Singapore, one of the things I like the most is the food. It is true what they say that Singaporeans love to eat. Of course we wonder why true blue Singaporeans remain thin and  fit despite their love for eating. Hmmm. they might know something I don't. just kiddin. 

But the food choices here are endless. And to be truthful, quite intimidating. Singapore’s multi-cultural diversity is reflected in the variety of local cuisine it has to offer,

Fans and Silk Scarves @ Chinatown (Singapura Series)

In our frequent visits to Chinatown in Singapore, there was this one shop there where they sell silk paper fans and authentic Chinese silk  and wool scarves which caught our fancy. This is the Hwa Yi Investments Co. Ltd store at 20 Trengganu Street. 

They have an assortment of paper and silk fans with hand-painted designs and an array of scarves even chopsticks and other fancy souvenirs made of wood such as cigar boxes and jewelry boxes. Their wide collection of chopsticks like below also caught my eye since I couldn't imagine using such beautiful work of art for eating! Most are made from the finest bamboo and hand painted with designs and some with Chinese characters. Too bad I was too caught up choosing designs for the S$1 fans I thought were good deals for a unique souvenir that I forgot to ask for the prices of the chopsticks. :) Sorry, I'll take a rain-check on these and blog about it next time. 

The store was manned by a fellow Pinay who was so nice that we couldn't help but buy a few items for pasalubong back home. She's the one in pink below. :) She was able to sales talk us into buying a few trinkets even if the  items were a bit pricey for me.  Some of the fans they sell like the pure silk fan displayed below go from S$50 to S$268 for big ones. But then if you look at the quality and craftsmanship of the items they sell, you wouldn't wonder why their so pricey.

My cousin bought a brown leopard print wool scarf for S$49 below. Which is actually a good deal considering that it is real wool and has a dual purpose of keeping you really warm and fashionable as well. If only I also have plans (well more of the means..hehe) of going to the US, maybe I would've bought one for myself as well. 

Besides wool scarves, they also have pure Chinese silk scarves with hand-painted designs and plain pashminas that  are sort of like real eye candy for me. 

For myself, I bought this silk fan with hand painted design on real high quality bamboo and wood for S$22. Considering that I saw fans like this at Rustan's for about Php 1,500. It was a really good buy for me. :) Love my new fan!

How to Get There
- MRT Station Outram Park or Chinatown. MRT is the fastest mode of public transport as compared to public buses. If you are taking buses, get off at Eu Tong Sen Street.

Singapura's Chinatown

Chinatown. It seems that wherever we go around the world, there is a town solely run and inhabited by Chinese migrants in a certain country. It may be due to the fact that the Chinese are clannish, they like to stick together and build communities among their own so they can preserve their culture and way of life. The Chinatown in Singapore comes not as an exception.

Singapura's Chinatown is one of the most visited cultural enclave in this vibrant city. It is a fusion of the old with the new. As you walk along its streets, you will notice pre-war shop houses and quaint boutique hotels that are teeming with the richness of the Chinese culture. 

If you are shopping for souvenirs, this is the place to get them. There are rows and rows of shops that sell the cheapest souvenirs in all of Singapore.

As we walked along Trengganu Street, I've noticed that the price started to go low from a 5pcs for S$10 to a 10 for S$10 trinket! So tip for you,  don't just go buying that keychain you find as you enter the street, exercise a little and you will find more cheap souvenirs as you wound around Chinatown.

If you feel hungry, never fret, since Smith St. offers the yummiest fares in Chinatown. The whole street is literally lined with hawker stalls and restaurants. Just take your pick.

Also check out: Temple Street and Pagoda Street  named after the Hindu temple, Sri Mariamman Temple, located on the South Bridge Road end of the street.

Ikea Fever Singapore!

My first time to  be at the Ikea store was a over a year ago, over at the Tampines branch. It was just a quick stop since we were so pressed for time, I didn't really have time to really look around. But during this visit, my cousin was kind enough to take me, my mom and my sister at Ikea Alexandra branch. As usual, a shopping trip gives me the exhilarating high. So I was pretty much excited the moment I stepped inside the Ikea showroom.

Ikea is a unique experience for me since it gives shoppers the opportunity to thoroughly go through each of their products in their showroom. They provide the shopper with copies of their latest catalogue which I must  stress are only allowed to be used inside the store (meaning, I might get reprimanded since I took mine home :).

Pencils, tape measures and shopping lists are also provided upon entering the Ikea store. Hmmm.. they sure know how a shopper's mind works. :) Then big yellow bags and trolleys are likewise provided once you are ready to splurge on the items you like to purchase.

Once inside the showroom, i had a minor migraine from turning my head from left to right at the number of products that I thought would look good inside my house. :) Galigas! I can spend an entire day here at their showroom! There are moments when I felt like I had the products from an entire bedroom showcase in my trolley. Only predicament that I had was how to take home my stash! --not to mention how to convince myself that I really needed them..hehe.

After hours of walking around and around the showroom, it was nice to be able to have lunch at the Ikea Restaurant. It was conveniently located inside the store, and they have such yummy fares like the pasta with tomato sauce and the chicken leg in teriyaki sauce. The dessert of Swedish apple cake was a fitting end to our gastronomic break before we continue with our shopping.

After touring the showrooms and getting the products we like and paying for them, I had to note that what's nice about the things they sell is that they come in flat packs, easy enough to take home even if your home is as far away as Timbuktu. :) Then you can just assemble the items in your homes and voila! --probably the reason I had to pay a few pesos for my excess baggage at the airport.

Ikea Singapore is located at 317 Alexandra Rd, Singapore. Store hours are from 10AM - 10PM daily.

Other photos featured here are from the Ikea website.