10/8: Singapore's Chinatown & Temple Festivities

Even though we were weary after wandering around the fantastic Botanic Gardens for many hours, we decided to take the subway to Singapore's Chinatown. We wanted to explore that area of the city for a while as it would be our last chance before heading on to Vietnam at dawn the next morning. In for a penny, in for a pound as the expression goes!

Evident the moment we got off the subway we had been transported to a different world.

Photos of Chinatown:

The Chinatown subway stop pops you up right in the heart of the area on Pagoda St..
No need for a map to try and find it as it's right around you.

After the absolute peace and serenity of the Botanic Gardens, it was initially jarring being thrust into the mayhem of Chinatown. Somehow though we seemed to manage quite well!

Remember a few posts ago when I mentioned all the Wall's ice cream signs in Indonesia and my mother's love for that brand of ice cream? I was amazed to see almost immediately an ice cream cart vendor assembling the wafers and ice cream for a line of hungry customers. I asked the woman who had just bought one if I could take a picture of it as I hadn't seen one in probably 50 years. Andrew, John, Paul or Keith - do you remember them too?

Stopped in at the Sri Mariamman Temple: 

Paradoxically it's the oldest Hindu temple in Singapore and was  built in 1823 and then rebuilt just 20 years later.

Chinatown's Smith aka Restaurant St: We hightailed it there as it was close to 6 by then and we had only stopped for crackers in the Gardens hours ago. Steven always had mini baguettes and an assortment of other goodies that he munched on to sustain himself on our forays!

I was intrigued by the architecture and again by the lovely shutters in this part of Singapore. But as you'll read in a few more photos though, these shutters told a different tale at the turn of the 20th C.

Wandered down an alley and saw these men playing a game resembling checkers.

One of the best meals we had all trip so far was here on Smith St. in Chinatown. Even though there were lots of restaurants lining both sides of the street, most people ordered meals from the 'hawkers centres,' free standing kiosks or mini restaurants set up down the middle of the pedestrianized street. 

Examples of the hawkers centres on Smith St above and below: Think of them like a huge food court - you order what you want from whichever mini restaurant and pick it up a few minutes later. Then you eat communally at large tables set up along the street.

Andrew: for you!

Only sign of Halloween I've seen since we left - a welcome sight as I love to decorate the house for all the holidays.

The Jamae Mosque dates from the 1830's and fuses Chinese, Anglo-Indian and Malay architectural styles.

More photos from Sri Mariamman Temple:

After walking around Chinatown for close to a couple of hours, we took the MRT back Little India thinking we'd be back at the hotel in a few minutes. Saw the Food Bank below in the mall at the subway stop.

Becky and Naomi: Can't believe this Food Bank in the Little India section of Singapore is run nearly as well as Cornerstone's. It was the only food bank we've seen since leaving about 7 weeks ago.

Only a 5 minute walk from the subway stop to our hotel but it ended up taking us 30 or 40 minutes as we were 'waylaid' after hearing loud Indian music and festivities going on a few blocks away. 

Photos of Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple:

We were curious and realized the sounds were emanating from the Sri Srinivasa Perumal (Hindu)Temple which we visited first thing yesterday morning if you remember?

There was a huge celebration going on that we were lucky enough and privileged to witness. We found out later from our hotel clerk that thousands and thousands of people would be coming in 2 days for the main part of the celebration.

Men standing on the left and women mostly on the right.

What a divine end to a fabulous 2 day whirlwind visit to Singapore! Amazing how we only ended up visiting the country too as an afterthought really because it was convenient and cheap in terms of flights. 

Posted on 10/17 from Da Nang, Vietnam.