Going to Singapore during the month of April can be a
feast for your eyes, as well as for your ears and your tummy, with festivals
lining up from fashion, to gourmet, to art and films. The diversity in
Singapore is endless.
Crunchy
‘Ya Kun Kaya Toast’ is toasted on charcoal before it gets buttered and
filled with the sweet yam.
The stunning new Esplanade theatre/concert hall/opera
house/art complex, whatever name you choose is entirely up to you, where you
can take in one of the world’s most beloved Broadway musicals, ‘The
Sound of Music’, imported directly from New York. Ticket prices range from
S$ 32 - 158 per person.
The
Sound of Music is guaranteed to captivate audiences with its all time
favorite hits, including ‘Do-Re-Mi’, and ‘Edelweiss’.
At the futuristic Esplanade, with its 300 meter
Waterfront area, there is always something happening. Either at the 2000
seat theatre, spread over four levels in an intimate horseshoe-shape
configuration, or at the 1,600 seat concert hall, with noteworthy features
such as acoustic curtains and canopies to adapt the hall to all types of
music maximizing clarity and sound. Should you get caught in one of the
almost daily thundershowers of Singapore, don’t worry, there will
definitely be at least one exhibition inside the Esplanade as their mission
is to entertain, engage, educate and inspire the visitors.
Now what about your taste buds? It is hard to choose in
Singapore as the choice is so varied and international. From international
hotel dining to satay stalls along the streets, from the colorful intimate
restaurants at Clarke Quay to the huge seafood restaurants, everything is
there.
Lobsters
flown in at ‘Long Beach Seafood Restaurant’
Make sure to start one of your early mornings with ‘the
toast of the town’, or better known as ‘Ya Kun Kaya Toast’. The first
‘Ya Kun Kaya Toast’ Coffee stall was founded by an immigrant from Hainan
Island in 1944 but has developed into a franchise breakfast business with
over 15 outlets in Singapore. Check with the concierge of your hotel for one
nearest you. A typical traditional Singapore breakfast consists of crunchy
kaya toast, soft-boiled eggs and sweet coffee. The recipe is a secret but
the thin and crispy toasts are filled with butter and kaya, a jam-like
custard made from milk, sugar and pandan leaves.
The
Esplanade is not a building but an architectural statement. The exterior
will remind you of a huge Durian, and in fact, is its common name among
Singaporeans. The roofline serves as a shield from the sun and each
‘spike’ is designed to redirect the sunlight.
While you stroll through Chinatown, don’t be afraid to
try some of the fresh grilled beef and pork jerkies. They are fresh, soft,
crisp, sweet and slightly spicy.
Very
elegant, very special, yet also very relaxed are the dining and wine choices
at Chijmes. The historic Chijmes hall is now used as a multi-function venue
for weddings, selective performances and recitals.
In the evening, when it is time to relax, don’t
overlook the ‘Chijmes’, an old Catholic girls school and a former chapel
in the heart of the Civic and Cultural District. A couple of years ago it
was transformed to a lifestyle recreational landmark and offers a broad
spectrum of restaurants and music pubs. The cuisine varies from American and
Cantonese to French, Italian, Japanese and Spanish. The historic Chijmes
hall (former church) is now used as a multi-function venue for weddings,
performances and recitals and is a fine example of people appreciating the
restoration of old historic buildings rather than abandoning or replacing
them.
But whatever your choice will be, you will never get bored in Singapore.
Luzi
Matzig and Armin Schoch (Impulse Travel Chiang Mai), both pioneers in the
Mekong region, representing the private sector during MTF2005 in Siem Reap.
