March 21, Saturday, Singapore

I didn't wake up until 9:00am.  But I am over any jet lag and lack of sleep I think.  We decided to visit the Bird Park.  Just a cab ride away.  The Oceania rep said the best bird show starts at 11:00am.  But the key to our room didn't work so we had to go to the front desk to get a new one.  Then we realized we had to get our stuff to mail home.  Well the pile got bigger and bigger and heavier and heavier, so we decided to put it in a separate bag which the ship will store with our luggage and take it home in June.

By now it was too late to go to the Bird Park, but we could try for the 3:30pm show.  We went shopping at the mall next door.  John Little is a department store.  David wanted a new carryon bag.  His has fallen apart finally.  I wanted to get a new outfit.  I am about ready to throw all my clothes away.  Actually I have thrown away a lot already.  I found a nice navy jacket, a yellow skirt, and a nice shell top for about $50. 

 I also got some cough drops since I have a tickle in my throat.  I took one back in our room and promptly a crown came out in one of my lower molars.  So we were off to the concierge to find a dentist open on Saturday afternoon in Singapore.  Luckily after several calls, we found one in the Mandarin Gallery Mall.  I was done in under an hour.  The dentist's office is beautifully decorated with top of the line equipment, inside one of the most exclusive malls in town.  Needless to say it was expensive.  But there was no choice in the matter.  No Bird Park today.

 David wandered around the mall and found some interesting stores.  He finally returned and we went to Robinson's.  This store is not John Little.  There was nothing I saw less than $59.00.  There were 50% off racks, but the items originally cost $400.00.  We found a pretty blue patterned skirt, Tshirt with linen sleeves, and a neat cotton shirt with buttons, all matching.  I am going to wear this tomorrow when we get on the ship.

At Robinsons

David wanted to take the metro home.  We found the station and it was easy to get the right train.  We got off at a stop too far away, however.  We were almost to the marina docks.  There was new construction and banks around, not hotels where we could catch a cab.  We wandered towards the city and finally found an old looking building, maybe a train station, with a clock tower.  Someone said you could get a cab there.  Well, inside were all these little stalls with street food.  We had heard about how they had cleaned up the food carts and street food and gave them a nice area where it was safe and clean.  It was huge!  We were hungry.  Perfect opportunity.

We had heard of chicken rice as the dish to have in Singapore.  Also, chilli crab.  The first booth we saw was chilli crab.  David ordered that. ($36)  I got chicken rice nearby, ($3.50).  It took awhile for the chilli crab, so I ate my dish.  I know what all the fuss is about.  There is something about the rice that is absolutely delicious.  The chicken is moist, with tender white meat, and served with a hot broth.  Such a simple dish was something I would go back to Singapore to eat.  David's chilli crab finally came.  He had a small dish of rice with.  The crab was fresh, swimming in the tank before he ordered it.  The sauce was amazing.  Not too spicy hot, but plenty hot.  Fresh onions cooked in with the sauce I can.t describe, maybe oriental barbecue type sauce?  I got to eat the tiny little legs.  Delicious.

chili crab with rice

Chicken rice

Hawkers market

Then we had a dessert that was basically shave ice, but there was little jellos, beans, etc. on the bottom.

David had wanted to go to one of these hawkers markets after we saw Anthony Bourdain's tour of Singapore but didn't know where to go, and we just came across it!

In spite of not seeing the Bird Park, we saw a lot of what Singapore is all about.