Singapore's TidbiTs

Singapore is not all concrete blocks and skyscrapers. You will be surprised there are nature reserves and parks all over the island, and one of the preserved nature areas is an island called Pulau Ubin or granite island. Singapore is actually made up of a total of 64 islands, though some islands have been combined so the number is lesser now. Do you know that the word pulau means island in Malay? And the word ubin means stones or specifically the Jubin tiles that used to come from the many stone quarries on the island. Pulau Ubin is a laid-back boomerang-shaped rustic looking island located at the eastern corner of Singapore. The island, about 1,000 hectares or ten times the size of Gardens by the Bay, is the only preserved kampung island left intact in urbanised Singapore. Previously Pulau Ubin supplied granite for major construction works in Singapore including the Horsburgh Lighthouse on Pedra Branch and the Raffles Lighthouse. The last active granite quarry on the island, Aik H...

Durians are tropical fruits. Considered by many as King of fruits of South-East Asia. Whether durian is the most favourite fruit here, that is a bit subjective given its' famous pungent smell that some find simply overpowering. It has that distinctive special smell or odour, that you can smell a kilometre away. Ok, that's an exaggeration. Probably 10 metres away. Some loath it, many love it. Green and thorny outside. Yellow, soft and fleshy inside. Do you know that that there are durian trees in Singapore and durian is indeed native to Singapore? A street named Lorong Lew Lian bears testament to it. Lew Lian is a Hokkien word for durian. There used to be durian plantations in the vicinity of Lorong Lew Lian (Lew Lian Lane). The scientific name for durian is Durio zibethinus. Duri is a Malay word for thorns, hence the name durian which means thorny fruit. And yes you can find durian trees in Pulau Ubin and at Mandai and some odd ones at other parts of Singapore as well. During...

A squarish-shaped potong ice-cream held together with wafer biscuits or sandwiched inside a slice of coloured bread depending on your preference. And it's only a dollar and fifty cents at most. Licking the yummy icy cold ice-cream is great in our hot and humid weather. You can find the portable or mobile potong ice-cream vendors (mostly middle-age or elderly uncles and aunties ) in their modified motorcycles complete with box freezers at parks, beaches, pasar malam (night markets), outside MRT stations, along Singapore River , at the Esplanade , even along trendy Orchard Road, in-front of Takashimaya department store. They will usually find a shade under a tree or put up a big umbrella for shade. These ice-cream vendors can also be found outside industrial offices or estates so office workers can also enjoy this cooling dessert that can be enjoyed during their lunch-hour! Thus, enjoying ice-cream need not be an expensive affair and can be enjoyed while you are strolling in the p...

The good old humble rice porridge or congee made its way into american fast food restaurants. There is chicken (what else!) porridge breakfast meal sold for $3.60 at KFC that includes a cup of coffee or tea. If you buy ala carte the porridge cost $2.60. A good hearty breakfast or meal to start your day. At some KFC outlets you can surf for free too while having your brekky. At Long John Silver you can also get porridge set complete with two half-boiled eggs for $5.20. Half-boiled eggs are usually part of kaya toast set , but still delicious to be mixed with congee as well. It is certainly a great way to start your day by having a hot comfort soft meal of porridge or congee with generous amount of nicely smelled fried shallots sprinkled on top of it. Black soya sauce and pepper are optional, but a bit of soya sauce is a must for many, to give some added taste and zest to otherwise bland-looking dish. Breakfast porridge at KFC You can get one for only $1.80 at Old Chang Kee, which is goo...

Bugis Village also known as Bugis Street Market is a good place for tourists and locals alike to pick up a souvenir or two such as fridge magnets and keychains. It is not a flea market, but more of the street's night market concept stores with fixed price, although you can also bargain for higher value items like a luggage bag. You can find 'I love Singapore' or 'Singapore is a Fine City' T-shirts that go for three pieces for $10. But of course, it must look lame for locals to wear these T-shirts here or elsewhere. Not that we are not patriotic. I think one would look pretty hilarious too, wearing a 'no chewing gum' t-shirt. You cannot find chewing gums at Bugis Market or elsewhere in Singapore. So, do I miss chewing the sugary gum? Fortunately, not really. Entrance to Bugis Street Market If you are looking for inexpensive watches, you can get a $5 watch at Bugis Market. These are not fake branded watches like those found in some alleys in Bangkok and other...

In hot and humid Singapore icy stuffs are popular. Green and red syrupy ais or ice kacang, with red beans has been in existence since long ago. It was first made popular by itinerant road-side stalls. Now you can find it at almost dessert stalls in hawker centres of food-courts. Kacang is a Malay word for nuts or beans. Under the mountain of shaved ice you can find more red beans, sweet corn, attap chee or palm seeds and jelly. Condensed milk is also poured on the sweet coloured syrups. Syrups drinks with milk. Yummy. Ice kacang In Malaysia ice kacang is more commonly known as ABC or air batu campur , which means mixed shaved ice. Ice kacang typically cost around $2. If you top it up with durian it will cost another 60 cents or so. A sweet, icy cool and wonderful dessert indeed. Chendol (or cendol) is made of coconut milk, sugar and greenish jelly-like rice flour filled with shaved ice similar to ice-kacang. The green jellies may look like wiggly worms but those greenish jellies a...