Chinese New Year in Singapore

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After delay and uncertainty about whether the plane would ever leave the runway, my flight from Siem Reap to Singapore eventually took off, about an hour and a half late. It's only a two hour flight and no drinks or snacks to pass the time. The online entry visa meant that progress through the airport was exceptionally speedy so I was in a taxi , driving through the night-lights of Singapore in no time.

I was there for about a month to help a friend recuperate at home after an extended stay in hospital following a major operation.

The days flew by and the daily monsoon downpours made getting out and about subject to precise timing and careful study of gathering clouds. These downpours take no prisoners, and if you are caught in one the only way to describe the look is 'drowned rat'. I made quick sorties to the nearest market and supermarket to get fresh fruit and veg.

Lunar New Year was fast approaching and as this is the year of the dragon I felt a fond affinity with my birth animal in the Chinese zodiac. Dragons appeared in every manifestation possible all around the public spaces and decorating all the shops. Just a half hour walk from where I was staying there was a superb plant nursery which was an explosion of bright blossoms and richly decorated pots of kumquat, profusions of cascading orchids, pussy willows, red-ribboned pots of lucky bamboo and generally anything with a profusion of blossom- preferably in a red or golden yellow colour. This must be one of the busiest times of the year for the plant nurseries, and it's so important that they produce this profusion of colour in time for the festivities.

I met up with two of my friend Ah Chu's daughters for lunch one day. She was unable to join us, but hopefully it won't be such a long stretch until the next time I see them. And I had one day exploring Orchard Road and enjoying Chicken Rice at the legendary Mandarin Restaurant ( although now part of the Marriott Hotel) and met up with Hui Ling for afternoon tea and delicious tea-infused ice cream at TWG.



On Lunar New Year's Eve I joined family for the traditional reunion dinner to which my mother-in-law, although very frail these days, joined us at a table heaving with New Year treats. Delighted to meet up with Aunty Ah Ru and her son Kok-Yong for the meal and they kindly gave me a lift home, as by then it was like Christmas Day in the UK and impossible to get a bus or a taxi.

The next day I did some New Year 'Visiting' and was delighted to meet an old friend I haven't seen for years : Linda and her sister Jean , at the home of their Aunty. We had many years to catch up on, exacerbated by the Covid pandemic and how it had restricted movement. The food provided for all the visitors who called by for the New Year open house was Peranakan or Nyonya cuisine. Peranakans are descendants of the early Chinese migrants who settled in Penang, Malacca, Singapore and Indonesia, and the ensuing cuisine combines Chinese , Malay, Javanese and South Indian. ( Remember the Singapore Suppers we used to host at Blue-Ginger Gallery?)

I sampled one dish for the first time ( at least I don't remember eating it before) Ayam Buah Keluak. It's made from a POISONOUS fruit made safely edible by soaking in water and fermentation. The inside of the nut is scraped out and mixed with herbs and spices which are then packed back inside the nut before cooking in a rich sauce. It doesn't look appetising ( resembling black pebbles in sauce), is quite messy and fairly hard work to eat. But I appreciated that this is a dish specially produced for great celebrations and it takes a lot of preparation.

The following day Kathy and I continued with the New Year Celebrations at the home of friends, and there were familiar faces there for me too. Great fun in the joint preparation of the traditional salad ' Lo Hei' (or Yusheng) where every ingredient has a meaning and everyone at the dinner must help to toss it with their chopsticks while calling out new year greetings.

The next day I bade farewell to friends and family in Singapore, and headed to Changi Airport for my flight to Chiang Mai in Northern Thailand.

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Photos

Singapore
the daily rain moving in

Singapore
Hawker centre in Sunset Way

Singapore
Chinese new year plants

Singapore
Pussy Willow awaiting delivery from the plant nursery

Singapore
Kumquat plants - lucky for New Year

Singapore
Ah Chu's 'girls' meeting me for lunch

Singapore
The iconic C K Tang Building in Orchard Way

Singapore
Enter the dragon ( in every shop in Orchard Way!)

Singapore
High rise buildings tower above what is left of the shop houses on Emerald Hill

Singapore
Emerald Hill : traditional decorations for the Lunar New Year

Singapore
Hainanese Chicken Rice at the Mandarin ( as was)

Singapore
Afternoon tea with Hui Ling at TWG in Takashimaya

Singapore
Lunar New Year celebrations at Aunty Sweet Eng's house , with Linda and Jean

Singapore
New Year Peranakan food for lunch

Singapore
The poisonous nut made edible !

Singapore
An array of Ang Pow red packets for gifting New Year money to children

Singapore
Collecting all the ingredients for Lo Hei - Singapore New Year celebration salad

Singapore
Catherine , Kay and a great view of Singapore

Singapore
Raising glasses to greet the New Year " Kung Hei Fat Choy" ( wishing you prosperity)