Arrived in Singapore today

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Flights from Richmond, VA to JFK and JFK to Singapore (via Frankfurt) were fine. Usual excellent Singapore Airlines service....even in economy. But a loooong travel day, about 32 hours from leaving our driveway to checking into our hotel in Singapore. Just under 20 hours in the air.

We're staying at the Trader's Hotel, a short walk from the center of the main, high end shopping area.


After a quick 2 hour nap we were off to start enjoying the Singapore national pastime....eating. Walking down Orchard Road to our favorite dumpling place you couldn't help but notice that the Christmas retail season had already begun. Even though we've seen it before, it's still jarring to see Santa and snowman, etc in the heat and humidity of the tropics.

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Photos

Singapore Christmas Decorations
Christmas in Singapore is mostly a "retail event". Little, if any religious context. You could say that about the U.S. too, but seems even more so here.

Dumplings at Din Tai Fung
According to the menu, it takes at least a year for cooks to learn how to make these dumplings with exactly the right shape and correct number of folds.
[url=http://www.breadtalk.com/dintaifung/]

Cooks at Din Tai Fung
The restaurant is in the basement of a high rise, high fashion shopping mall. The cooks are all in a glassed in area open to public view. Notice they're all wearing face masks...this is normal, not just due to the current H1N1 situation.

46 Emerald Hill Road
After dumplings, we walked down to the area where we lived. #46 is the conservation shop house we lived in. Looks like the landlord gave it some new paint and a new color scheme since we moved out.

Shophouse Renovation
These houses are directly across from #46. The one on the left is undergoing renovation. By law, the facades of these houses cannot be changed from the original. However, many are renovated with modern interiors, conveniences, aircon, etc.
For more information on this area see this article:
[url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emerald_Hill,_Singapore]

Comments

[Sue]

Have a great trip
Love the travel blog. Cool idea. Better than a postcard! I know you are having a great time. If you have the opportunity, or the will, do try to get to Sentosa. And take the arial cable car - it's fun. Stop at Bread Talk for all of us here, and get some chilli crab too. You know I'm insanely envious! Wish I was there! BTW new paint job at 46 Emerald Hill is ugly! The designer that lived there before you must be retching.

[Lori Hays]

Nice Pics
Wow the dumplings look great. Nice pictures! You and Kathy sure didn't waste any time getting out. Good for you both. Wouldn't want that plane ride, though, yikes.