Current Purpose of Life :)

The scenic view of MBS and CBD area of Singapore

As some of you had already known, I was no longer a full-time traveler now. The job was kinda tying me down to remain staying in Singapore city. I had no problem of staying here at the country as I had traveled enough for the past two years after the pandemic had eased down.

Starting this month, however, I had another kind of life, a life that I used to lead. Out of nowhere, I received messages from many of my good friends who were staying overseas. They informed me that their friend, or their cousin, or their spouse, or their family, or themselves were coming down here for a short trip of many different purposes. Some was for holiday, some for working, some for other foreign country Visa appointment, some for attending religious purposes, and so on.

I was very grateful that they all still remembered me, despite we had not met each other again for quite a long time (since before pandemic, or and many years before that). As long someone went over here, they would think of me. I was very happy with their remembrance of my presence here. Many would even ask and offer if I had anything that I wished to have from their home country. Such a sincere heart touched my heart.

Since last year, many of my Bhutanese friends flew to Australia for studying and or working. There were lots of them. I felt like 80% of them were there to experience a different kind of lives. But the rest of 20% was still remaining in Bhutan and led their lives like usual, and some with changes happening through their lives due to some circumstances. And those whom contacted me of the arrival of their acquaintance, mostly were residing still in Bhutan.

Lao Pa Sat - It's Tiger time!!! Cheers...

So, once in a while, with their visits, I would have a chance to meet up with them. If they stayed longer, we would have more chances to meet and if I was free, I would be able to accompany them to visit some of the Singapore tourist attractions. However, they would usually follow my plans (which usually traveling in budget) by visiting places that required no admission tickets to purchase. It would both save our pockets while we still could enjoy the beautiful scenery of Singapore city.

Personally I felt that the prices of the tickets to those tourist attractions had increased a lot and very expensive. E.g. visit to Singapore zoo would cost S$48 per pax, while visit to both zoo and River Wonder or Bird Paradise would cost S$88 per pax. There might some % of discount offer, but it was still expensive for me. SEA aquarium would cost S$32 per pax. If you were coming alone, it was fine and especially if you had never experienced going such place. But if you came with family (spouse and children), that would cost quite a lot!

Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple - Little India

So usually, I would not bring them there. They could visit on their free time. But under my guide, I would bring them to see Singapore beautiful city scenery like to see the famous Merlion statue sprouting water from its mouth, the view of Marina Bay Sands, CBD (Central Business District) area, Boat Quay, Clarke Quay, to specialty areas like Chinatown, Little India, Arab Street, and so on.

Apart from guiding them on how to go around Singapore by themselves, I could also advise where to buy things they wanted to buy, where and what to eat (different categories of food providers here, such as: hawker center, food court, and restaurant), and even took beautiful pictures for them (as I was blessed with quite good quality of camera phone). Compared with usual Singaporean citizen, I was sure that I was good enough to provide such hospitality to my dear overseas friends. Hahahahaha..... In a way, I was still travelling, but domestically and within the country ^^

This post was not written for me to show off, but to share with you my activities lately as I had to remain staying in Singapore and no longer became the full-time traveler. And I never asked them for money nor tips of my service hahahaha... but they usually showed their gratitude and appreciation by giving me gifts from their home country. So, thank you very much for your kind thought and gesture lah :)

I had a chance to browse the country as a guide and tourist, exercised my legs, challenged my brains on what to do, where to go, how to go, and so on, like took it as some form of exercising both physical and mind, becoming an active individual rather than just staying at home, doing nothing or just watching some dramas.

Beautiful scenery of the Garden by the Bay at night

That was also why I chose to settle down here in Singapore - for their geographical situation, for their safety to go around day and night, for their convenient public transports and accesses, for the free shows offered to both local and tourists in some places, for the government and political stability situation, and so on. The only downsize was that it all came with a price (the increasing cost of everything here - food, transport, utility, services, tax, etc.)

Still, I felt grateful and thankful. Well, that was the post for the day! Hope you all found your purpose in life too apart from living a mundane everyday life. Wish you all a great weekend and F1 weekend is here!!! Those who came to Singapore for this special event, have a great time ahead!!! Ciao!!!

Lunch pack

Lunch pack (Pic source: Google.com)

When I went to Australia, I always saw people bringing lunch pack to school and/ or to work as it was not only healthier, but also most importantly, more affordable. The price of buying lunch outside was pretty expensive, especially in city area. It was wiser to save the money by bringing the leftover food from the day before and reheated it at the office pantry upon consumption. 

In Bhutan, it was a normal thing for people to bring lunch pack from home. They even exchanged their food so that they could taste different dishes every day. These days, the cost of living in city area had increased tremendously too, and it was only wiser to bring the homecooked food from home. They had the taste of love of their spouse, siblings, and parents too.

I really loved the idea of bringing lunch pack to work and/ or to school.

So this time, as I went back to workforce, I decided to prepare my lunch pack too! I was quite exciting with the idea actually! 

There was a fridge, kettle, and a toaster in my office. However, there was no microwave. So, if I brought food to work, I would have to eat it in cold condition (heated food was better for the stomach and the taste).

At my first week to work, I made a-week portion of potato salad (so I could keep it inside the fridge before consumption). I had it for four days in a row, but later on, I realised that it was not a good choice to bring salad to work because the air-coonditioner in my office was super cold!!! I even had to wear a thick sweater every day hahaha...

Pumpkin soup :)

My brain thought hard and later on, I got a better idea. The next weeks onwards, I made soup to bring to work :) because I had the thermal pot that could keep my soup hot upon consumption time. I could eat it with bread too in case it was a thin soup. 

I loved soup, especially when eaten in cold environment. And I loved making and eating the Western soup, not the Chinese style. 

So I made different soup each week and got the recipes from Google. So far, I have made and brought the potato soup, tomato soup, pumpkin soup, mushroom soup, white bean plus vegetable and tomato soup. It really suited my taste bud hahahaha.... Sometimes I even wondered how good I was in making soup, although there was no experience in making one before :P

Only buy fresh ingredients :)

Every Saturday after finishing my walk, I would stop by at the supermarkets in the area and bought the ingredients. Either at the same day or the day before, I would prepare a week portion soup, divided it into 5 containers, and freezed it so that it could last longer. 

I moved the container out from freezer to normal fridge the day before and reheated it the next morning and kept it inside the thermal pot. I had it during lunch time at my desk, sometimes with bread, sometimes with fried rice, then had walk afterwards.

Tomato soup with bread or fried rice :)

Once a week I would buy the food from outside, so I would not get bored from eating the same food every day. So far, I chose vegetable soup over meat. But next time I might try making soup with seafood or chicken :)

It kept my body warm, full, and happy :) I felt grateful and happy with the arrangement. I was not sure about the health impact from it, but I always used natural ingredients and never used any MSG into it. So I would not feel thirsty after having it. 

I did not know how this habit would last but I hoped this could continue for a long long time :)

First attempt making the Bhutanese Momo on my own

Delicious Bhutanese Momo and chilli made by KD :)

I was visiting my Bhutanese friend almost two weeks ago. When I reached, she and her husband had prepared the Bhutanese Momo (dumpling) for my arrival. 

It had been 5 years since my last visit to Bhutan, but on and off, I tasted the Bhutanese momo once in a while - during my travel to Sri Lanka and Kolkata. But after Covid-19, it had already been more than 3 years I did not taste it. 

I was seated and they served mountains of Momo right in front of me. I took a piece and ate it with the chilli she made. After the first bite, I was awed by it!!! It tasted like Bhutan only, and no where else. 

I had eaten various Chinese dumplings throughout my life, but none tasted like this, especially this was vegetarian. The chilli too, was special. Waaaahhhhhh..... you could not imagine how happy I was!!!

Me and my two hosts :)

I asked her what ingredients she used inside the Momo and the chilli. She explained to me. But after more than one bottle of wine, my memory was just more or less. Hahahaha....

There was one special ingredient inside the chilli she made, which was Szechuan pepper. I saw it at Chinese supermarket 2 days ago and it intrigued me of buying it, as I really wanted to try to make the chilli like she made. So I bought it.

As I went to supermarket looking for red chilli powder, I thought, why not made the Momo as well??? So I picked ingredients for making Momo as well. But before that, I consulted her again regarding the ingredients, to ensure I did not miss anything. 

And today, I spent my whole afternoon making it, all by myself. 

Bhutanese chilli for Momo

Chilli ingredients:

- 1.5 pcs red onion

- 2 pcs tomato

- Oil

- Salt

- Szechuan pepper (or tinge)

- Red chilli powder

How to make:

- Cut both red onion and tomato into pieces

- Put oil into the pan

- Put both ingredients in it and stir

- Add salt

- Add pepper, and fry for a while

- Grind it using machine the above mixture and pour the red chilli powder as much as you want (you can add chilli padi if you want it spicier)

- Then it is ready

Momo skin:

- Maida or all purpose flour (I bought 1kg but I only used around 700g and the rest was to shape the skin)

- Water (no idea the quantity, as long until the skin was moisture enough)

How to make:

1- Mix both flour and water into mixing bowl

- Mix it using hands, knead it until it mixes well and moisture enough (not too dry)

- Cover with wet napkin so it will not dry 

Vegetarian Bhutanese Momo Ingredients

Momo ingredients:

- Cabbage (I used around 3/4 piece)

- 3 big red onions 

- 1 bunch of coriander

- 8 pcs of cheese slices (I put more since I like it :D)

How to make:

- Peel and cut red onion into small pieces

- Wash and cut the Cabbage into small pieces

- Wash and cut the Coriander into small pieces

- Cut the slice cheese into small piece

- Add all ingredients together into the bowl

- Add oil and salt into it and mix all together

Preparation of Momo ingredients

Once the above ready, now it was time to shape the skin and wrap. I spread the flour on the table. I removed the dough from the bowl, cut into half. Put another half portion back to the bowl and cover.

Cut the dough and made it into small balls. With the help of roller, flatten the ball into round piece, put the ingredients inside, and shaped it one by one. 

Tbh, I was really bad at shaping the skin. As I did not often make it, in beginning part I made such a giant piece. Hahaha..... It took me some time until I made it smaller pieces. That too, I made ugly shapes ^^"

Wrap the Momo

Remember to put some flour on the tray before putting the Momo, otherwise it would stick and break the Momo skin. Keep repeating the process until both skin and fillings finished. 

I started making at 1pm and finished preparing at 4.30pm. It was quite slow as I had to prepare it alone. 

Time to steam the Momo!!!

I used the electrical steamer to steam the Momo. It was easy and fast. Just plugged the cable, filled water at bottom part, put Momo in each tray, stacked them all, covered and let it steam around 25 minutes. 

Once ready, took it out and transferred it to plates or bowls and continued the steam process as required. 

Homemade Bhutanese Momo

And tadaaaaa....... that was the result!!! 

As first timer, let me rate the taste and overall making process. Hahaha.... 

First the chilli. I felt I put too much tomatoes (3 small pcs) as the tomato taste was quite strong. The pepper that I bought did not smell strong and too powdery. Next time, will try not powder type, so can get better and stronger flavour. The red chilli powder was not spicy. I just anyhow picked any brand from supermarket, so that was why the taste was different from the one I had at KD place. But overall, it was still good and still fit the Momo very well :)

Second the dough for Momo skin. I am not the expert in making and shaping dumpling dough. Just do whatever I can, so I did not expect very good result as well. Since I made it for own (family) consumption, it did not matter hahahaha.... but definitely not confident enough to make it for guests. 

Third, the fillings. It was good but I think I should have put more oil. It was a little bit dry. I thought salt would produce water into my vegetable ingredients, but it did not. So KD mentioned to put little bit more so it would not dry. 

Happy Eater :D

And so far, my hubby and son had tasted it. With hungry stomach, of course it was good for my hubby, while my son preferred dumpling with meat ingredients ^^"

Will I make it again next time? Hmm.... perhaps, but not so soon. The time and effort spent was too much but it still made me happy. I posted my experience here so I would not forget it and make the better one next time :)

Have you yourself tried making it on your own? If yes, I guess you are quite pro with it and if you have better suggestion, please do not hesitate to comment or pm me. Thank you for reading and have a lovely day! :)

The night before you left

Treasure what you have before it is gone

It is half an hour past two in the morning. My eyes are still wide opened. My mind is still active thinking.

Today, I mean yesterday, I was overwhelmed with so many things. About life, life cycle. You know, born, getting old, sick, and die. Those four are part of human's life (if you are lucky enough to grow old before die though).

Before this, I actually tried to do meditation before sleeping. But instead, I was talking to myself and went into deep contemplation, of all the things happening in my life. Confessions too, of what I actually felt.

And before the attempt of doing meditation, I continued watching the Chinese movie that I watched halfway in the afternoon as I was not sleepy yet. It was made based on true story. The title was "Only Yun Knows." (I watch a movie a day lately as I have to stay at home more during Covid time, and every time I just anyhow pick any movie that is available on the website without any idea what the movie story is about).

It is a nice but sad movie about fate and love, sickness and death, hope and dreams that happened in foreign land. Somehow, the main character lady was suffering from cancer. She did operation to remove the tumor, slept for 8 days after the operation - effect of anesthesia, and never got up again. I had a mixture feeling. A sign? Coincidental story?

I just could not sleep. I had feeling that something was going to happen but I tried brushing my feeling off. And whole day, I was not feeling well too actually. That was why I felt a bit emotional about everything.

Tashi and I - Lake Toba, Indonesia (Feb 2019)

In my contemplation, I realized that what seemed real, it was more like a series of illusion now. Especially the things that had happened in the past. All the happiness feeling and wonderful things that happened were just memories today. And what felt so real last time, it felt only like a dream now. We could not keep it the same for the current and present time. As time went by, things changed, people changed. Many things happened. No matter how beautiful the story was, it soon had turned into the past. You could never keep it the same.

And also, no matter how bad the things happened in the past, time could and would heal the pain. You would not as angry as before, or disappointed, or anything else. Slowly, you would forgive. Because despite all the wrongdoing, there were still plenty of good things that happened beforehand and worth forgiveness.

I always remind myself that nothing is permanent. Every thing in this world is all impermanent. So, take it easy. Do not take it too hard. Because nothing will ever last. Not a thing, not people, not happiness, not health, it is nothing will last, really!!!

I was talking with myself too, as if I was talking with my friend, who was currently battling her life over her sickness. She was sleeping unconsciously, but I believed that she could see and hear what was going on around her. I just had a feeling that her time to go was there, but not knowing when. I talked to her as if she could listen to me, about everything I wanted her to know and listen. I wished her to be away from the pain and suffering, and to know what was going on inside her body. No one was able to say it directly to her and we all deceived ourselves hoping for miracle to come and save her. But it never came.

I turned my phone on again to check if there was any news before going to bed. No news was always good news. I turned it off and slept.

Rest well my friend.... See you again next time...

This morning I woke up very late. And when I turned my phone on again, I received messages, missed call. They said she had gone peacefully in her sleep, 4 am Bhutan time. I could only cry despite knowing that this day would come sooner or later. I could only pray for her, to be born in better world, have fate with Buddha Dhamma Sangha. Hope you can be happier out there... Rest in peace Tashi... Hope to see you again next time...

I miss Bhutan for

The last time I visited Bhutan was two years ago (April 2017). And since my very first visit in 2012, it was kind of a trend that after the year 2013, every 2 years I would make another visit to Bhutan. However, up until now, there is no such plan to visit Bhutan yet.

Many people have never visited Bhutan in their life. Some are on the way planning to visit for the very first time. Some have been there for many times. Some have been staying there for few years due to the nature of their occupation (be it full time worker, contract worker, volunteer job, and so on). Many have been married to Bhutanese and stay there permanently. Here, I am referring to foreigners (non-Bhutanese) by nature. 

I feel very grateful for being able to visit Bhutan for 4 times already. Earlier, I thought, it was enough to be there for so many times. Four times. And in those occasions, I was very grateful for being able to visit great number of places around Bhutan, even more than what the average Bhutanese had ever visited in their lifetime.

But, as I browsed the photos stored inside my desktop from my previous visit, it inspired me to write this post. Because after clicking through those images, I realized that I still love and miss Bhutan, very very much. And there were so many reasons for me to miss Bhutan, to visit the country again and again, in the near future. 

Among those reasons are:

Bhutanese bloggers meeting in Thimphu, Bhutan

1. Meeting my fellow Bhutanese bloggers cum friends (including those who were present but not shown inside this picture).

I know, this was a matter of year 2015. Since that period, everyone had pursued different matters in life. Many had flown overseas for further studies, work, earn extra money, etc. Those who stayed put in Bhutan were occupied by their work and/ or family matters. Those singles had got married and some had children. Many had realized their dreams, achieving what they wanted to achieve in life.

However, as I entered their blogs, many had stopped updating it. It just stopped, or with much lesser posts along the year. Very few tried their best in maintaining it alive. Writing needed time, effort, passion, patience, and hard work.

Well, no matter where they are now or what they are doing, I miss all of them terribly and so much!!! I wished we all could turn back time to who we were, who used to share the same passion in life, which was writing. And I knew many of them through blogging first before meeting them in person.It just felt so amazing and unbelievable!

We still keep in touch through Facebook, We Chat, Instagram, email, etc. but I really wish that one day when I visit Bhutan again, all of us will have such a reunion again, as friend,as a long lost friend.

2. I miss the rainbow - not just a rainbow, but double rainbow!!!

I miss double rainbow!!!

Yes, I miss the double rainbow, not just a rainbow. Sometimes I wonder if rainbow was only created in Bhutan. I had seen it many times there, and double rainbow made my happiness times two. Hahaha.... :D

3. I miss their beautiful nature 

River and mountain of pine trees

As I rode their public bus through the mountainous road, I loved sitting next to the window overlooking beautiful nature and view along the way, such as: river, pine trees, horses, cows, prayer flags, stupa or chorten, Bhutanese wearing Gho and Kira, and so on. It soothed my mind and chased away all my troubles in life :)

Beautiful paddy terrace and Punatshangchhu from Uma Village, Bhutan

Love the greenery and mountainous view very much!!!

4. I miss attending Tshechu (religious festival)

Nimalung Tshechu, Bhutan - Jun 2015

Masked dance and procession, Atsara (red faced clown with phallus - wooden penis on his head), colorful Gho and Kira, crowd pushing upon receiving 'wang' or blessing, kids with gun toys, nearby stalls selling stuffs, tea, lucky-dip, tent for VIP guests were among the things I loved and missed, and of course, amazing friends who accompanied me there and completed with picnic packed lunch sitting on the grass nearby the area :)

5. I missed village life with common room as sleeping place, traditional kitchen, the open-air bath and out of the house toilet

Village home in Kanglung, Bhutan

Hahaha... call me crazy, whatever you want, and yes, I miss this!!! Traveling life means living a life out of the boundary, out of mundane ordinary life. But this reminds me to always be grateful with what I have in life.

6. I miss shopping in markets

Shops in Bhutan

Hanging pork belly, frozen meats and fishes, displaying fresh local or Indian produced fruits and vegetables were among the scenes you would find in their markets. Simple part of daily lives that I enjoyed living with.

7. I miss plucking fresh organic vegetables

Plucking organic vegetables grown by Devi - Bumthang, Bhutan

I was very fortunate to meet Devi. With her, I experienced many things that Bhutanese lived with in their everyday's lives. This included plucking potatoes and carrots from her garden. Living in metropolitan city since I was born, I had little chance to have this kind of life.

8. I miss the variety of local Bhutanese food and drinks

Bumthaps Khuley, Nepali Sel Roti, Bhutan Kewa Datshi, Southern part Dorley chili

Not only that, she also let me exposed extensively to local food and drinks. She was afraid I did not have enough things to eat and many times she cooked and made few different dishes at the same time. She never failed to show me her capabilities in making Sel Roti, Juma, Khabsey, and so on. Thank you Devi!!! I miss you very much!!!  

Process of making Bumthap Puta - Buckwheat Noodle from Bumthang

The above was one of the day when she asked her tenant to help making the Puta noodle made of buckwheat flour, a traditional food from Bumthang.

Local liquor and beer from Bumthang

9. I miss the Bhutan tea time :)

Tea time in Bumthang, Bhutan

You should know, it wasn't just the tea, but the things accompanied with tea - zaw (beaten rice), khabsey (Tibetan fried sweet dough), thengma (beaten maize), variety of biscuits, and so on, plus the great accompany to chit chat and just relax enjoying the evening breeze.

10. I miss the private mask dance hahaha.... :P

Private mask dance at Samcholing Palace, Bhutan

My dear friend Rupa and I were very fortunate being invited by Khenpo who took care of the Lhakhang at Samcholing Palace to sit and watch the Buddhist ritual prayer musical instruments and mask dance performed by the monks who stayed and studied there. Only two of us were the guests for that night's performance and the feeling was indescribable, felt like going back to hundred years ago, perhaps I was there in my previous life to witness the same thing before.

11. I miss the Bhutanese homestay and hospitality

Bhutanese homestay in Tangmachu Village, Bhutan

Once in a while I had the opportunity to stay at Bhutanese homestay. Apart from dinner, they usually served ara (Bhutan local spirit) as part of their hospitality service. Felt the warmth and got closed with their culture and tradition were other things I treasured the most.

12. I miss the lunch break-stop on the road

Stopped for lunch break - Bhutan

There was no restriction where you could stop. Road would be where you sat and had your lunch. Food was prepared in advance before leaving the place. It was simple but very nice. I miss it so much!!!

13. I miss the local snack sold on roadside

Roadside seller selling local produced - Mongar,Bhutan

I remembered my dear friend, Luzee, who bought lots of things from roadside seller on the way back to Thimphu. She said, better to support them as many were depending their living cost from it. Apart from that, you got fresh local produced and specialty food from the area as well!!!

14. I miss the hiking

Hiking to Tiger Nest with Rekha - Paro, Bhutan

For Bhutanese, hiking has been part of their daily lives. For them, it was a piece of cake. But it had never been easy for me. Hahaha.... It was not part of my daily activities here in Singapore. Nevertheless, I was enjoying it so much over there. And Tiger Nest was only one basic hiking destination that every tourist must go. There were many other more!!!

15. I miss walking alone with nature

View from Sangaygang - Thimphu, Bhutan

And Sangaygang was always one of my favorite places to walk alone with nature. Went up using short-cut and walked down using a long way. Never felt bored as the beautiful view had always mesmerized me.

16. I miss the temples and many religious and sacred sites

Takila - the biggest Guru Rinpoche statue in Eastern Bhutan

I was very lucky for being able to visit many Buddhist temples and many sacred and religious sites in Bhutan. I never dreamt of visiting them before but fate and good karma simply brought me there. Thank you SB!!!

Our visit to Chorten Kora in Trashiyangtse, Bhutan 

Well, there are many more things I miss about Bhutan. It was not shown there, but I definitely miss all my Bhutanese friends wherever they are living now. I feel very grateful for all their friendships, kindness, and love that they have rendered for me.

For now, that was all I could share here in my blog post. Let's see how long more until I can visit the country again. The next time I go there, there must be a specific purpose of visiting, new places to reach and lots of beautiful memories to create with wonderful people there!!! 

Places to visit in Singapore (Special post for Bhutanese)

Beautiful Singapore :)

Many Bhutanese have a good opportunity visiting Singapore. Although mostly come for official duty, training, or conference, many come for vacation and other personal matters. If you have only limited time to stay, let me introduce you some 'must visit place' in Singapore :)

1. Merlion Park

Sangay at Merlion Park - Singapore

Take a photo with the Merlion (half fish, half lion), the iconic symbol of Singapore. Its head represents the Singapore's original name - Singapura - which means lion city in Malay language. It was first built and placed at the mouth of Singapore River back in year 1972, and 30 years later, it was relocated 120 m away from where it was, to the opposite of the beautiful looking Fullerton Hotel (used to be a Singapore Post Office building), overlooking the Marina Bay area.

Luzee with background of Merlion and Esplanade Theaters on the Bay - Singapore

If you want, you can takeaway food from the nearby restaurants and have a picnic, sitting on the stone seat provided. Admire the bay view from there. You can also see many renown buildings such as Esplanade Theaters on the Bay, Art Science Museum, Marina Bay Sands, Fullerton Hotel, Singapore Central Business District (CBD), Singapore Flyer, and so on. During the National Day (9th August every year), it is the perfect place to watch the fabulous fireworks. 

Luzee with Merlion overlooking the Marina Bay Sands and Arts Science Museum at night - Singapore

You can visit the place throughout the day but it is recommended to visit during evening time where the sun has slightly gone down and the weather has changed cooler. Sometimes afternoon heat can be unbearable!!! Night view is marvelous too!!!

Merlion Park location map (Pic source: Google Map)

Nearest MRT: Raffles Place MRT (EWL/NSL), Downtown MRT (DTL)

2. Chinatown

"As of June 2017, the island's population stood at 5.61 million. ... Singapore is a multiracial and multicultural country with ethnic Chinese (76.2% of the citizen population), indigenous Malays (15.0%), and ethnic Indians (7.4%) making up the majority of the population." - Source: Wikipedia.org

Eat, shop, pray, and experience different feel and culture in the heart of Singapore town. 

Sithar and I at Buddha Tooth Relic Temple - Chinatown, Singapore

For Buddhist, you can visit the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum - a four-storey high completed with rooftop where the large Vairocana Buddha Prayer Wheel is located. Must visit the forth storey where the gold sacred Buddha tooth relic stupa with the sacred Buddha tooth are located. Museum is on the third storey. Please take note that it opens from 7 am to 7 pm everyday and wear appropriate attire to enter.

For Hindu believer, you can visit the Sri Mariamman Temple - the oldest Singapore's Hindu temple built in 1827. Currently the temple serves as an important focal point for community activities and acted as the Registry of Marriages for Hindus at the time when only the temple’s was authorized to solemnize Hindu marriages.

Sangay at Chinatown (souvenir shopping heaven) - Singapore

It is a great place to shop souvenirs from Singapore. There are many shops in the area. It is advisable not to immediately buy the items that you want. Instead, look around from one shop to another and find the best bargain!!!

Sonam with my besties tried Chinese New Year special food (Lo-Hei) at Chinatown, Singapore

Overcome your hunger by visiting the Chinatown Complex hawker center (at 2nd storey). You will find various Singapore local food stalls there. From kopi-O (black coffee) to Char Kway Teow (fried rice noodle with cockles), and special Lo-Hei - mixed pickles, vegetables, and sauces topped with salmon or abalone - a must eat food during Chinese New Year period. 

Chencho, Choeku, Pema, and Kuenley tasted Mala Hotpot at Chinatown, Singapore 

Or you can taste the Chinese Mala Hotpot, the original taste of Chinese Chong Qing food cooked by Chinese origin Chefs, at the People's Park hawker center, completed with bottles of cold Chinese beer - Xue Hua (Snow) brand. The spiciness of the food will remind you of ema datshi in Bhutan hahaha.... :D

Song Fa Bakuteh (Pork Rib Soup) and other delicious sides :) (Pic source: Google.com)

If you want to have a cooling place to shop, just walk to Chinatown Point. You can find Daiso, Uniqlo, NTUC FairPrice Supermarket, and many other shops inside. You can try the local Singapore food at Song Fa Bakuteh (peppery spicy pork rib soup) at the 1st storey there (next to McDonald's).

Chinatown at night during Chinese New Year 2015

It is open at anytime but recommended to visit at night as the air is cooler and lighting will add beautiful view. If you happen to come during Chinese New Year (January-February) or Lantern Festival (September), you will see beautiful decoration as shown at the above photo.

Chinatown - Singapore (Pic source: Google map)

Nearest MRT: Chinatown (NEL/DTL)

3. Farrer Park/ Little India (Mustafa Centre)

Passu near Mustafa Centre during Deepavali time - Little India, Singapore

Bhutanese loves Mustafa Centre so much!!! Hahaha... as they love shopping. It is opened 24-hour so if you have something to buy but it has already been so late, you still come down by taxi to this place to shop. You can find almost everything here but I don't think they sell Uniqlo there hehehe... The nearest shopping mall from there that you can shop for Charles & Keith, Uniqlo, Daiso, etc. is City Square Mall. Just take MRT to Farrer Park and find the exit to the mall.

Deepavali time at Little India - Singapore

Approaching Deepavali, the main road in this area will be decorated with many lighting and Diwali decorations. Visit at night to capture its beautiful lighting.

Bhatura feast at Komala's Vegetarian Restaurant with Uden, Luzee and Tshering

There are many Indian restaurants available at the area. If you are vegetarian, I recommend you one restaurant joint, located at the opposite of City Square Mall, called Komala's Vegetarian Restaurants. There are 2 in the area but the one near the mall is easier to find. They have a giant Bhatura served with chick pea curry, lime and onion. It's delicious!! ;)

Jaggi's Northern Indian Cuisine - 37-39 Chander Road, Singapore

Curry Fish Head from Banana Leaf Apolo Restaurant at 54 Race Course Rd

And if you are not vegetarian, Jaggi's serves delicious Northern Indian cuisine (their garlic butter Naan, butter chicken, and Palak Paneer are my favorite!!!), while Muthu's Curry and Banana Leaf Apolo are famous for their curry fish head. You will get good Indian food in all these places :)

Farrer Park - Little India MRT map (Pic source: Google map)

Nearest MRT: Farrer Park (NEL) or Little India (NEL/DTL)

4. Clarke Quay - Nightlife

Chill our night out at Clarke Quay - Cheers!!! ;)

If you want to know how Singapore nightlife feels like, you can get down to Clarke Quay and chill yourself up at a pub, restaurant, bar, or even disco. Just order a bottle of beer or a glass of wine to chill up and listen the noise and crowd the places bring.

Uden and Sonam at Clarke Quay

Or else, just sit down at the riverside watching people flying out with their bungee at the opposite site or the passing by boats filled with tourists. On weekend sometimes juggler or entertainer will pop up and give a show to earn some money. It was a good place to relax and enjoy the cool night breeze.

Clarke Quay (Pic source: Google map)

It is within a walking distance from Chinatown area. If you happen to have enough time to spend after having enough shopping or feeling full from your dinner at Chinatown area, you can just walk along the main New Bridge Rd all the way until you see the beautiful lighting near the bridge. Or if you are too tired, Clarke Quay MRT is only one station away from the Chinatown MRT (NEL).

Nearest MRT: Clarke Quay (NEL)

5. Marina Bay Sands and Garden by the Bay

Marina Bay Sands at night (Pic source: Google.com)

If you take flight to Singapore and sit at the window seat (left side), sometimes you can see the unique feature building - Marina Bay Sands - the three sloping towers with boat-like structures - from the above. It faces Singapore river with many tall buildings at the surrounding.

Luzee inside the Marina Bay Sands Singapore :)

It contains hotel, restaurants, theater, exhibition halls, shopping mall, Casino, etc. If you curious how it looks like from the inside, you can easily reach there by MRT.

Beautiful click from the Marina Bay Sands Infinity Pool - Singapore :)

What I see from the pool - Singapore night view

If you are lucky enough to stay at the hotel itself, you should take the opportunity to swim at the infinity pool at level 57 (they only allow the hotel guest to swim there) and watch the beautiful Singapore view from the above. Evening time is the best time to do. Take a lot of picture there as the view is priceless!!! Well otherwise, you can also go up to their Observation Deck and pay SGD $23 per pax to see the Singapore view from top or dine and/ or drink at the SkyPark restaurants and bars.

From Singapore Flyer to Garden by the Bay - Singapore

Luzee visited Garden by the Bay, Singapore

It connects to the Garden by the Bay as well. Just check and follow the direction sign from inside the
MBS building. Usually I go there during night time when they have a free Garden Rhapsody light and sound shows (at 7.45 pm and 8.45 pm daily). Lying on the grass and watching it give a relaxed feeling after a whole day out.

Marina Bay Sands map (Pic source: Google map)

Nearest MRT: Bayfront (DTL/CL)

6. Sentosa Island

Siloso Beach at Sentosa Island - Singapore

Many Bhutanese who visited Singapore had not been to the beach before. If that is the case, Sentosa Island will be the next place to visit. From Vivo City, go up to level 3 and take the Sentosa Express (monorail) using the EZ-link card cost at SGD $4. Get down at the last station - Beach Station - and walk or take the beach tram to the destination of your choice. They have many different beach to visit. Siloso Beach is nearer and more crowded so I usually bring the Bhutanese towards that direction. You can also take other transport like bus and cable car.

Feel the beach with your feet - Sentosa Island, Singapore

I always recommend them to remove their footwear and roll their pants up. It feels good to walk barefoot on the sand and feel the cold/ warm sea water splashing on your legs. The weather can be super hot in afternoon time, so wearing cap and sunglasses may help.

The big Merlion at Sentosa Island - Imbiah Lookout

From there, we move on and walk to see the other parts of Sentosa Island. Such as the Imbiah Lookout to see a big version of Merlion, entrance to Universal Studio (if you have time, you can spend a whole day playing the ride inside), Casino (foreigner needs to bring their passport to enter and there is dress code to apply - no short, flip flop, and singlet), and so on.

Dechen and I outside the Universal Studio of Singapore - Sentosa Island

If you come with kids, you can bring them to SEA Aquarium to watch the underwater world, to Adventure Cove Waterpark to experience different water rides, to Kidzania for kids to experience role play of the adults' world, etc. Check out their website for further details.

Sentosa Island map (Pic source: Google map)

Nearest MRT: Harbour Front (NEL/CL)

7. Orchard Road - Shopping belt of Singapore

Passu and I in front of Wheelock Place - along Orchard Rd. - Singapore

Orchard Road - a 2.2 km long boulevard - the retail and entertainment hub of Singapore city, a favorite place for tourists and shoppers. You can reach this road from both Orchard and Somerset MRT. Walk along the row of shopping malls from Wheelock Place, Ion Orchard Mall, Wisma Atria, Ngee Ann City, Takashimaya Department Store, Cineleisure, all the way to 313@Somerset and Orchard Central. You can find almost any branded stuffs that you are looking for, taste any kind of food from many restaurants, and so on. Just make sure you have enough money to spare to go back to Bhutan ^^"

JJ and Passu with big Christmas tree outside Ion Orchard Mall approaching Christmas 2016 - Singapore

Approaching Christmas, this road will be decorated with Christmas decoration and lighting. Visit at night is recommended for you to capture beautiful photos together with many outdoor Christmas trees and decorations.

Singapore local coffee joint - Ya Kun Kaya Toast - Must try!!! :)

When you are too tired to walk, take a coffee break at the Singapore local coffee joint - Ya Kun Kaya Toast. It's my favorite!! Order the Kaya Butter Toast set where you can get the crispy toast with chunk of butter and coconut jam, 2 pcs of half-boiled eggs, and a cup of Singapore style Kopi (coffee w/ milk) or Kopi-O (black coffee with sugar).

Passu at Library@Orchard - Orchard Gateway, Singapore

If you happen to be a book lover and library enthusiast, you can visit one of Singapore libraries there - Library@Orchard - the two-storey library at the Orchard Gateway (near Somerset MRT). You can experience the unique features and modern looks that it offers :)

Orchard Road map (Source: Google map)

Nearest MRT: Orchard (NSL) and Somerset (NSL)

If you notice, I put the map of each location as most tourist places in Singapore is near from MRT (Mass Rapid Transit) station. It is advisable for you to go around Singapore using MRT as it is fast, easy (you need to purchase EZ-link card though - can use it to take bus as well), and convenient. EZ-link card can be purchased at Passenger Service Center at MRT station and any 7-eleven convenient store across Singapore.

Singapore MRT map (Pic source: Google.com)

Singapore is such a small country. You won't get lost there. You can get free WiFi at many designated areas (including MRT stations) and conveniently browse the Google and Google map website or download its Apps to locate where you are and places you are looking for.

With Luzee and Sonam Pelden at Bugis :)

There are many other areas and places I did not mention above like Bugis, City Hall, Singapore Zoo, River Safari, Night Safari, Jurong Bird Park, museums, Lau Pa Sat (alfresco dining at CBD area), and many more. It is up to you to visit the rest of the places and also depend on where you stay in Singapore (which places are nearer from your side). Those I mentioned was where I brought most Bhutanese in Singapore from their previous visits.

With Palden and Sithar visiting Singapore Zoo and River Safari - Singapore

Tashi and Karma enjoyed Singapore local food at Lau Pa Sat :)

So, if you plan to visit Singapore soon, hope this post can help you to plan where to go during your visit here. If you have any questions, you can leave your comment here and I'll do my best to assist you. Hope you enjoy Singapore!!! :)

P.S. With this post, I could reminisce the memories that I had with many Bhutanese I met in Singapore since 2013 - mostly I met them for the first time in these photos. However, many have become my very very very good friends. I am grateful for the fate that it brought to all of us and the friendship that we have maintained until today. Thank you, thank you, and thank you SB and thank you everyone for the beautiful friendship that we have :)