Some parents like to ask kids to go out and play and not stay at home and play computer games. Nowadays, you can go out yet still playing hand phone games.

What is CPF?
A retirement fund that all Singaporeans and PR have to contribute every month so that you will not be a burden to society when you are old.

The dream is to still be healthy

I have been to Georgia aquarium in US and also Chitose Salmon Park in Hokkaido but I am ashamed to say that I have not been to my own country's second top attraction.. the SEA aquarium! I just had to go there this year. It opens at 10am everyday and closes at 6pm to 9pm so be sure to check the opening hours before you plan your activities.

Having watch the Nanta show in Seoul and the AO show in Ho Chi Minh, I was thinking why not try being a tourist in my own country and watch a local play. I found that for this period, there is this play called 'The emperor's new clothes' produced by Wild Rice.

Starring Benjamin Kheng and Sezairi Sezali

After going to more than 20 wedding banquets over the years, I guess I have attended the more popular hotels time and again. So I have listed down some factors to help couples to decide. All these are based on my personal experience and taste buds:

Due to a monthly salary of 15k, it seems that everyone is jumping on the wagon to join politics readily without first considering what they can do for the people and the country. However, the increased number of people interested in politics will hopefully translate to having the cream of the crop for our leaders. I normally look at these 5 criteria when deciding on a good candidate:

A few months ago, I came across a good piece of software that helps people to see and understand data. I actually tried it out using publicly available data and the resale prices released by HDB quarterly seems like a good data to analyze. As it turned out, my output wasn't too shabby and I think it might be useful to some readers out there.

I call it a HDB resale price checker as it allows you to select your town (or estate) that you're living in and view

1. 2015 1H Stats - The latest figures, namely number of units sold and average resale price for 1st half of year 2015.

2. Historical trends since 2011 - The trend of the above two figures since year 2011. Note that the number of units in 2015 accounts for 1H figures only.

Use the selection panel on the left to start. Remember that you can select multiple towns, check which type of HDB you're looking at and adjust the time period you wish the trend to reflect. Have fun!

No matter how much you hate the government and Singapore's politics, you can't deny that Mr Lee Kuan Yew was a great man who fought his whole life for our country. He deserved my respect and admiration for sacrificing whole heartedly to serve Singaporeans and I am sure he inspired many to join politics because of that.

Looked how developed we become in just 50 years! (Source: wikipedia)

All these insights because I just finished the book on The Singapore Story: Memoirs of Lee Kuan Yew. The book talked about how he brought about independence from 1927 and the stories that inspired his every decision. I also got to know him better as a person, albeit a bit too late.

Some interesting details on why he sought to be free from colonial and communist rules:

1) Most British were only concerned with top jobs and high pays and never in the advancement of their colonies
2) Racial prejudice where Chinese and non-British were considered mud-blood and were looked down in sports, housing and extra curriculum activities
3) The Malays were also given priorities in Singapore and Malaya, with more scholarships given to them at a lower standards and they were taught to be superior to other races, not unlike Japanese
4) Communist were like gangsters, dealing justice after the Japanese left and in equally brutal measures as the Japanese. They were also killing and threatening people who opposed their ideologies all over the world, in Russia, Hungary and Czechoslovakia.

Some wise lessons I gleamed:

1) Networking internally - Most of his capable friends went on to form the government and had the same stand as him - non-violent meritocratic society
2) Networking externally - Other countries gave him much support and prevented further trouble caused by Malaya
2) Colonial punishment did no harm because the lessons stuck with the people. People were afraid and crimes were at an all time low when the Japanese ruled.

Some fun facts as the history lessons were made interesting:

Why Mr and Mrs Lee had a secret wedding when they were 25:
1) Kwa Geok Choo's parents may not approve
2) College did not approve to get married at such a young age
3) As she got to Cambridge through scholarship, there might be questions from them

Why the Singapore's flag was created as such:
1) To please the communists, red and stars were needed
2) To please the Malays, white and crescent moon were needed

The quite-hard-to-draw-nicely flag (Source: wikipedia)

Why Malay is our national language:
1) To show sincerity to the Tunku that we were keen to merge with them
2) To show that Singapore is not prioritizing Chinese over other races

It's easy to criticize the government, hiding behind our monitors and monikers. However, we should always think of how we can give constructive feedback and improve the policies for the good of the country. How many of us will want to join politics and serve the nation?

Nevertheless, many of the sound policies were not communicated to the masses properly. For my first election I voted for the opposition because it seems that PAP was so arrogant, implementing policies without proper communication. Discontent was prevalent as we were overwhelmed with foreigners and the public transport could not keep up with the growing population. The Population White Paper and The Increase of CPF withdrawal age and limits did not helped their popularity either. I do not oppose these policies as I understand where they are coming from, but more could be done to educate and make people understand better.

I am glad they took the message and got down from the high chair. I think Lee Hsien Loong has done a great job engaging people in Facebook (823k supporters!) and efforts could be seen to engage the public. The pioneer generation even had a Hokkien video to spread the correct message! Totally unheard of on dialects to be involved in government message and in such a comedic light hearted way.

So for the upcoming election, I am going to carefully assess each candidate on whether they are qualified to be our country's leader and not be guided emotionally by the election parties.

I promise to be objective and I owe it to Mr Lee Kuan Yew to do so.

I have lost count of the number of times I have been told that Singaporeans who already own a HDB flat cannot buy another private property. I actually believed it until someone knowledgeable enlightened me.

Being an aspiring HDB cum private property (or properties!) owner, getting the facts right on this subject is important. If a HDB owner can purchase another private property, what are the prerequisites and restrictions? After researching the truths online via official sources, I realised there are 3 major misconceptions which I hope I can provide some insights to.

I have resisted writing about Mr Lee Kuan Yew as there are so many great articles on him and I can't beat this article about the opposition's daughter and this poignant Mr Brown's story. I was touched by the many tributes and eulogies but I can't contribute as I have not had any personal encounters with him.

"I never thought he would bring me out to do something this wild on my birthday. We are not together and this is one of the first few dates but I really appreciate that he did something different from other guys. I feel stupid saying this but I think this was the pivotal moment that made me decide to accept him as my boyfriend."

Can't take many pictures at night.. =(

What is unforgettable

I like the sanctuary, the loud cricket noises, the wild life experience and trekking along the trails. I walked the whole 4 trails namely the Fishing Cat, Leopard, East Lodge and Wallaby trails. Each takes around 20 minutes. My suggestions is to walk all the trails first then travel by the trams. The trams are very crowded from 7 to 830pm and to avoid wasting at least 45 minutes of your time, explore the trails first! Kids will utterly love this night time wild expedition.

The crazy lines for these tram rides

I like how up close some of the animals are, like the tiger and bears being so close that I took a step back haha.

I like the pleasant voice and tone of the tram tour guides. It is soothing yet with an enthusiastic voice about the animals. The tram goes to some places where the trail does not go so  the tram ride is not optional. We are left spellbound when the animal crawl around just beside us on the trams.

Creatures of the sea performance

The Creatures of the sea show is truly a good performance. I have been to other countries but none is as interactive and interesting. Catch it after you finished the trails at 730, 830, 930 (daily) and 1030 (Fri, Sat, eve of PH only).

My personal favourite is to see the bats, we don't really get to see these creatures anywhere. Thanks to Batman, everyone is curious to see them up close. They swoop around near you to feed on fruits.

I also like to watch how wallabies (similar to kangaroo) hop around unenclosed beside you. They are so cute and cuddly and don't seem to fear us..

Up close with the wallby! (Source: wikipedia)

Suggestions

Eye catching signs for easy absorption of info

Feeding of the lions is at 8 and 9 pm while the tigers are at 830 and 930 pm. I think the later timings should be pushed back half an hour to 930pm for lions and 10pm for tigers to reduce crowding before 830. Maybe the animals have to eat at those timings.. I am not sure.

I think they can include some spiders and more owls please. I have seen the owl sanctuary in Taipei and they are so cool! The owls will direct their gaze at you and they will keep staring as you walk past.. real interesting!

Have a kids map for them to do colouring or do a maze puzzle to create more interactive fun.

Some of the signs have no lights, making it hard to read. They should hold a volunteer walkabout groups every so often to spot these things, similar to what I have suggested for River Safari.

Many people expressed disbelief that Singapore is at the top of Lonely planet's destination to visit in 2015. Instead of even thinking that our government paid them off with lots of money, how about try to find out the reasons why we are at the top? Usually, the tourists will visit more attractions than the locals, making it kind of ironic when locals are asked to introduce their own countries. Locals will cite high price, crowds, lack of time and 'there is always a chance' on why they have not been to all the attractions.

Red Dot Museum
28 Maxwell Road, 069120
Price: $8 
Weekdays : 1100 - 1800 Weekends: 1100 - 2000 
*Check online if they are closed for private events. 

I don't believe most of you have been to this Museum, or any museums for that matter. Own up? Anyway, this museum is more into exhibiting the designs to solve our common problems and move into futuristic creativity. Reminded me a lot about this 30 things you had no idea you needed article.

The charactertistic red building

 It can be as simple as using renewable resources to make foosball table or a slot in a bowl to place our chopsticks. Or even a concave adhesives tape for us to find the ends easily. Apple's products were also featured as they are definitely the leader in pioneering great designs for our mobile gadgets. I like the sleek curves and fresh new look on the sinks, bathtubs, chairs and even speakers. They also have a full and half day walking tour to check out the art designs around the area.

A foosball table made of cardboard

Wooden exhibits with words printed at the side below waist level.

The toilets have an industrial look and nicely blend in with the rest of the museum. However, 2 of the toilet doors were spoilt and the disgusting sink below looks like it has been installed hundred years ago. It just gives me an unpleasant feeling that is not in sync with the whole museum experience, reaffirming that good designs are not practical or durable.

Mouldy and stains filled industrial style sinks.

After the walking tour, how can you not stop by Maxwell Food Centre that is across the road? The food there are all cheap and good. I have mentioned about Tian Tian Chicken rice in an earlier post so I will not elaborate further

Chicken rice.. the chilli is the best!

If you are not in the mood for chicken rice and in the mood for queueing, you should try this Zhen Zhen Porridge (#01-54). Their porridge is like liquid and taste less like rice and more like the seafood broth that they spent hours to stew. The porridge is indeed sweet and nourishing but you have to queue at least 30 minutes to taste it.

Authentic

For takeaways, there is this ondeh ondeh stall (#01-31) that is superbly delicious. Ondeh Ondeh is like malay kuih or coconut pastries. I am addicted to their peanut mochi that is soft and not too sweet! However, they are very popular and usually all sold out by 11am so you have to come early.

Superb pastries and usually sold up before lunch time.

Sim Lim Square has recently been hit by a series of high profile scandals. Seriously, this has been ongoing for a few years but they are going overboard with their tactics and now, finally the authorities are looking into this.

The first scandal is about a Vietnamese tourist being asked to fork out additional $1500 for a 1 year warranty package that was completely unnecessary, and being not really fluent in English, initially thought it was free and signed the contractual agreement. The shop would not give him the $950 phone unless he coughed out the extra for warranty, making him cry as he has saved up very long for this and begged for a refund. It was solved only when the authorities were brought in.

The second was about a couple getting a refund for the $3000 that they have overpaid for a iphone 6+. The Small Claims court ordered the rogue merchant to refund them by $1010 and they retaliated by giving the amount in coins. These people are so brazen in their corrupt actions and still claimed that it was because the customer was unreasonable!

I would like to urge tourist not to buy from the first and second floors of Sim Lim Square and also Lucky Plaza. In fact, I have bought all of my desktops in Sim Lim Square but I know where to go for reputable retailers. Tourists will normally hang out at the lower floors. I have included the list of unreliable retailers below and hope that people will not get cheated again. Singapore is indeed a safe and honest country for shopping but there are always black sheep in every corner, tourists must always do their own research if not they have no one to blame but themselves.

Where to go in Sim Lim Square
I have researched a bit and been to some of these reputable shops namely: Trade Pac , MyNextCom, Best Price, Cybermind, Best Bargain, PC Theme #04-19, Fuwell #04-02. I think most of them are selling PC stuff though. Please do not take my recommendation as a 100% guarantee. Assess the salesman yourself, they would be begging to make the deal and you should definitely compare the prices.

Where not to go in Sim Lim Square

2013 rogue merchants (Picture taken from yahoo.com)

Food... the definite attraction in every countries, a simple way to discover the differences in culture, the very thing that had tourists coming back excited for more.. These stalls are chosen for their taste, uniqueness and accessibility to nearby attractions.

1) Tian Tian Chicken Rice
#01-10/11, Maxwell Food Centre, 1 Kadayanallur Street
My favourite chicken rice of all time is located in Maxwell food centre. The rice is fragrant, chicken is tender and juicy with the fats melting in your mouth, but the highlight of all is the chilli! Spicy with a tinge of sourness and leaves a lasting sweet taste in your mouth. It's like throwing a chili padi bomb into my mouth, every taste is a delight, I can happily eat the chilli sauce on it's own. 

How to get there
Nearest MRT is Chinatown (Purple line NE4). Take Exit A to get to Pagoda Street and walk straight down until you see South Bridge Road on your right. Take the right turn and walk for 2 more minutes you should see the food centre on your left.  Head to the extreme back (3rd row) and it is on the left side with a bright blue sign board. Look our for Stall #01-10 or the snaking queues will be a good sign. They also have branches in other areas so do check out its website.



Attractions nearby
Chinatown - A place with lots of Chinese restaurants, cheap souvenirs and oriental buildings. 
Clarke Quay and Raffles Place - See previous post.

2) Old Street Bah Kut Teh
#01-22, Kallang Wave, 1 Stadium Place
I wanted to put Ya Hua BKT but the location is not so near any attractions at all. Anyway, Old Street is quite nice if you like pepperish soup with tender pork ribs like me. Mind you, I do know some Korean friends who do not like it so be prepared for the strong taste. The meat is fulfilling and has totally absorbed all the spices added to cook the soup. You can drink all the soup you want and they will refill it free of charge. Order the promotion set A that comes with the youtiao (dough fritters) and soya bean pudding (douhua) and it makes for a satisfying meal that you will not get to eat it anywhere else in the world.  

How to get there
Nearest MRT is Stadium MRT (Orange line, CC6), exit A. Head towards Starbucks and continue straight on. The shop will be on your left. The main shop is at 4 Gemmill Lane while there are other branches at West Gate Mall and 129 Upper Paya Lebar Road that I know of.

Attractions nearby
The newest architecture is the Sports Hub, which consist of the National Stadium with retractable roof that holds our main sporting events,  Aquatic Centre, Sports library and others. You can check them out and take a stroll around the Kallang river after meals.

3) Jumbo Chilli Crab
#01-16, 11 Dempsey Road
You cannot go wrong with this dish. Every foreigner seems to know about chilli crab whenever I mention about Singapore. My USA colleagues suggested that we should export this dish and I hope whoever is in Jumbo will take a hint. You must order the fried bun and eat with the chili crab sauce if not I will not forgive you! It is really finger licking good. Their baby octopus and bamboo clams is also worth the calories and wash them down with some cold Tiger beer. 

How to get there
Nearest MRT is Orchard Road (Red line NS22, review here). Taxi is around 5 minutes and cost ~$6. Alternatively, you can go for Singapore Seafood Republic located in Sentosa and the crabs will be of the same quality, just slightly more expensive.
Attractions nearby
Orchard Road shopping- See previous post

4) Haron Satay
Stall 55, East Coast Lagoon Food Village, 1220 East Coast Parkway

The satay meat is just so tender and succulent, the oils drips off it, making it juicy and sinful! They grill these kebab looking things on a charcoal and the highlight is the peanut sauce that comes with it. I just want to lick up all the peanut sauce as it is really that yummy with a crunchy texture! You should also order chicken wings, chilli stingray and other local food from other stalls within the food village. 

How to get there
Nearest MRT is Bedok (Green line EW5) and take bus 401 during weekends and public holidays from 1400 to 2200. Otherwise, a taxi is the most convenient for less than $10. The stall is near the beach side, where a row of satay grills will be there. Look out for a green Haron Satay sign. 

Attractions nearby
East Coast Park - A place to go cycling, skating and strolling on the beach with a sea view of ships and more ships.
Changi Airport - You can come here right after you landed or before you head to the airport.

5) Toast Box Traditional toast and eggs set


The pork floss bread will be special for tourist and the coffee is totally different from Starbucks. It will have a stronger caffeine taste and drinking it with milk is the top choice for my foreign friends. The half boiled eggs are the highlight as it is perfectly boiled to just firm but not gooey and the eggs taste much creamier than other places.

How to get there
It's in every shopping mall, even in Sentosa and the Airport. They have also expanded their branches to Hong Kong, China, Thailand, Philippines and Malaysia.

Bonus: Pandan Chiffon/Cake


Many Taiwan and Hong Kong celebrities come over to buy luggage loads of this cake back. They like the soft texture but yet it is fluffy and moist. The lightness of the cake is the main reason why you can eat it at any time of the day without it being too fulfilling.

How to get there
This can be purchased in Bengawan Solo or Prima Deli shops and either one would be located in every shopping malls. You can also buy them in every airport terminals before you check in where Bengawan Solo is located.

I had a hard time short listing the attractions as it seems like 4 days 3 nights is just not enough. I had to be selective by assuming that travellers like to see the most unique and exotic side of Singapore. For theme parks, please check out the other post for families.

1) Sentosa- SEA Aquarium
Price: $38 for adults, $28 for kids
Opening hours: 10am to 6 or 7pm depending on season

Check out my review here.

2) Marina Bay Sands Skypark
Prices: $23 for adults, $17 for kids
Opening hours: 930am to 10pm, 11pm on Fri, Sat, Sun

Singapore's highest view at 57 floor will not disappoint you, it is even taller and better than the Singapore flyer. Besides the 360 degrees scenery, you can also pass by the rooftop swimming pool which will definitely entice you to stay there next time. To get the bang out of your bucks, be there during sunset to catch the lovely colours.

How to get there
Nearest MRT is Bayfront, opposite the casino and convention centres. Sands skypark entrance is at hotel Tower 3, B1.

3) Helix Bridge
Prices: Free!
Opening hours: Never closed!

How could anyone not come to take a look at the world renowned 280m architecture of the helix bridge?! You could also pop by to take a look at the majestic chandelier in the casino. Otherwise, just walk by straight to the helix bridge for the scenery and a quick photo.
Do catch the free laser show at 8 and 930pm every night. There is another show at 11pm every Fri and Sat. The show can be viewed on the promenade (See map below).

How to get there
Nearest MRT is Bayfront (Orange line, CE1), take exit B, C, D, E

4) National Museum of Singapore
Prices: $6 for adults, $3 for students with valid ID
Opening hours: 10am to 6pm

Singapore's oldest museum dating back to 1840 depicting our past 700 years history from a humble fishing village to the cosmopolitan city it is today. Guided tours are highly recommended. My absolute favourite is their Night Festival with outdoor performances. It is mostly free of charge and oh-so-interactive. Too bad it only happens once a year.

How to get there
Nearest MRT is Bras Basah (Orange line CC2) and Dhoby Ghaut (Red line NS24, Purple line NE6, Orange line CC1). Ask the MRT staff to point you in the right direction for a 5 minutes walk.

5) Singapore Art Museum
Prices: $10 for adults, free from 6 to 9pm on Fri
Opening hours: 10am to 7pm, 9pm on Fri

How to get there
Nearest MRT is Bras Basah (Orange line CC2) and walk like 2 minutes to get to Queen Street.

6) Haji Lane / Bugis Street
Prices: Free!
Opening hours: 11am to 10pm
Haji Lane is well know for cafe hop, shisha smoking and authentic vibes and architecture. It has many indie boutiques and malay textiles shop. You can take a stroll and come here for lunch before heading to Bugis Street for shopping of souvenirs.
How to get there
Nearest MRT is Bugis (Green line EW12). Exit B for Haji Lane, Exit C for Bugis Street.

7) Southern Ridges
Prices: Free
Opening hours: Never closed but go during the day for the scenery

8) Merlion Park 
Prices: Free!
Opening hours: Never closed!

Legend has it that this Merlion, with head of a lion and body of a fish was found roaming in ancient times so they named the city Singa (Lion) Pura (City). Fast forward to today, it is an icon of Singapore and tourist are always seen opening their mouths to pose with the water sprayed out.

How to get there
Nearest MRT is Raffles Place(Green line EW14, Red line NS26). However, I always like to go from Esplanade (Orange line CC3) as you get a nice view of the whole Singapore River and a good stroll to the Merlion.

9) Clarke quay
Prices: Free!
Opening hours: 6pm to 10pm for shops, 2am for pubs 

Definitely more for the night crowd, and to unwind and grab some cold beers, you can also get some dancing and let your hair loose if you want. Most hen's and bachelor's parties like to be held here and if you come during halloween, most of the costumes will be paraded here too.

How to get there
Nearest MRT is Clarke Quay (Purple line NE5), walk out of the shopping mall towards Burger King direction. Walk towards a huge bridge which is outside Ellenborough cafe and cross it. Walk straight down and you are in the heart of this place.

10) Pulau Ubin
Prices: $2.50 for the ferries, at least $10 depending on the quality of bicycle 
Opening hours: 530am to 9pm for the ferries

For me, I like less touristy place and some place more authentic and off the beaten track. It will be a long ride from most hotels to Pulau Ubin so it better be worth it. The main highlight is to cycle along the trails and reach Chek Java swamps. Don't be afraid of getting lost, there are many other cyclists around and the trails are quite clear cut. However, some of the cycling trails are quite steep so please take care of yourself. Take a rest and grab some ice cold coconut drinks ($5) if you pass by, I normally have 2 at a go as it's just so thirst quenching! Must also try a seafood dinner near the bicycle rental shops once you alight the jetty, it's cheap, good and fresh!

How to get there
Nearest MRT is Tanah Merah (East of Green line EW4). Take bus 2 to the last bus stop that stop at Changi Village Bus Interchange. Walk to Changi Point ferry terminal, the ferry will depart once there is enough people of around 12 per ferry.

Bonus: Botanic Gardens
Prices: Free! 
Opening hours: 5am to 12mn
National Orchid Garden: $5 and open from 830am to 7pm

Botanic gardens is really well developed over the years. It used to be a boring park with nothing much and now, its a huge park where you do not know where to start. For the price and enormous variety, it should be more worthwhile than Gardens by the Bay.

You can also find some celebrity named orchids (Source: Wikipedia)

Tripadvisor has the National Orchid Garden located within Botanic Gardens in the Central Core as the top attraction in Singapore. It is surely very pretty and distintive and a tranquil place, so you can understand why orchids are our country flower, specifically the Vander Miss Joaquim (weird name right). They also name orchids after celebrities and royal families.

How to get there
Nearest MRT is Botanic Gardens (Orange line CC19)

Basic 4D3N itinerary (For 3D2N, just remove Day 4)
Day 1: Head to Sentosa first to catch the SEA Aquarium and have a quick stroll on the Siloso beach. Then head to Marina bay to go up to Sands SkyPark. Walk around Helix Bridge and finish off with the laser show.
Day 2: National Museum first and then Singapore Art Museum. After which, head to Merlion Park and walk from Esplanade to Fullerton Hotel. Then go Clarke Quay to grab a drink.
Day 3: Explore Southern Ridges first, go Vivocity for lunch. Then head to Bugis Street before having your dinner at Haji Lane.
Day 4: Pulau Ubin. You can go Orchard Road (See other post) to shop before you leave.
Extra: Botanic Garden

Prices for 2 adults
SEA Aquarium + Sands SkyPark: 38 + 38 + 23 + 23 = $122
National Museum + Singapore Art Museum: 6 + 6 + 10 + 10 = $ 32
Pulau Ubin: 2.5 + 2.5 + 10 + 10 = $25
Total: $179

Extra: Botanic Gardens Orchid Park = 5 + 5 = $10

For cost conscious travellers, skip Sentosa and head to Marina barrage (See other post). Visit Singapore Art Museum on Friday from 6 to 9pm for free entry.