Amongst one of the many places to visit in Singapore, Chinatown is definitely one to see. Filled with different facets of the Chinese culture and speckled with the colours and features of the other immigrant cultures in Singapore, it is lively, colourful and exciting. From small shopping centres with hidden hawkers markets, to old authentic shophouses, temples, bustling stores selling electrical goods and high end malls, Chinatown itself is a large reflection of how I came to know Singapore, a place of many faces.
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Upon my first visit to Chinatown, it was the run up to Chinese New Year, and so was bustling with people preparing to partake in the festivities. The great thing is that wherever you are in Singapore, there’s always someone who is interested in your story, and this is exactly what happened when we sat in an old mall trying another form of cuisine. Asking where we’re from, what we are doing in Singapore and he himself telling us his story, an elderly man offered us space to sit at his table, and it is this friendly and inquisitive spirit in the people of Singapore that make it so welcoming and so homely.
After this, we found yet another mall and it was here that we decided to get a fish pedicure, yet another amusing experience. If you’ve ever had it done, you know how ticklish and weird it is to feel fish biting at your feet. But it was definitely necessary, after constantly walking around in sandals. Finally we visited the shophouses and the market that lines the streets, filled with tourist trinkets and cultural artefacts, as well as home to a TinTin museum (really random), but overall it was an enjoyable experience being able to embrace and be a part of the Chinese culture, and is definitely worth the visit!
Hope you enjoy the pictures 🙂
Singapore Spice 