Chinatown and the Quay

Singapore, famous for high end shopping has some bargains too if you know where to look. Today we decided to try our luck at a store that sold eyeglasses and hopefully find a bargain. At first things seemed bleak, the store in the guidebook no longer existed, and then one of the frame stores we visited seemed more interested in keeping would be buyers out. Alas, after some afternoon entertainment outside the Lacoste store -- a would be shoplifter wrestled to the ground and fighting with five security guards, I guess crime does happen here -- third time was a charm. A friendly salesperson helped us make two purchases, designer Asian frames for mom (at a 50% discount from the U.S.) and a new pair of Ray Ban sunglasses for me. With our new purchases and a quick stop at the Hard Rock for my usual pilsner glass, off we went to Chinatown.

Chinatown, one of the three distinct enclaves, is lively and filled with stalls selling interesting knickknacks and a variety of foods. Similar to Hong Kong, some shopkeepers try to lure us in with promises of discounts, and more than once someone offers a fitting for handmade clothing, very cheap of course. We are more interested in the Chinese Cultural Heritage Center a must see museum on the history of Chinese Immigrants in Singapore. The center re-creates living conditions and spares no detail in transporting you from the first wave to today’s busy modern Chinatown.

After the museum we wandered down tourist clogged narrow streets to the gold filled Buddhist monastery located in the heart of Chinatown. It is five stories of religious wonder. Pictures are welcome; women in sleeveless shirts are not. Luckily they provide shawls should you forget your own. As dusk sets we seek another do not miss - dessert. Stop by your local Chinese pastry shop for an egg tart, perhaps one of the best desserts we have ever tasted. It’s warm and filled with egg in a mouth watering crust. We share one since we don’t want to spoil our appetites as we set out to explore the river area, where dinner awaits.

Clark Quay pronounced K-E-Y along the waterfront, is another area that Singapore has re-invented. Active nightlife and bar scene, this is where foreigners and expats go to have a good time. High end restaurants, short skirts, and expensive drinks, all set to hip hop music and a happening long winding outdoor promenade lines both sides of the river.

I guess because it’s an island, Singapore can prepare great seafood. Even though restaurants in Clark Quay can be quite expensive, I have some of the best seafood of my life at a reasonable price with a view of the river boats floating by in the background. It made the evenings activities all the more memorable. This is also the area that you can take a river boat cruise and we vow to return tomorrow and pick up where we left off in Clark Quay.