5 Things: A Local’s Guide to Singapore
In “5 Things,” we ask some of our favorite insiders in cities all over the world to share insider travel tips on where to eat, shop, stay, and play in their neighborhoods (plus, what to pack to make the adventure complete). We were so excited when Claire Yang, an arts educator and programmer, reached out to offer a travel guide to a city that many of us are buzzing about these days: Singapore! As a third generation Singaporean, Claire shared, “While lots of travel blogs, sites, and magazines have written about places that were featured in the movie (mostly from a traveler’s or expat’s point of view), [I’d like to share] places that I bring my visiting friends and family to. I would like to tempt your readers to explore the city that is a mix of east and west, traditional and modern, multi-cultural … or as we say here, ‘rojak’ which means eclectic mix (or a super yummy tropical salad).” This seems quite fitting a word, too, for the following guide Claire put together for us!
5 Things: Singapore
By Claire Yang
What have you read or heard about Singapore? Perhaps you’ve read about the upper echelon of Singapore society in Kevin Kwan’s book Crazy Rich Asians, or seen the less accurate but delightful movie version? Or perhaps you have seen depictions in American crime dramas or property-hunting shows that are filled with scenes of hanging lanterns accompanied by plucky, exotic-sounding music? Jokes aside, Singapore seems to be having a moment in the spotlight. Even two of the world’s leaders decided to hold a ground-breaking summit on the shores of this tiny island-nation.
And yet it was only a little while ago that Singapore seemed like an obscurity. I was born and bred here, but lived outside the country during university and graduate school. It was during these years living in the middle of England and in New York City that I found myself constantly answering questions such as “Is Singapore in China?” (no, it is not), and explaining that it is a city on an island that is a country. And yes, everyone speaks English—or Singlish, a colloquial version of English with its own grammar and vocabulary. It was challenging describing my hometown and the particularities of our culture and I would often end up saying to friends, “You just have to visit.”
I suppose I’d say the same to you, even now! Here’s where I’d take you if you were visiting…Keep Reading >
