One of the best ways to improve your health is to consume healthier foods. I mean not even the most pro-modern medicine health food skeptic will disagree with that right. Superfoods usually contain huge amounts of nutrients, vitamins and minerals than other types of food. In the processed food world we live in, this becomes way more important. We are what we eat. If you eat rubbish, you will get rubbish. Probably why a lot of Singaporeans are having poor health these days – JUNK FOOD. And just a few weeks ago, I went to McDonalds to have a quick breakfast, I was shocked to find that half the patrons in the McDonalds were elderly ladies! I was kind of surprised at first, but I understood that those McDonalds meals are pretty tasty and for the elderly, it is important as the McDonald’s meals usually don’t require much chewing. Understandable that old people are starting to flock to McDonalds.
Anyway, the problem with “superfoods” is that they can cost a lot. Try purchasing Spirulina and you will understand, it costs S$99 for several hundred grams of Spirulina tablets. When I first saw the pricing, I thought I must be dreaming! But alas, the prices for most brands of Spirulina are the approximately the same. But seriously, the prices for Spirulina shouldn’t be that expensive. In fact, it is a stable part of South American diet and I really doubt that people in South America can afford such prices. I then realize it does not have anything to do with how much it cost to produce Spirulina, but how much people are willing to pay for them. So I decided to look for superfoods that is easily and cheaply available in our local supermarket. But of course, in Singapore, most prices in our local supermarkets are already very much inflated.
1. Coconuts – You can easily find them in our local supermarkets and wet markets. Look for those young Thai coconuts. They are especially good when drunk cold in the warm sunny afternoons. Not too sweet and very very refreshing. The coconut water also is full of vitamins, nutrients and minerals for good health. It has one of the highest sources of electrolytes known. From what I read, it is known to help reduce weight, reduce the risk of heart diseases, lower your cholesterol levels and boost your energy. Avoid those canned coconut water. Get them fresh!
2. Apples – Well, it is available everywhere and it is a superfood. Most people don’t realize that. Remember the old saying “An apple a day keeps the doctor away”? It is kind of true, seeing that apples are a great source of nutrients, loaded with tons of antioxidants, vitamins and helps strengthen gums. And what about the fiber in each apple?
3. Peanuts – Super cheap superfood. Available like everywhere. Good source of protein and antioxidants. And doctors say that peanuts are good for the heart. It is just too bad that most peanuts sold in Singapore are salted and roasted, which destroys some of the health benefits. I also find that the salted varieties are just way too salty. Nevertheless, if you can, find unsalted peanuts. They do make great tasting snacks when you are watching the TV.
4. Tea – Singapore does have a large Chinese population and with that, comes tea. I normally drink green and white tea but I guess all types of tea gives some sort of health benefit to the drinker. One of the most important benefits is the cancer fighting properties as well as the antioxidants in tea. Tea also stimulate the immune system, helps fight high blood pressure, prevent blood clotting, helps fight against viral and bacterial infections. I highly recommend everyone to drink at least one cup per day.
5. Yogurt – Yes, one of my favourite foods! Although they come in a variety of favours and “fillings”, I would highly recommend you to try to plain kind. Yes, they might be a little tart, but after a while, you will find them rather delightful with some pieces of fruits. I know I am. Anyway, yogurt is high in calcium, protein, B vitamins and many other nutrients and vitamins. However, the most important is the live cultures in the yogurt. These little beneficial bacteria helps to strengthen your immune system.
6. Sea Weed – We love them don’t we? I mean they probably originated from Japanese cuisine but who cares. From what I read on the Internet, it seems to suggest that sea weed contains all the necessary minerals a body needs to survive. They also contains different types of vitamins, even the rare B12 vitamin which is not commonly found in land vegetables. Of course, most of the sea weed we get in our stores are those meant as snacks. So they come loaded with soya sauce and are usually salted. Not really that good for health if you ask me. So try go for those which are meant for cooking.
Sure, this list is not comprehensive. Not even by half. So if you guys have anything to add, please leave a comment. I would greatly appreciate any constructive comments.
Yes, Chinese New Year is coming soon. I believe it is on the 14th and 15th of February. So are you guys ready for it? I mean are you prepared for the reunion dinner and other preparations? Many people tend to delay till the last moment to get their stuff ready. But remember, this is Chinese Year Year and the majority of Singaporeans are Chinese, which would mean that the restaurants are fully booked, stuff which you want have been snapped up and everyone would be very very busy. If you are lucky enough not to be the one dealing with the preparations, then you should be glad. For those who have to find restaurants for the reunion dinner or search for food caterers for their company’s own little Chinese New Year party, well…..good luck.
We know that due to time constraints, it would be better to start preparing early. If you have to cater for hundreds of people, the first time you should do is to get a quotation from the various caterers out there. Singapore seems to have tons of them, which is good. It is important to note that due to the fact there they too will have lots of orders, you should book them early to avoid any unnecessary changes or delays. Next, you should find a suitable venue in your office for the party. Catering for hundreds of people need a lot of space for tables for the food, chairs, decorations and so on. You should also book that early as well. For my company, it is usually the events room. Some might want to use their meeting rooms for this purpose (if large enough). Oh, don’t forget the dietary requirements of some of the staff when ordering food. In my opinion, it is always better to order more than less. Of course, you won’t want to order so much that so much food remains after the party. Your boss might not like it, they being money minded and all. So ask your caterer for recommendation on the amount of food. A reliable caterer should have all the necessary knowledge to help you in this.
In Singapore, we are all very busy. Nowadays a significant number of Singaporeans do not cook or even eat their reunion dinner at home. We bunk at the restaurants. It is understandable. We just don’t have the time to cook, prepare the meals and then do all the washing and cleaning. Okay, we are just lazy. Who can blame us right? We spend most of the day at the office, come back home we are just too tired to do anything else. Of course restaurants start to look very attractive to busy folks. Anyway, as usual, book early. Find a restaurant which you think is suitable and see what packages they are offering. And just as before, I expect the quality during the reunion dinner to drop slightly since it is going to be a busy night for them. If the quality of the food drops too significantly, then you should avoid them the next reunion dinner. And yes, the prices for reunion dinner packages can be very scary at times. Don’t expect it to be the same price as usual. And they have schedules (like one a half hour) and you will need to be on time. If not, the next group of customers will come in and you will have to eat that the hawker center for your reunion dinner. That might not go well with the rest of your family.
If you are interested to look for food catering companies, please check out my listings of Singapore Food Caterers. If you are interested to look for Chinese restaurants, please check out my listings of Singapore Chinese Restaurants. Good luck. And I wish you all a prosperous and happy Chinese New Year! Don’t wait till the last minute to do all your shopping. You will regret it!
This will be the final part, I swear! I am betting that this is getting a bit dull for you guys. Well, just endure for the last time as this will be the last part of the Toa Payoh Central Walkabout pictorial. Anyway, I have run out of photos as well. But it was fun, isn’t it? Going around and taking photos of buildings, people, stuff is actually kind of fun. No wonder photography is such a popular hobby. Oh, I know, my photography skill sucks and the camera I am using is not those professional kind. If I am not wrong, it is the Fujifilm FinePix A280 digital camera. I was told that this camera is for kids and not professionals. Well, beggars cannot be choosers right?
Okay, we now continue with the great Toa Payoh Central Walkabout. As you guys might know, it is simply a pictorial of Toa Payoh Central. I will walk around the central area snapping photos of buildings and people and getting stares from others thinking who is this crazy fellow walking about taking photos. I say let them guess.
Litter everywhere. Not bad lah. You should see what happens after those Pasar Malams stalls move off – you would think that the place is a rubbish dump! This type of litter still acceptable. Anyway, this stretch of walkway is choke full of shops selling mobile phones, electronic gadgets, clocks and watches.
Singaporeans love leaving their tissues and garbage bags all over the place.
Want some OldTown White Coffee? I never had the pleasure of sipping coffee at this place. Perhaps one day I might try it. It seems to be a rather popular hangout in the afternoons. And what is white coffee?
Toa Payoh still have many of these old school shophouses. Although they might not be as modern as those shopping malls, they have still some of the olden day charms. But they do get very warm in the afternoons. Something which a lot of Singaporeans don’t appreciate. That is why we all hide at the air-conditioned shopping malls.
Another view.
Some shops underneath the block of flats. Oh, yes, that is a 7-eleven convenience store – it’s a store and more!
Toa Payoh Central Community Building. Not sure what is their purpose though.
Yet again, this is 600 Toa Payoh. At the first floor, we have McDonalds. That is where I have my breakfast. And there is currently a promotion – free coffee for every breakfast order. So if you order Egg McMuffin, you get a free coffee.
This is an interesting photo. Nowadays, cleaners use blowers to blow away leaves. But don’t complain, it is still tough work. Imagine spending the entire day under the hot sun clearing away other people’s rubbish. If only Singaporeans were more civic-minded, we won’t need so many cleaners and sweepers in Singapore.
Ahhhh…..later in the morning, the stalls are all open. This is just in front of the Toa Payoh Bus Interchange. The crowd will arrive very very soon as Singaporeans come out to enjoy their favourite past-time – shopping!
More photos of the same thing. All S$10 only! It seems to me that every stall or shop in Singapore is having some sort of ridiculous offers regularly. But then prices keep on increasing. Boggles the mind doesn’t it?
Ahhh….got people sitting down relaxing like me. Misery loves company.
Oh, this is the Toa Payoh Vista Market. This used to be a very popular market for Toa Payoh Residents. I remember coming to this market (not too sure what was the old name) to buy food, clothing, see doctor, go for tuition, buy textbooks and so on. This place is like a open-air mega mall previously.The crowds were terrible at the weekends. However, nowadays with shopping malls appearing everywhere, I guess the crowd here has reduced tremendously. Well, out with the old and in with the new. Although this not always mean it is for the better.
Okay guys, I have come to the end of this little walkabout. Hope you guys have enjoyed the pictorial. Toa Payoh Central is a very interesting place to visit. If you have the time, just relax and have a little walkabout at Toa Payoh central and soak up the atmosphere.
I believe somebody living in my area must have pissed them off and they are here to take revenge. Who is stupid enough to go and piss off a motorcycle gang? I know I am definitely not the one, as I am not that brave. I don’t even have the guts to look at some motorcyclists, let alone stare one down.
Anyway, this is not some motorcycle gang showdown. It is actually a wedding underneath my flat. If I am not wrong, it is a Malay wedding and the bride and groom was “escorted” by a large number of motorcycles as part of a wedding parade. Actually it is pretty cool. They all arrive at the same time and when the bride and groom exits from the car, all of the motorcycle starts revving their engines, which then attracted kaypo people like me who took photos of the entire thing. I am quite impressed. Too bad, the vehicles they used were all normal motorcycles. It would be even cooler if they were Harley Davidson Bikes, right? Hell, just imagine the noise they would make if all of them started revving their engines at the same time. Probably a lot of broken windows and heart-attacks.
Check it out – over 10 bikes revving their engines. Noisy.
By the time I took the picture, the bride and groom has already left the car. Those motorcyclists were still revving their engines though. It is interesting to note that the car park underneath my block is full of cars on a Saturday morning. I guess with the increasing ERP gantry rates, nobody can afford to go out. So, they simply leave their beloved cars at the car park and hope nobody scratches them.
Red Bull. 69.
Evil bikers making a lot of noise. I am not happy. Maybe they are from the same motorcycle club or something? The poor guy in the light blue car (with the P Plate) was probably so scared when he heard the motorcycles coming that he peed in his pants.
Another Red Bull car. What’s with Red Bull and cars?
Anyway, no more photos. This is all I took.
Alright, we are going to continue with the Toa Payoh Central Walkabout which I started about 2 weeks ago. If you had read the first two parts, you would have seen several photos of the area outside the bus/MRT interchange and the area next to Courts. Now, we are moving towards the Toa Payoh library, which I might add have been in existence since when I was like a wee baby. Of course back then, it wasn’t as spanking modern like it is now. But at the very least, it was air-conditioned and had what I like most – books! When I was young, I love reading books about war and history. In fact, I subscribed to a World War II magazine which had old WW2 newspapers, propaganda photos and even badges and insignias. It was so cool back then. However, my interest was not shared with others in my family, so I was usually left in the history section of the library while the rest of my family went their separate ways.
Anyway, I was at Toa Payoh to rest and relax (and of course to take photos) at the library. But it was not yet open. Our library opens at 10am. I often wonder why? Most shops in Singapore open latest at 9am but apparently our library opens only at 10am. Probably because our library is not a profit-making organization and there is no incentive for the govt to start opening the library earlier. And it might even cost more money since air-conditioning and lights at the library have to be paid by the government. Don’t you love such a calculative government? Our country’s pride and joy.
Anyway, this is the Toa Payoh Library. Just before 10am, there will already be a crowd of people gathering outside waiting to be allowed to get into the air-conditioned heaven. Singapore is just too warm to stay outside. We need air-conditioning to survive!
I don’t know what this is. I guess it is some sort of a fountain which has a small shelter. I wonder why is there a need to shelter the fountain? And it is not much of a shelter anyway. The fountain has not started yet. Oh, on the right, is Shop N Save. And on the left is yet another food court.
600 Toa Payoh! Basically McDonalds, a food court and a snooker joint. Pathetic. And the food court is not even air-conditioned. Or at least when I entered the place, I didn’t feel any air-conditioning. Or it was not working. Or they shut it off. Whatever. This place sucks. Not much of anything.
Yes, now we know, this is a place for people to hang their cloths to dry! Singapore’s public areas is THE PREFECT place to dry your clothes. Luckily, they didn’t hang their undergarments this time. Somebody might steal them. Maybe tomorrow or next week.
Shop N Save. On the second floor is actually Fortune Restaurant. If I remembered correctly, it was one of the oldest restaurants in Singapore. But a few years ago when I ate here, the food sucks big time. And it is not cheap either. Too bad. I was expecting some really good old-fashioned Chinese cuisine from this restaurant.
Woohooo! StorHub Self Storage. Just across the street from Shop N Save. If you need storage like for your entire porn collection, this is the place to go.
On the other side, yet another coffee shop.
Hey look, there is a crowd queuing up here.
Oh, this is Singapore Chung Hwa Medical Institution. I believe that this is a “free” clinic. The consultation fees are waived but I think the medicine are subsidized. And it looks like Singaporeans are a sickly bunch. We see queues forming outside clinics, hospitals and places like these every day. The price we have to pay for Singapore’s success. Either that or the price of Singapore’s medications has gone off the roof and there are just a lot of poor people in Singapore. I am actually beginning to think that our medical industry is starting to show signs of breaking. Soon the medical cost will be beyond that of regular Singaporeans and we will have yet another serious problem in our hands (like the current property nightmare) that shifts the burden to the common man on the streets. I really hope that our healthcare industry doesn’t become like America’s. That would really be disastrous.
The Singapore Chinese Physicians Association. What is the purpose of this association? I have absolutely no idea. I think it should be a something good, or at least something meant for the people.
Wow, they even have a herbal garden. And we have a blue motorcycle parking right in front of it. Don’t you love the considerate Singaporean motorcyclists?
Herbs! Some of them are dying. Let’s write an email and complain about the gardener.
More herbs.
Okay, you have reached the end of Part 3. I hope that you have enjoyed this little writeup. I will continue the writeup on the Toa Payoh Central Walkabout soon. If you are interested, please read the 1st and 2nd parts here: Part 1 - Part 2. Need to fix my computer first.
Ahhh……we continue the great adventure that is the Toa Payoh Central Walkabout. As mentioned before, this is actually a photo-taking leisure stroll around Toa Payoh Central before I retire to the library and have some much needed R&R. To some, it is boring. To others, it could be interesting. Photos to me is always interesting. Much better than words and descriptions. Some things, you just can’t describe properly even if your English is good. That is why I rely on photos to show my readers.
And guys, even in the morning, the weather is still quite warm and even a leisurely stroll is tiring. This is concrete city! No wind somemore. Lol! I begin to sound like an old man eh? Anyway, before I go off track yet again, I better continue with the walkabout. If not, you will spend half the time listening to my endless complaints.
Woooohoooo! Open space! Yes, you won’t find such open space in Singapore anymore, especially in the new towns. Luckily we have some old town flavour remaining in Toa Payoh. But it would be a matter of time before some smart-ass government official decides turn this area to yet another shopping mall. Money is king in Singapore.
Oh, here we have Toa Payoh Entertainment Centre. Basically it is a crappy little “shopping mall” with just a few shops and houses the 2nd worst cinema in Singapore. Oh, for those who are interested, there is an arcade at the second floor. I am not sure what happened, but when I went there, the McDonalds and Long John Silvers are gone. Perhaps the shopping mall is just too crappy for the likes of McDonalds and Long John Silvers.
Oh lookie, yet another building to be ready soon. I guess this is another shopping mall? Or some office building? Thanks, that is what Singapore needs, yet another concrete building.
Hey, it is Courts! Cheap prices at your local store! Sale! And look at the banners everywhere!
Cash Converters! This is the place where you go sell your stuff for the lowest amount possible and if you have no brain, this is also the place where you go buy unwanted stuff at ridiculously high prices.
A better view of the Cash Converters shop. So many stuff people don’t want.
Nobody? Well it is very early in the morning, so I guess there isn’t much of a crowd. Come afternoon, it would be full of people sweating it out in Singapore’s streets.
So we cross the bridge and take a photo. Nothing special, just a few people waiting at the bus stop and NTUC nearby.
Ahhh….the Toa Payoh Swimming Complex. This used to be the place I go for my swimming lessons when I was much younger. The entrance fee was 20 cents. Now, I guess it should be way more than that. Not that it matters to me, as I have not went swimming for years.
Everything still close. Only bakeries are open. Nobody wants to do their shopping in the mornings.
Ah-ha! It is NTUC Fairprice! Our favourite local supermarket.
Hey, my first skool is open. Parents need to bring their kids to childcare before rushing to work, so of course they will have to open early. That is life in Singapore – you rush to work, you rush to school, you rush for lunch, you rush home, you rush to exchange EZ-Link cards…….
Yet another photo of a near empty coffee shop. But just in the mornings, don’t think that there won’t be a crowd coming soon. In Singapore, everywhere is crowded.
Okay, this is getting tedious – yet another photo of closed shops. Yes, it is 7am in the morning. Did someone say the early bird catches the worm? Smack that person in the head now.
Oh, I think I better end now. I would not want to make this post too long or you guys might get bored. If you would like to read the first part of this walkabout, please refer to: The Great Toa Payoh Central Walkabout (Part 1). See you guys next time in Part 3!
Well guys, I had some free time the other day and so I went for a leisurely stroll at Toa Payoh Central. Actually I wanted to go to the library and have a nice nap there, away from the stress and everything. But the library will only be opened from 10am onwards. Why? I have no idea. Perhaps the staff at the library cannot come to work early or they might be grumpy. We definitely don’t want grumpy librarians right? Anyway, I reached Toa Payoh at 7am! Yes, I woke up that early, so I had a lot of free time to go around Toa Payoh Central and take photos for you guys to enjoy. Some of you who had never been to Toa Payoh might be interested, while those working or staying there will find it rather dull and boring. But actually, Toa Payoh is no longer the old town with old shophouses and full of grannies and uncles walking around in singlets and canes. It has changed a lot since the 1980s when I stayed around there. Now, they have an air-conditioned bus interchange full of boutiques and classy shops. Of course, most of the layout still remains – it would cost a lot of pull down these old shophouses. Furthermore, keeping the shophouses makes sense as it reminds us of our past. Of course, an all-in-one shopping mall would make everyone happy as well.
And you know what? Taking photos is not as easy as it seems. And people tend to stare at you when you go around and snap photos. They would wonder why is someone taking photos of them. Furthermore, since Sept 11, people tend to get suspicious when they see someone taking photos of buildings and people. They think that you are a terrorist out to get them. But of course, in typical Singaporean style, they don’t give a hoot, except when it is on TV.
The moment I stepped into the Toa Payoh Bus Interchange, I took this photo. Yes, most of the shops are closed.
However, the small cafe is okay and we have some Malay ladies selling breakfast as well. If I had not craved McDonald’s Egg McMuffin, I would have bought from them.
Ahhh….The Cafe Lobby. Selling you local breakfast fare at extra-ordinary prices. Look got one guy stare at me taking photo.
BreadTalk and Lee Hwa Jewellery. Even Breadtalk is not open yet. Way too early for most of us I guess. Singaporeans cannot wake up early, it is in our genetic make-up. Of course, we then force our children to wake up early to catch the schoolbus to go to school. Wow, I managed to push 4 “to”s into the previous sentence. I rock!
Wuhahaha, not opened yet as well. We have Kiddy Palace, Koufu (Expensive Makan place), NTUC FairPrice, OCBC Bank and some other which I cannot see. This place will be like an oven in the afternoons.
Wow, got POSB as well. Hardly see any POSB branches anymore – thanks to our govt. It is actually kind of sad to see what was once our friendly neighbourhood bank turned into a corporate monster like the rest of the banks in Singapore. And guys, look, it is Dell!
Wait, got one bread shop open. CAKE something. But the shelves look empty though.
This leads to the other shops upstairs or to the MRT station. By 9am, this place will be crowded with shoppers and commuters. Singapore is like that one – super crowded hellhole.
Wow, got art. But of course, nobody in Singapore cares about art. We like makan and shopping. We also like mobile phones and expensive cars.
I didn’t know that there is a Hog’s Breathe Cafe in Toa Payoh! Hmm….if only I can afford eating such oily fatty food. But then I would die from some heart disease in the near future, so I guess that is a blessing in disguise eh? On the second floor, we have Pizza Hut, Sizzler and Hog’s Breathe Cafe. Singapore is currently infested with fast food joints and where once poor quality food was served exclusively at army camps, they are now served everywhere in Singapore.
Again, the art. Looks like a few kids on top of what appears to be a quarter slab of cheese. Crazy kids.
Hmm….on the other side, another piece of art. This time, another group of kids on the other quarter slab of cheese. Someone should tell them never to play with food. Furthermore, cheese is very expensive in Singapore. Ah, who am I kidding -everything is expensive in Singapore. Nowadays even Soya Milk is expensive – just ask Mr Bean.
Another view of the shopping area surrounding the Toa Payoh Bus Interchange. As mentioned, too early in the morning, there is hardly anybody.
Wow, trees and shade! Don’t you just love a little greenery in concrete Singapore. Even in Toa Payoh, such places are rare, especially since space is a premium here. Everywhere you go, you see buildings, houses, roads, shops and people. In the past, Singapore is called Clean and Green. Now, I guess that doesn’t apply here anymore. We should start a truth campaign about Singapore – Overcrowded and Dead.
Yes, a little garden. Heaven in Singapore. But come afternoon, this place will be very warm as well. And since it is surrounded by buildings, you will not get any wind. That is probably why most Singaporeans just hide at Shopping Malls if they get the chance. Yes, they have a fountain there but it is not switched on in the mornings. And if you look at the left, you will see more “sculpture” art. It looks like an old lady cradling a child.
Yes, someone left their breakfast drinks on the public seating area because they were in a rush to save a kitten trapped in a tree. My heroes. I will be glad to clear the bottles for them. Wait….wait…look there is yet another kitten trapped in the tree and I need to save it, I guess I will leave the rubbish for others to clear loh. Busy people, we heroes. If not superheroes, then they should be free to clear rubbish for us heroes. Save the kitten save the world.
Ya, is that a shopping mall we see? We Singaporeans cannot resist the lure of shopping malls. Like what a bait is to a fish. The bigger the better.
Sorry to disappoint you guys, but this shopping “mall” is small. But it has an air-conditioned food court! The ground floor, there is a restaurant if you are into fine dining. And next it to is Courts! There is surprisingly nothing much else.
Well, this is the end of the first part. I will continue the little walkabout in the next post. Hope you guys have enjoyed it so far! Please read Part 2 here: The Great Toa Payoh Walkabout Part 2.
Well, are you guys prepared for the Chinese New Year Reunion Dinner? Ha, you must be thinking that I have really gone bonkers this time. Not yet finish preparing for that Christmas Party and I am already thinking of the Chinese New Year Reunion Dinner? Well, true. One step at a time is the best policy. But you guys need to remember, for the next year, the Lunar New Year is in January. Not like the usual “some where in February” like what we have the previous years. So, yes, although the year is not over yet, we still have to prepare for the Chinese New Year Reunion Dinner soon. You don’t know to be caught in the rush for restaurants in the last minute, do you?
Nowadays Singaporeans do not have the time (or the energy) to cook for the Lunar New Year Reunion Dinner. Worst still, some of us have to go to different places for Reunion Dinners like with our in-laws and what-not. So, how do we find time to prepare for so many dinners with our hectic schedules? We don’t. Seriously. Very few of us cook for the reunion dinner. Nowadays the norm is to eat out. That’s why Chinese restaurants in Singapore are making a killing (if you don’t mind the unlucky word) during Chinese New Year. And that is why there are squeezing in so many customers in the restaurants. You get cramped places and dinner shifts! This meant that you are allowed like 1 or 1 and a half hours to eat your reunion dinner before they kick you out for the next group of customers. Yes, that also meant that you got no time to talk to your relatives. Don’t you just love Singapore and the businessmen in charge of the country?
And oh, the restaurants charge you a hand and a leg for that 1 and a half hour of makan. Don’t expect that 100 dollars to be enough for your reunion dinner. Some restaurants charge like S$900 for a table of 5. Even “cheap” restaurants are not cheap during Chinese New Year. What do you expect? Chinese New Year is the best period for them to chop their customers’ heads off, even to the point of daylight robbery. But I guess since everyone is doing it and even with the economy supposedly doing very badly, we have to endure the legalized robbery that occurs every year. Even Christmas season we don’t see the bandits hiding in the restaurants. Okay, okay, I know it is the Chinese New Year, how about the quality of the food? First of all, if previous years were to set the presidence of the quality and standard of the food during Chinese New Year, I have to say you guys will be shocked. I have eaten at many restaurants during the Chinese New Year Eve and some of the food they served tasted worse than my own cooking. And when I say it happens, you will be again shocked to realized that even in high class restaurants which are Singapore’s best, the quality of food drops significantly during Chinese New Year. That and the standard of service drops as well. The staff will be swamped with so many customers and orders that you would think you were at the hawker centre.
No, I am not choosy with my food, nor do I always indulge myself with fine food and wine that I cannot eat at the hawker centre. But for god’s sake I am paying hundreds of dollars for the food and the service, the very least the restaurants can do is to provide a little of both. Don’t always think of making a lot of money. Greed can come back and haunt you.
Anyway, if you are still planning to go out for your Chinese New Year Reunion Dinner (or if you have no choice in the matter), please take a look at my list of Singapore Chinese Restaurants. I wish you all the best.
One of the biggest advantage of renting a vehicle is that you don’t need all the hassle of purchasing a vehicle. I am pretty sure that if you have bought a vehicle before, you would understand what I mean. You need to get all your particulars, your bank information, your credit, your insurance and much more. It is just so troublesome. Furthermore when you purchase a car, the value of the car immediately drops. This is definitely something which you would want to consider when you are thinking of buying your own car. And after you purchase your car, you will need to take it in for servicing and repairs. You will also need to worry about paying for insurance and premiums. So much trouble just for a car to bring you to and fro from work.
So why not rent a car? You might think that it is more expensive in the long run but do remember that your car do depreciates in value over time. It does not mean that the price of your car remains as high when you sell it in a few years down the road. How about insurance? Remember, you will need to pay for insurance yourself and this will factor into the cost. How about servicing and repairs? You will have to pay for those as well after the first few free servicings. Unless you are a real car fan, do you really need to own your car? Why not let others worry about insurance, servicing and among others for you. All you want is a vehicle that drives you to work. Some rental companies even allow you to choose your own model, make and colour if you sign a long term contract with them. So, this is just like getting your very own vehicle, less the headaches.
Most rental companies will provide you with alternate transport when they send the vehicle in for servicing or repairs. You don’t need to even send the vehicle for servicing yourself! You don’t need to do anything else. All you have to do is to pay for the fuel and parking. That’s it. What could be simpler than that?
So if you are interested in renting a vehicle, please take a look at the listing of Singapore Car / Vehicle Rental Companies I have created. Hope that it can be a very useful guide for you.
With the huge influx of foreigners into Singapore, I am worried that the Singapore culture may get diluted some what. As the large number of foreigners form part of Singapore and it’s society in general, it may get difficult for Singaporeans to differentiate from others. So I would propose a Singaporean Purity Law which ensures the purity of Singaporeans. Just like the German Beer Purity law which ensures that their beer is not tainted with melamine or taste like A&WÂ root beer, this Singaporean purity law will protect Singaporeans from becoming foreigners and vice versa. It is our assurance against contamination in our bloodline. We all like things pure, don’t we?
Anyway, this is what I am proposing for the Singaporean Purity Law.
- Poor Genes. According to some vastly intelligent Chinese in Taiwan, a good portion of Chinese Singaporeans are from South Fujian who came to Singapore as Coolies or farmers. So they, unlike the people in Hong Kong or Taiwan, are of poorer stock and pain stupid. So it gathers that most Singaporean Chinese have poorer genes and are stupider. We need to add this to our Singaporean Purity Law because good genes means that we have to be like Hong Kong or Taiwan. This law applies only to Singaporean Chinese.
- Queuing. Singaporeans must always queue. Only exception is when you are entering public buses or trains. In this scenario, Singaporeans have to rush up the bus or into the train without allowing others to get off first. Other than that, you must enjoy queuing, like queuing for the McDonald’s Hello Kitty Doll and for the new EZLink card. If not, you are not a Singaporean. Go to Taiwan.
- Overspending. Singaporeans must always spend beyond their means. Like those Singaporeans who spent a huge sum of money buying washing machines and decking out their “dream kitchen” when none of them ever wash their own clothes or even know how to cook. If they did cook, we would all die of food poisoning without the help of China. Plus, they must always buy new expensive cars they cannot afford which sucks petrol like a sponge every year. Cool.
- Cannot think. If you are wondering how the hell would an GST (tax) increase help the poor, then you are not a Singaporean. If you are wondering how increasing the bus/train fares of a profit making government controlled public transport company would help improve the bus/train service, you are also not a Singaporean. You are an European Colonist hell bend on destroying Singapore and all that it stands for. Go die fast.
- Kiss Ass. Singaporeans must always kiss the ass of foreigners but must be smart about it. Last time when the US & European countries were “the king”, we kiss the ass of the US & European countries and call China names. Now, China is “the king”, we kiss the ass of China and call US & European countries names. If you disagree, you can kiss my ass. This law applies to ALL Singaporeans. So if you are someone are from China, remember to wipe your ass properly today.
- Bitch. Singaporeans must always listen to what the government say. So if the government tells you to jump, you say how high. If the government tells you to pay more taxes, you say where is my cheque book? If the government tells you to cut your pay, you say cut more please. If the government tells you to vote for them because it is good for you, you say sure thing. If the government tells you to bend down and spread your legs, you say how wide. If you aren’t a bitch, go to Hong Kong and stay there. With this law in place, you can easily differentiate foreigners and Singaporeans because of the barking when being screwed.
- “Lah“. Singaporeans must always end the sentence with “lah” or “one”. So if you are going to go to the restroom, you will tell your friends “I am going to the Toilet laaaah!”. Or if you disagree with your friends, you will say “Where got like that one?” or use the more refined “Fuck You Laaaah!”. Of course, this law itself requires more refinement.
- Tissue Paper Pack. Singaporeans “book” tables with tissue paper packs. So if you would like to “book” a table in a crowded coffee shop or hawker centre, place a tissue paper pack on the table. Officially, you can use it to “book” benches, chairs, toilets, cinema seats, hotel rooms, F1 gallery seats…..If it doesn’t work because some big shot angmo don’t care, “book” with some semen and clean up later with the tissue paper.
- Ignore Old People and Pregnant Women. If you are a true-blue Singapore, you will have to ignore those old people and pregnant women on the buses or trains. Just because they are old or pregnant and look pathetic doesn’t mean that we have to help them by giving them our seats. And we will have to ignore the signs on the buses and trains that tells us to give the seats to old people and pregnant women. Just like our government, they are there for show only. If you think that it makes you look bad, pretend to sleep when you see them. If you want to give up your seat for these group of people, you will not be included as an true-blue Singaporean and you will die a miserable death.
- Block others. Real Singaporeans spend all their time blocking others. If you are in a crowded shopping mall, it would be prudent to stop your entire family of 10 in the middle of the pathway and start talking about the weather and how great the Singapore government is. Or you can just bring your 5 snotty kids and 4 angmo sized strollers along to those shows at Suntec City to block everyone. It would also make sense to block others from entering buses or trains by standing at the entrance of the bus or train. The Singapore slogan is “Who did you block today?”. The winner is the one who blocks the most people. The winner gets a medal from the government.
Well, that’s all I have for this Singaporean Purity Law. If you have any thoughts or ideas on improving this law, please post some comments below. I would very much like to ignore you.
