Visiting Singapore!

[Petebass]

I just found out I'll be going to Singapore in January 09 for a gig, so I'm taking the opportunity to take my wife on a bit of a vacation.

Has anyone here visited Singapore? Is there anything I absolutely MUST see or do while we're there? Also, are there any TB'ers from Singapore who might like to catch up while I'm there?

[rottenramone]

hello from singapore

which gig would u be playing at?

coupla things u can do with the missus:
- visit the singapore zoo and night safari. www.zoo.com.sg

- visit sentosa, beach island resort kinda place.
www.sentosa.com.sg

- food here is good n cheap. please do yourself a favour and stuff yourself silly. i highly recommend the hainanese chicken rice... you can check out several food sites like www.makansutra.com or www.hungrygowhere.com for food reviews.

for everything else, you can check out www.visitsingapore.com

for the gear whore, there's a whole line of guitar shops at the basement of excelsior and peninsula hotels. its within walking distance from city hall mrt station (subway). you can also check out bras basah complex, which also houses some guitar shops as well. that's also within walking distance from city hall mrt.

try to go before the last week of jan though. that's the chinese new year and it'll be a virtual ghost town around that time.

here's where singapore musos hang out: www.soft.com.sg

did i mention the food?

[ROON]

I really loved seeing the Tiger Balm Gardens. But I've heard it's becoming less and less appealing as time goes on. It seemed pretty popular when I went there. The food everywhere in Singapore is great.

[Petebass]

Originally Posted by rottenramone

hello from singapore

which gig would u be playing at?

try to go before the last week of jan though. that's the chinese new year and it'll be a virtual ghost town around that time.

Whoa lots of great info there. I'll check out those links later. Thanks

The gig has been confirmed but I'm still awaiting the details. I'll let you know when I find out more. For now I can tell you the gig is on Jan 31, apparently at one of the big hotels, and is for the benefit of any Australians in Singapore who want to celebrate Australia Day (which is actually Jan 26, but hey....). There is potentially a corresponding gig the week before in Bangkok for which I am on hold. Bangkok is a great place, but we've been there before, so we've decided to take the vacation in Singapore.

Unfortunately we have no choice but to go in late January. Thanks for the tip about Chinese new year, but hopefully that won't be an issue seeing the crowd should be mostly Australians.

[RayG]

Had one of the best Indian meals ever down by the quay. There are tons of smaller restaurants there. Also check out the Long Bar at the Raffles Hotel. There is the world's largest fountain at Temask Plaza. Wife will like the shopping at the mall there too.

http://www.visitsingapore.com/publis...boat_quay.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raffles_Hotel

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fountain_of_Wealth


Regards----------

[ahkiatt]

Try our local food! Use the makansutra website that rottenramone showed. Highly recommended.

Gear here should be cheaper than in Australia I think.


OOO... Try durians from Geylang!

According to wikipedia, CNY will be on 4th of Feb, so you'll be able to try our Chinese New Year delicacies and check out the sales at our malls. Chinese food to try during Chinese New Year will include, Bakkwa(BBQed Sweet Pork), Nian gao(cake), and walk around Chinatown's street stalls.

Orchard Road will be a good spot to go shopping with your wife.

Feel free to call me out for a beer or food or music when you're in town.

[Mark Latimour]

I'd go and spray paint a lot of cars. It worked for that American kid. He got a cultural experience he won't soon forget.

[spinofdoom]

Haha ahkiatt and rottenramone pretty much said everything.

That said, remember NOT to bring in too many gums.
YEs there is a guitar/bass haven in the Peninsula Area, you can check it out.DOn't bring in cigs if you smoke, except for 1 opened pack.

We have a Public Transport system that is pretty good. Though I'd be careful. Many Grumpy Middle aged ladies that will STARE at you, if they don't have a seat while you and your missus have a seat.
Food's pretty cheap, and we have the run-of-the-mill fast food and coffee joints found everywhere in the world.

[ahkiatt]

It was just a spanking, I got plenty of those as a kid.

[RHFusillo]

I love Singapore. It's a great place to visit.

If you like Indian food, my favorite restaurant is the Banana Leaf on Race Course road, near the Little India metro stop. True to its name, they serve the food on banana leaves.

I second the recommendation of the Night Safari at the zoo. Also, the food is good at the zoo.

If you tip a glass, Tiger beer is quite good.

Another attraction is a massage with happy finish, which can be had all over town.

Edit: Forget that last bit, if you're bringing your wife.

[syciprider]

I forgot the name of the club but I remember

Four Floors of Whores....

But seriously, Singapore by far is the best place to visit in SE Asia. Better than HK in this sailor's opinion. Very clean, very nice ppl.

[doctorjazz]

I can only imagine what Maki will suggest when he sees this thread...

[rottenramone]

4 floors of whores? u must be talking about orchard towers. sailors hangout. not recommended for wifey. the locals frequent geylang, which the us navy banned their personnel from going. but there's a thai food joint in orchard towers which is supposedly very authentic.

apolo banana leaf restaurant is one of the better indian restaurants around. if you can stomach it, try the fish head curry. my foreign friends were quite put off by it actually. the best part of the fish is eating the eye.

personally i wouldn't shop for used basses here. i think most of the stock comes from talkbass

[Petebass]

I'm actually allergic to fish

I don't think I'll be buying any equipment over there. I already own too much gear, and I work for a bass store so I'm covered if I need anything

The food aspect has got me really excited. All the cuisines mentioned so far are right up there as some of my favorites, Indian and Thai especially. If I eat the Indian food from a banana leaf, I want to do it the traditional way and eat with my hands - no cutlery. That's gonna be awesome fun!!!

Guys, thanks for all the suggestions so far. Looks like we're going to have a busy week trying to fit it all in, but I'm really looking forward to it! Is it January yet?

[ROON]

Originally Posted by ahkiatt

OOO... Try durians from Geylang!

Don't try taking them on the trains though.

[Bob Lee (QSC)]

I ate quite well during my visit to Singapore almost two years ago. We had Chinese, Indian, Indonesian, Malaysian, etc. I especially liked the small unpretentious, non-chain places along streets like Balestier Road (example: Loy Kee Best Chicken Rice).

The day my colleague and I arrived, we took a bus over to Orchard Road to explore and find some dinner. We found places like Black Angus, California Pizza Kitchen, McDonalds, Starbucks, etc. I didn't travel 8000 miles to eat at a CPK, so we walked on and on until we found a reasonably local eatery.

[Petebass]

Bob I also don't travel to eat the same food I'd eat at home. However, our visit to McDonalds in Bangkok turned into a funny experience. They had things on the menu you don't see anywhere else. We decided to get a "McRice Burger" each. It's basically a burger but instead of a bread bun, they used rice patties. So I get the the counter and say "2 Chicken McRice burgers please".

The girl behind the counter looked at me blankly. I repeated, a bit slower this time " 2......... Chicken........ Mc ....... Rice ....... Burgers ......... Please".

Again, the same blank look. She had absolutely no idea what I was asking for. At this point she grabbed a cardboard version of the menu, and pointed to the standard McChicken burger as though to confirm that's what I wanted. I said "No No, Mc Rice burger" and pointed to the appropriate picture on the menu. Seemed to get it and said "aaahhhhh Mac Laaiiiiiiii", as if to correct my pronunciation. We had to laugh.........

[Petebass]

Hi all. I just though I'd jump on and let you know my travel plans now that my trip is so close.

I'll be arriving in Singapore late at night on the 25th Jan, 2009. Just me (and the band members of course). The wife couldn't get time off work, which is a shame but that's how things go sometimes..........

I' staying in 2 different hotels but they're both very central and neither is far from Orchard Rd

The gig is on the Friday 30th Jan at the Swisshotel the Stamford but it's a private function so it's unlikely that members of the public will be allowed allowed in. But that's pretty much my only appointment while I'm there, so there should be plenty of time for sight seeing, shopping, eating, and hopefully catching up with some TB'ers from Singapore.

If you'd like to meet up, shoot me a PM with your email address or phone number or other contact details, and I'll get in touch with you once I arrive.

Thanks for all your tips so far.

[Bob Lee (QSC)]

This year Singapore, next year NAMM. Got it, Pete?

[Petebass]

Hey is there anywhere in Singapore where I might be able to see a live band mid-week? From what I've read, my best bet is at Clarke Quay and Riverside Point. Does that sound right?