For a different experience, try Singapore. That is where I found myself last week; on a welcome break from all the noise, grime and uncounted election returns. I just shut up, took the first Singapore Airlines flight, and shopped!
I lived in Singapore for 12 years before moving back to Manila close to two years ago. A visit was long overdue and it was a great opportunity to see what changes the city state had undergone. In all those years, I had always enjoyed shopping along Orchard Road, Marina Square and Bugis Junction. This was also because these three locations were on my way to and from work. Add the fact that taxis, buses and the MRT made all points up and down this route supremely accessible, and the bonus that stores in Singapore stayed open till 10 p.m., then you really redefine convenience for shoppers – local and tourists alike.
Coming back as a tourist changed the perspective little and Singapore today continues to be a tourist shopper’s paradise – this, from the point of view of the convenience I mentioned, the variety of goods and proximity of the shopping districts to all the major hotels and tourist attractions on the island. (The island’s city planners actually chose where hotels are to be sited and made sure that infrastructure supports these as well as shopping and commercial districts.)
The first thing I noticed on landing at mega-modern Changi airport was the fact that the MRT was now connected directly to the city. The trains now have extra space for tourists to stow their luggage and the cost is less that a taxi ride from Makati to Ortigas! The train system island-wide, in fact, has been expanded since I lived there. Now, all major residential districts and commercial districts are connected by this clean and highly efficient light rail system.
The next thing that caught my attention was that the annual Great Singapore Sale was on and would stay on for a full two months (May 28-July 25) instead of the month or so that I was used to years ago. The Singapore Tourism Board, the Singapore Retailers Association and MasterCard, among other sponsors, have gotten together to make sure no one missed the opportunity for endless shop-till-you-drop days and nights (the local bargain mecca, Mustafah’s, actually stays open 24 hours!).
I visited most of my favorite shopping haunts. For cameras and electronics: Adelphi, Funan Center and Peninsula Plaza were just a short walk from the comfortable Meritus Mandarin hotel where I stayed. That walk is now made more interesting because one can take it through CityLink, an air-conditioned underground walk connecting the shopping district of Marina (Suntec City, Millenia Walk and Marina Square) and Raffles City where the MRT station is. The link is lined with quirky modern retail shops, mod-decor restaurants and cafes, making it a destination in itself. It also links to the Esplanade Theaters by the Bay, where many of the annual Singapore Arts Festival offerings are held (May 28-June 20).
For bookstores, my favorite places: The Bras Basah Center behind Raffles Hotel (for architectural and design books, try Basheer’s on the fourth floor), Borders at Wheelock Place and Kinokuniya at Ngee Ann City, both on Orchard Road.
For crafts and trinkets: Arab Street, just a hop away from Sim Lim Square (another electronics emporium) and Little India for jewelry, beads, and fascinating spice and curry feasts. Little India is also accessible via a stop on the new MRT Northeast line.
Shopping is just not shopping in Singapore. Eating is part of the experience, too. I suggest you try the "Shop and Eat" tour, which takes you to Chinatown and a sampling spree of local dishes, from breakfast (kaya toast, eggs and kopi), to snacks (yummy roast meats and candies) to lunch and dinner (tasty noodles and fear-factor delicacies). All these can also be had on Food Street, an outdoor eating oasis on a pedestrianized street.
Embedded in this tour is shopping and heritage – the Chinese Heritage Museum is conveniently (again that word) housed alongside restored 100-year-old heritage structures in the middle of the city. Amazing, while we are still struggling to save our built heritage, Singapore has done that and more – turning whole heritage districts into vibrant locales both for tourists and locals alike.
Other changes I noticed: Orchard Road has more cafes and outdoor activity centers. The Paragon, another favorite shopping complex, has expanded to house even more branded stores than you can throw your gold MasterCard at. (MasterCard, in fact, is the official card of the Great Singapore Sale and using it during the sale could get you a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Bali in a private jet! Tourists and locals alike are eligible for this and the weekly raffle draws. Remember that Singapore only has half the population of Manila, so you have twice as many chances of winning in raffle draws here.)
If all this is making you dizzy, what with the number of options, just drop by the Singapore Tourism Board’s Singapore Visitor Center @ Orchard in the heart of Orchard Road (beside the Heeren). Friendly STB officers will help you find your way to the best bargains, give maps and even let you surf the Net for more information or e-mail home about the great time you’re having.
For toys and kids fashion: The Forum at the other end of Orchard Road still packs ’em in. For more mature clientele, major bling-bling can be found at the new Hermes flagship store just a few buildings away beside the Zara and Esprit shops. The new Furla shop just opened a few weeks ago at Ngee Ann City down the road. Golf shops and specialty women’s lingerie shops abound in the area, just in case you’re interested. For the Holly Golightlys, the local Tiffany’s is back at the tastefully-restored Raffles Hotel (whose elegance puts our Manila Hotel to shame). Coach, DKNY, countless brand name boutiques and a great souvenir shop are also to be found there. For a wonderful merienda, have high tea at the Raffles Hotel or scrumptious pastries and coffee at Ah Teng’s Bakery beside The Empire Café.
It’s a shame that I had to fly home after three days. I should have stayed the whole two months. The arts festival was just starting to heat up with Yo Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble playing, Mahler’s Symphony of a Thousand concert at the Esplanade, a Sarah Brightman Special at the Singapore Indoor Stadium, Spanish flamenco and classical ballet at Fort Canning, performance art everywhere and various plays and musicals in an ever expanding menu of cultural venues that Singapore provides for everyone. I did not even have time to go to Singapore’s world famous Night Safari and Zoo, stroll through the Botanic Gardens, visit Sentosa Island or take the Singapore River Cruise. In July, I should come back to celebrate my birthday, taste the servings at the Singapore Food Festival, visit my alma mater National University of Singapore, do the club scene on Club Street and Mohammed Sultan Road, bar hop at Boat, Clarke and Robertson Quays and, of course, do a little more shopping!