Singapore

Southeast Asia 2025 – The Flower Dome and Cloud Forest

Posted on December 6, 2025 by JimG

Saturday December 6th

The hotel breakfast continues to impress, but let’s be clear — the star of the show is Kaya Toast. Toast, butter, and kaya (that coconut-egg jam). That’s it. Simple. Perfect. I’m honestly surprised this hasn’t caught on in the U.S. the way avocado toast did. It deserves better.

We headed out to Gardens by the Bay, which is non-negotiable on any Singapore itinerary. Inside the Flower Dome, they had a miniature train exhibit. I expected something small and charming. What we got was next-level.

Tiny recreations of Singapore landmarks, the north pole, San Francisco and iconic U.S. buildings all with moving trains and trolleys.  The detailing was absurd. We stood there way longer than planned, and it hit me — this is Singapore. Small country. Big execution. They don’t just do something. They do it better than necessary. Best airline. Best airport. Cleanest city. Lowest crime. Overachieving is basically a national hobby.

San Francisco with moving Trolleys
Grand Central Station
North Pole
Singapore

Then we moved to the Cloud Forest, and this is where things got personal. They were hosting a Jurassic Park exhibition. As we walked in, John Williams’ theme blasted through the space.

That score. I think it is second to Jaws as far as recognizable themes.

I’m a huge John Williams fan, and Jurassic Park is one of my all-time favorites. Hearing that music echo through the misty conservatory while animatronic dinosaurs loomed overhead? Completely my speed. It was a total nostalgia hit.

Categories: Singapore | Leave a comment

Southeast Asia 2025

Posted on December 5, 2025 by JimG

Big Bus Tours

Friday, December 5, 2025

After a wonderful breakfast at the hotel, we jumped on the Big Bus Singapore tour. If you’ve never been to Singapore, it’s actually a smart move — you get your bearings, see the big landmarks, and decide where you want to circle back later.

Midday, we hopped off at Hong Lim Market & Food Centre for lunch. I’d been there before, so I knew what we were walking into: organized chaos. It was lunchtime and packed, just like last time.

One stall had the unmistakable long line — the one with the Michelin Bib Gourmand mention that’s been all over YouTube. Good for them but as much as I would like to try their food, I’m not standing in line for an hour (or two) in a hawker center when there are 30 other excellent options within 50 feet. We split up and found other dishes with a reasonable wait. That’s the beauty of hawker centers — there’s always another gem.

Sultan Mosque

Little India

We finished the bus loop and Ubered back to the hotel. Sophon wanted a nap. I went for a walk… and realized Hong Lim was only a couple of blocks away. Had we known that earlier, we probably would have just walked.

For dinner, we kept it simple at BK Eating House. No frills. Fluorescent lighting. Plastic chairs. The kind of place locals actually eat.

Laksa

I ordered Black Carrot Cake (Chai Tow Kway)— and if you’re American, this is not dessert. No carrots. No frosting. It’s a savory fried radish cake with egg, preserved radish, and seasoning. It’s quickly becoming one of my go-to Singapore dishes.

Sophon ordered Laksa. Huge bowl. Rich, coconutty, spicy broth. He still wasn’t satisfied and added duck over rice. That duck was shockingly good — tender, flavorful, and easily the standout of the night.

By 7:30 PM, we were done. Completely wiped out.

Jet lag humbles you. I used to power through time changes and go out late without thinking twice. These days? Dinner with a beer and  I’m ready for bed before the sun fully sets.

 

Categories: Singapore | Leave a comment

Southeast Asia 2025 – Singapore – New favorite dish

Posted on December 4, 2025 by JimG

21 Carpenter St.

Thursday, December 4, 2025

Somewhere between Bangkok and Singapore, I met my new favorite dish.

They served “Carrot Cake.” I took one bite and immediately knew this was going to be a problem — the kind of problem where you start planning your next meal before you’ve finished the one in front of you.

This isn’t the sweet, cream-cheese-frosted American version. In Singapore, carrot cake — known locally as chai tow kway — is a savory hawker classic. There are no carrots involved. It’s made from radish (daikon), steamed into a dense cake, then stir-fried with egg, garlic, preserved radish, and chili. The texture reminded me a bit of seafood stuffing — soft inside, crispy edges, packed with umami. Comfort food!

I’m calling it now: this is going to be my go-to dish this trip.

Checking In: Status vs. Reality

We finally landed and made our way to 21 Carpenter, located right in the middle of everything at 21 Carpenter Street.

The property is part of Marriott International’s collection, but you wouldn’t know it from the signage. There’s no big Marriott branding anywhere. It feels boutique — stylish, modern, understated.

Before arriving, I had read reviews claiming that elite status didn’t carry much weight here — no guaranteed breakfast, no meaningful perks. I brushed it off. I’ve played this loyalty game long enough to know that sometimes reviews exaggerate.

But after check-in, I started to wonder.

We were assigned a second-floor room facing a bar. Let’s just say sleep quality was… optimistic at best. When you’ve just flown halfway around the world, a quiet room shouldn’t feel like a luxury upgrade — it should feel like the baseline.

Once again, I found myself questioning loyalty programs. Status looks good on paper. In reality? It doesn’t always translate into better rooms or better treatment. The marketing promises consistency. The experience sometimes says otherwise.

Lau Pa Sat Hawker Center

First Steps Into Singapore

After check-in, I took a hot shower. There is nothing — and I mean nothing — better than a hot shower after a long-haul flight. It resets you. Mentally and physically.

We headed out to explore and quickly stumbled upon Lau Pa Sat, one of Singapore’s iconic hawker centers.  We were between the lunch and dinner rush, so the the place wasn’t buzzing.

Sophon wanted everything. I, on the other hand, was still full from my airborne carrot cake epiphany.

Jet Lag Hits Hard

We made it back to the hotel around 7:00 PM, and that’s when reality caught up with us. We were wrecked. That strange mix of exhaustion and overstimulation that only comes from crossing multiple time zones.

Unfortunately, I still had work to finish.

After wrapping that up, I crashed — and I mean deep sleep. The kind where your body finally waves the white flag.

Singapore: Day one complete.

And tomorrow? I’m hunting down more Char Tow Kway!

Categories: Singapore | Leave a comment

Southeast Asia 2025 – LAX to Singapore

Posted on December 2, 2025 by JimG

Tuesday, December 2, 2025

We didn’t get to the hotel until after 2:00 AM. By the time I finished reworking our itinerary over the phone, it was after 3:30 AM. United rebooked us to Bangkok on ANA. We grabbed maybe two hours of sleep before dragging ourselves back to LAX.

And somewhere between security and boarding, I had a very simple thought:

Why do I keep booking United?

Loyalty. Status. Habit. Whatever you want to call it — it clearly isn’t based on the actual onboard experience or United’s Customer Service. As a Star Alliance Gold member, I am consistently treated better on other Star Alliance airlines than I am on United itself.  I was having a hard time with how the crew acted when the pilot said that the flight was cancelled, the crew acted annoyed and made it clear, that the customer service agents would answer any questions that we had.   The customer agents started yelling at us to line up according to our boarding group.  They acted annoyed.   That’s not how any customer should feel.

The difference hit immediately once we entered the Star Alliance lounge where the employees acted like they cared about their jobs.   It aain hit when we boarded ANA.  The flight attendants looked sharp. Professional. Friendly. Not tired. Not disengaged. Not like they were just trying to get through another shift. The menus — both Western and Japanese — were thoughtfully presented and genuinely appetizing. And when I ordered, I wasn’t asked for my “backup choice.”

That question on United drives me crazy. If I’m paying for a premium cabin ticket, why is “in case we run out” even part of the script? Premium shouldn’t feel conditional.

Service was calm, deliberate, and polished. No shouting across the aisle. No barking instructions over the carts. No visible chaos. It felt coordinated. It felt intentional. It felt like people took pride in what they were doing.

And it wasn’t just the flight.

The ANA lounges were everything Polaris wasn’t the day before — clean, well stocked, good food, actual attention to detail. Nothing flashy. Just well executed.

I slept most of the way to Bangkok. That alone tells you how comfortable and relaxed the experience was.

We landed with several hours before our Singapore flight. For a moment, we considered a capsule hotel just to reset, but availability was limited, so we found a quiet area and waited it out.

Then it was time for Singapore.

After stopping in the KrisFlyer lounge — again, well run and well maintained — we boarded. And once more, the contrast was impossible to ignore. The crew looked composed and put together. When they needed something, they passed notes discreetly rather than shouting across the cabin.

It made me wonder: does United seriously benchmark itself against airlines like ANA and Singapore Airlines? Or has the focus shifted entirely to operational metrics and cost containment?

Because from where I sit, the difference is huge.

By the time we finally landed in Singapore, exhaustion had set in. But stepping into the hotel room, taking a hot shower, and putting on fresh clothes felt like closing the chapter on a rough start.

The trip had officially begun.

Just not the way United intended.

Categories: Bangkok, Singapore, Thailand | Leave a comment

Heading home

Posted on July 9, 2015 by JimG
My Hotel taken from Michael's apartment

My Hotel taken from Michael’s apartment

July 7th, 2015

I had dinner with Michael at a place next door to the hotel overlooking the Marina.  I met Michael while I was working at Transamerica close to 20 years ago.  Who would have thought that 20 years later we would be having dinner together in Singapore, with me on a business trip and he having moved there. It is a reminder that life is rarely predictable, this is one of the those moments that is a pleasant surprise and all I wish I could savior the moment for a little while longer.

I have had a great trip and it started almost three weeks ago but I have to say that I am ready to go home. There were a lot of late night flights, early mornings , meetings during the day while trying to keep with email at night.  I saw a lot, I did a lot and ans as much as I loved it, it  is time to go back home and I am ready!

 

 

 

Categories: Singapore | Leave a comment

Peking Duck

Posted on July 6, 2015 by JimG

Jul 6th, 2015

I went out with the team here in Singapore to have a Duck Lunch.  I have been to this same restaurant before and it was just as good the first time I went.  The bring the finished duck out and present it (with head) and then carve it there at the table.  They ask you what you want to do with the remain duck – noodles or rice and come back a little bit later with a rice or noodle dish.  I love Peeking duck!

Categories: Singapore | 4 Comments

Dim Sum

Posted on July 5, 2015 by JimG

IMG_1599IMG_1601

 

 

 

 

 

 

July 5th 2015

I got some sleep the night before so I woke up feeling great.  I headed out to meet my friend Michael and we went to the Mandarin Hotel for Dim Sum.  This wasn’t just any Dim Sum, this was high-end Dim Sum.  It was good, better than anything I had.

We then took a boat tour up the river.  The weather was beautiful, not too hot.  After finishing the boat tour, we walked for a while and stopped for a few beers then headed out to “Fair Price”  I love going to a grocery store in foreign countries.

What a great day!

Continue reading →

Categories: Singapore | Leave a comment

Singapore Fireworks

Posted on July 4, 2015 by JimG

IMG_1580July 4th, 2015

When we changed the dates of the trip, I was a little bummed that I was not going to be in town for Independence Day.  I love the 4th of July, when I was growing up in the northeast, I loved the summer (although they were very short) and July 4th was the first summer holiday.  BBQs were about BBQ chicken, hot dogs, burgers, potato salad, baked beans and red white and blue Jello.  It was a tradition to cook the meat on the grill and to eat the entire meal outside.

The day always ended with going to see fireworks.  Where I grew up, it wasn’t always a show but rather a few people setting off a few fireworks they had purchased in a state where the sale of fireworks were legal.  I was a little disappointed that I wouldn’t be home.

As my friend Michael and I walked back from his apartment to my hotel, we saw that they were practicing the fireworks show and decided to go to the rooftop of my hotel to watch the show. I have been in Singapore a few times before about this same time of year.  Singapore’s National Day is on August 9th. I knew on previous visits that on weekends, they often practice the show in days leading up to the big day.  I guess that since Singapore is turning 50, they start practicing the show early.

The fireworks I saw were to Celebrate Singapore’s 50th birthday.  I didn’t get BBQ but I did get to see fireworks.

Continue reading →

Categories: Singapore | Leave a comment

Fullerton Bay Hotel and Singapore

Posted on July 4, 2015 by JimG

 

July 4th, 2015

I have passed by this hotel dozens of times on previous trips to Singapore. It is so elegant and on this trip, I am staying there.  My room looks right at my company’s office here in Singapore and my friend’s condo.  I arrived and by the time I checked into my room, it had started to rain – it rained real hard.  I drifted off to sleep for a few hours and then headed out to take on the day in Singapore.  I love Singapore! Continue reading →

Categories: Singapore | 1 Comment

Singapore Cooking Class

Posted on July 4, 2015 by JimG

IMG_1517July 4th, 2015

Michael and I signed up for a cooking class.  I found a list of places that offered cooking classes in Singapore and we decided on this one.  What drew Michael and I to it was the menu, Char Kway Teow, Singapore Chilli Crab and Onde Onde.  All three of the dishes are popular dishes in Singapore.  The class was given by Ruqxana in her home.  There were four other people in the class – a couple from Dallas who decided they wanted to come to Singapore for the food and 2 girls who live locally.

It was very nice and we learned how to cook the dishes and then enjoyed eating them.

Continue reading →

Categories: Singapore | 3 Comments

Proudly powered by WordPress Theme: Adventure Journal by Contexture International.