Seeking out Bak Kut Teh

I took part in a market survey awhile ago. The respondents and I had to pick out (Bak Kut) pork with bones that whet our tastbuds. What's more, we were paid S$50 each for our effort. Bak Kut Teh may not be my favourite, but when someone wants to feed you, why not right?

Fast forward to today. Where can we find a shop where we can get good bak kut teh? My wife and I drove to an obscure food centre in Ang Mo Kio. The place? Teck Ghee Court Market and Food Centre. The stall? Eng Kee Bak Kut Teh.

Now an expert after doing that market survey, I'd say that the meat is rather tender and it's also quite tasty. The soup's laden with pepper but my wife said that there are possibly some herbs in the soup as well. They have a host of award certificates that were pasted at the front of the stall.

One bowl of Bak Kut Teh costs S$6, and what's more, the stall also sells pig trotters. Many around me seemed to be eating that dish. (But that's so fattening!)

Eng Kee Bak Kut Teh
#01-04 Teck Ghee Court Mkt and Food Centre, Blk 341 Ang Mo Kio Ave 1

Ice Cream on The Go

Walking down Orchard Road, you'll bound to see a man with his motorcycle and his uniquely designed side carriage. These imodern-day ice cream man are licenced and are subjected to cleanliness checks. So if you're thinking, "India roadside stall", you don't have to fret.

In our cleanliness-conscious Singapore, we ourselves are concerned about ensuring that we do not fall prey to tummy aches. I can guarantee that the ice cream here is safe to eat.

There are different flavours and also, how you'd like your ice cream to be served - In a cup, a cone or wafer. Well, I like mine to be served on a loaf of bread. All this for just a dollar each.

So go ahead, try the Singapore way of savouring our ice cream.

Sugarcane Juice: A Must Try

In tropical Singapore, anything that keeps one cool naturally becomes the favourite of Singaporeans. I can definitely vouch for this drink - Sugarcane juice.

When I was much younger, I was shown the traditional way of extracting the juice. That was through your bare teeth crunching into the sugarcane. It's a risk to your teeth, but it raises your manlihood quotient, proving how strong your teeth are.

For the normal man on the street, my advice to you is to just visit the local hawker centre, look for a suagrcane stall, and order a glass of the sweet greenish liquid. Throw in the ice and lemon, and you'll get one of the best drink in the land.

ERP: Ever Ready to Pay? More Gantries?

HOT TOPIC!

In the past, Singaporeans would complain about very high car prices and no one could fault them as Singapore cars were one of the world's most expensive. Just imagine that in the 90s, a brand new Toyota Corolla would have cost you a hefty US$50,000.

So how do we try to keep Singaporeans quiet albeit unhappiness still prevails? Build a electronic toll system called the Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) that charges by the usage. While car prices have seen some reduction (Toyota Corollas cost US$35,000 now), maintenance and daily cost for using the car has sky-rocketed.

There are now more than 60 ERP gantries in Singapore, ranging from those located in and around the Central Business District (CBD) and city area, to literally every expressway in Singapore.

The toll charges also differ, ranging from a mere S$0.50 to S$5 per gantry. So if you're renting a car in Singapore, do remember to ask for a cashcard when you rent a car. Also, try not to travel during the peak hours. i.e. 8-9am, 6-8pm as that's when the toll charges are the highest!

MRT: Moving People En Mass

One of the things you must try when you're in Singapore is the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT). The first line was completed in the 1987 and from there, the number of MRT stations around Singapore has grown leaps and bounds.

There are alot of pluses about taking the MRT and they are definitely good reasons why you should try out our trains.


1. No messy train cabins
The one thing the government meted out was a No drinking, no eating and no smoking rule. We did not have any problem with that as the people in Singapore has been primed not to do all these even in our public buses. The great thing about the trains are that they are pretty new and that the older trains (Most of them are at most 15 years) have been phased out. So the air-con filters in the trains are well maintained.

2. It's Safe
I have never heard of train robberies in the MRT. It's pretty safe and the train stations are very well managed. Also, there's no need to worry about which cabin is safer. I still remembered taking a train in Europe where there're safe train cabins where there are guards to protect you. If you ride in other cabins, you're left to your own perogative.

3. Not Crowded if Travels Are Done Off-Peak
Don't rush with the working crowd during the 7-9am and 6-8pm timebelts. Other than that, travelling in the train is a breeze. Still, there's enough standing space even during peak hours and yes, there are no official "pushers" to help you into the train such as in Japan.

4. It's Efficient
There are no confusing signs nor major train delays. You'll know that you'll get to your station safe and sound.

Do note that you can even take a train from the airport to city. Totally cost effective!http://www.visitsingapore.com/publish/stbportal/en/home/getting_around/transportation/mrt.html

Let's Talk About Trains

In 1902, the railroads in Singapore used to link Bukit Timah and Woodlands to the city. Then in 1923, a railway line linked Singapore directly to Johore via the Woodlands causeway.

That was more than 100 years ago and I had the opportunity to visit the Bukit Timah Railway Station twice. Getting to the station, one must hit the dirt track. You can vaguely see the train station from the main road.

Nostalgia engulfed me once I stepped into the train station. Location signages read in malay rather than english - Singapura. Gambier plantation owners and their workers would have stood at this train station, waiting for the train to bring them into town.

The railway station still looks authentic and have weathered the change of the century well. Walking along the railway line also brought me to a small bridge that should be decades old.

Should I Stay or Should I Go?

Singaporeans are sometimes known to be a population of complainers. With the latest survey results by Mercer, I hope that they will stop complaining. But if you're always looking at glass as half empty all the time, it will continue to stay that way. But here're the results.

Singapore emerged tops in Asia for quality of living and is ranked 32nd in the world, according to Mercer's annual quality of living rankings. For a small country without any natural resources, it's a privileged to be listed as best in quality of living - the government has ensured that they have provided Singaporeans with affordable housing, while also making sure that the homes are of quality.

If you're concerned that you'd be mugged in those big cities, it'll definitely not be so in Singapore as the country tops Asia for personal safety. Of course, general safety has still to be observed. Guns are outlawed and anyone found in possession of a gun will face the gallow.

As the scientific term goes, with every action there's equal and opposite reaction. The cost of living for expatriates rose from 17th to the 14th most expensive city in the world.