Chapter 419: The First Garden
For SC Johnson, who has traveled all over Southeast Asia, he has finally arrived in the legendary Singapore to explore this country of asceticism, tradition, or inheritance.
Come to the Museum of Science and Art, one of Singapore's landmarks, like a blooming lotus, gentle and tranquil, or open fingers, also known as the hand of welcome, inclusive and open.
Opened in 2011 and designed by renowned designer Moshe Saadi, the museum is the world's first museum where science and art merge. The exhibition hall covers more than 4,000 square meters, with a total of 21 zones, focusing on interactive design and parent-child projects, which is an important stop for children to open the door to science.
In addition to the outstanding architecture, the Museum of Science and Art's thematic exhibitions may also be mind-blowing. There are almost no famous artists as permanent exhibition platforms, and more world touring exhibitions full of scientific and technological elements, such as the semi-permanent TEAM LAB hosted by Beyond the Future, compared to becoming an Internet celebrity check-in place in China, there are more people copying and painting, and starting the next artistic dream in the flower dance forest created by light and shadow.
Gardens by the Bay, don't get me wrong when you see this name, this is not the name of a real estate project with only a first-line water feature in China, but another landmark landscape in Singapore after the Merlion. Compared with the Merlion's embarrassing situation of going to boredom and not going to pity, Gardens by the Bay seems to have a lot of connotation.
There is no admission fee for the garden itself, but you will need to purchase an additional ticket if you wish to enter the two venues in the garden or the sky corridor. The dreamy tree-shaped "Super Tree" in Avatar is the iconic symbol of Gardens by the Bay.
There are 250,000 species of flowers and plants from all over the world that can be seen in the garden's cold room flower dome, and the succulent garden is the most exciting for the guide, and groups of old piles, embellished and rare varieties can be seen here. In addition to the plant cold room, it also has the world's largest indoor waterfall cloud forest.
Chinatown may sound like a strange name, but when you see its English annotation on the subway, it will dawn on you. It's synonymous with Singapore's Chinatown. As early as more than 100 years ago, it was a gathering area for Singaporeans, because there was no running water in Singapore at that time, so the local name was to use an ox cart to pick up the cart at Mount Anxiang, from which the name of Chinatown was derived.
Compared with people's impression of Chinatown, Chinatown in this garden city also adheres to the consistent style of Singapore, which is very neat and clean, and the streets have a sense of traditional streets and alleys on Hong Kong Island. As elsewhere, it is synonymous with Chinese cuisine, and almost all cuisines can be found here, but the difference is that these cuisines are naturally infused with Singapore's Nanyang flavours.
Restaurants near the water that look like simple food stalls rarely step on mines, and there are many restaurants with one Michelin star, and they are said to be the "cheapest Michelin" in the world. It should be noted that many shops here are closed in the afternoon and are closed on Sundays or Mondays.
I once watched a movie called Crazy Rich Money, and I was deeply impressed by the scene where Michelle Yeoh and the heroine play in a mahjong parlor at the end, and this scene was taken in Singapore's Serenity Hill.
Mount Serenity is not a mountain, but a lively or quiet L-shaped neighborhood. A variety of brightly colored arcade buildings on the road, but beneath the appearance of Nanyang style is the soul of China, which is Singapore's famous leisure district and unique shopping destination.
Many of the buildings here have been converted from old guild halls, and the combination of Chinese architecture and Western industrial style is ingenious, so if you prefer to be quiet, why not take a walk around the neighborhood during the day, drink a cup of coffee in a café and listen to vinyl records from various countries. If you're a fan of hustle and bustle, sunset and late at night, this is the daily nightlife of Singaporeans.
Compared with Anxiang Mountain, which is more like a fashion street, Hazhi Lane is a photo spot for Internet celebrities who have already become popular on Instagram. Originally, it was also a small street with local designers, and the parts, accessories, and bags that literary girls like were all popular. But even more attractive than the fashion boutiques is the façade décor of Haji Lane, a slum in Singapore years ago.
Later, the government centralized management, and then the creation, colorful graffiti and murals were very eye-catching. Wearing a hippie-style sunglasses and wearing a long skirt that the islanders like to convex in front of the 3D mural is the right way to open Haji Lane.
Tired of turning around, it's time for Odette, which was voted Wallpaper's Best New Restaurant of 2017. Tucked away in the National Gallery Singapore, Odette is decorated in black, gold and yellow.
The décor is traditional but very modern. Paper fans, a British-style calligraphy wall and many gold teapots are used to decorate the dining room, while the stained glass ceiling and black lacquered wood screens create a mystical setting.
Diversity is vividly reflected in the cuisine, where Chinese, Malay, Indian and Western cuisine blend harmoniously to form a rich and three-dimensional food culture. The locals have a spicy taste and make good use of spices, and most of the food is rich and spicy, such as laksa, chilli crab and curry fish head.
Kaya toast is the national breakfast and is often served as a refreshment. Kaya is a sauce made from coconut and eggs, spread on charcoal-grilled toast with butter, and the sweet mix is crispy and lingering between your teeth.
Two soft-boiled eggs dipped in toast with a little dark soy sauce and white pepper are served with coffee or pulled tea. At a café or delicatessen, you can enjoy it for about S$5.
Chilli crab, after tasting this national dish of the Lion City, it is not in vain that I have been to Singapore. The sauce stir-fried with the crab is the essence of this dish. The sauce is made from chili peppers and tomato paste, making it both spicy and sweet.
As soon as the shell is peeled off and the sauce gushes out, you can enjoy the tender and firm crab meat, and you can also order steamed or fried steamed buns to dip in. In addition to chili crab, there are also a variety of flavors such as black pepper, white pepper, salted egg, and cream.
Bak Kut Teh is not actually tea, but a soup made from pork bones and herbs, which is both delicious and nourishing. Compared to bak kut tea from other countries in Southeast Asia, Singapore's bak kut tea has fewer herbs and a lighter soup with a stronger peppery flavor.
In addition to the bak kut teh companion, fried dough sticks, pork belly, pickles, braised peanuts and other refreshing side dishes are also worth ordering. In the past, people would drink tea after drinking soup to relieve greasyness, but now barley water is a more common pairing.
The spicy soup and the sweet aroma of coconut milk can also taste the deliciousness of dried shrimp, fresh clams, blood cockles and fish cakes. Interestingly, some shops have laksa cut into short strips and have to be scooped into your mouth with a spoon instead of chopsticks.