Let me start off by explaining that on Wednesday for breakfast I somehow managed to have my bowl of cereal and orange juice at the hotel and no one ever came and asked me to pay. Well this morning was a totally different story. Turns out the breakfast at the hotel is not complimentary and instead they charge a flat fee of $47 per person per day for use of the breakfast area. Granted its a huge amount of breakfast but when you only eat cereal and juice $47 is a bit over budget. In US dollars its about $38! I will not be making that choice again!
Lunch was a different story. Today I ate from the Muslim side of the cafe and got rice (per usual) some green veggie thing, and a chicken wing for a total of $2.10. Not too bad eh? However choosing lunch is quite tough when nothing is marked and you have no clue what anything is or what it might taste like. I haven't had anything too exotic or that I really didn't like at lunch yet which is good. Though, I have a feeling I may start getting cravings for a hearty salad or sandwich for lunch soon...
After work Keri and I went to Bugis Junction (basically another mall). We took the free bus from work right to Bugis. We ate at a restaurant called Nando's and had chicken on top of salads and a side of sweet potatoes. Things to note about restaurants in Singapore, since tips are included in your meal the service isn't the same as what you'd see in the states. Instead here you have to flag down someone to take your order and then do the same when you want to get your check, otherwise you'll be sitting and waiting for a long time. And of course you never add a tip to your bill.
What's different here than in the states is that everything seems to be located in these expansive malls. Since it's so hot and humid here, people want to be inside and out of the sun. (I must still be in the honeymoon stage because I love every second I can get outside). The malls are packed with stores and restaurants and it can definitely be intimidating just walking into a mall and hoping you find something. What I find so interesting is that they are packed all the time, every day! I feel like back home you would see this many people at malls on weekends closer to Christmas.
Once I arrived back at my hotel last night, I decided to try my luck by going to ION mall across the street from my hotel to find something I could keep in my room for breakfast. Of course there isn't anywhere I could see to cross the street so I went into the mall on my side of the street and then somehow made my way downstairs and followed signs to the underground tunnel to take me to ION. Did I mention how intimidating it is to aimlessly walk through these malls?? Well luckily I saw a little bakery where I could grab a croissant for $1.30 and then quickly made my way back to my hotel before I could get really lost.
This is the view of ION mall from my hotel room. ION is the bright lit place on the left.
View from my hotel looking down Orchard Rd.
My hotel is this tall building on the left. It has a Chinese theme to it.
View from right outside my hotel.
And for those who want to know what my durian experience was like:
Durian. You eat the yellow bit on the inside.
Keri took the first bite...she was braver than I with the amount she ate.
My face after eating my tiny bite. What you can't see are all the shop guys laughing at my reaction. They love watching westerners eat durian.
Happy Friday!
Very impressive, durian already!!
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