Little India

The day started off with a trip to Harborside to open up a local bank account. We now hold bank accounts in both the US and Singapore...really, it sounds a whole lot more exciting than it is! After leaving the bank, we went to Starhub to get a cell phone or "hand phone" as they call it here. Fortunately, it allows me to make international calls as well as local, yay!!!

Our original plan was to head over to Sentosa Island and take Juliana to the underground aquarium, but that idea went out the window since she was very tired and cranky. We didn't feel like spending all that money if all three of us wouldn't be able to fully enjoy the experience, so it's been put off for another week or two. Instead, we decided to take the MRT to Little India.

Little India is just like it sounds...a much smaller version of what the streets and markets are like in India. As soon as we left the MRT station, we were hit with all kinds of different scents, some good, some bad(I don't think I need to go into detail here). Our first destination was Serangoon Road, which is a street lined with markets and stores and crowded with people of all different races and cultures. Pushing a stroller is like trying to get through a maze, because the sidewalks are covered in bikes, food stands, carts, etc.

This time of the year is Deepavali, otherwise known as the Festival of Lights. I did some research to find out what the festival was about and discovered that this is how the Hindus rejoice in "the triumph of light over darkness and of good over evil." For Hindus, they treat this holiday with as much importance and celebration as Christians treat Christmas. The streets in Little India are decorated with streamers, lights and garlands with tons of arches over the whole road. At night time, everything is lit up including the buildings. I pulled the picture below off the internet just to get an idea of what it looks like. We are planning to head back before the festival is over!

The whole experience of Little India was short lived, because we were all exhausted and it was very hot. We didn't get a chance to explore the hot spots or participate in some of the experiences that the area has to offer. Plans for our next visit include a trip to a parrot fortune teller, the Little Indian arcade and a visit to the temples, specifically Sri Veeramakaliamman,which was closed to the public at the time. The picture I took doesn't do the temple justice.

One of the most fascinating things about Singapore is the variety of religions. The diverse population here is very accepting of different practices, holidays and celebrations. Religious tolerance is essential and all of the different races can openly talk about their beliefs and express their faith without worrying about being segregated or judged. The most common religion is Buddhism, but Christianity, Islam and Hinduism are also commonly practiced. Something I am hoping to do while living here is explore Buddhism more, especially in regards to their practices of mindfulness, meditation, and mantras. At the core of the religion are the concepts of harmony and serenity, two things that any of us could benefit from learning more about and practicing in our everyday lives!!!

After returning to the apartment, I walked across the street to get some thai food for dinner and stopped in at a wine shop nearby. Lucky me!! I got to taste some red wines while I was there and their "tastings" were more like a full glass of wine! Of course, I couldn't leave without purchasing a couple bottles :-) So far, all of the wines we have tried have been incredible and we look forward to trying more since we're so close to Australia and New Zealand!