After a long, restless flight, I dragged myself out of bed early Tuesday morning in Singapore to start adjusting to the time zone. By 7:00 am, the temperature was already in the mid-80s, and the humidity was intense. Walking through Little India, the air was thick with the rich aroma of curry, and I watched as dozens of Indian men made their way to work through the lively streets. It felt like a movie scene out of Mumbai, but with Singapore’s trademark cleanliness and order.
I headed to the 24-hour Tekka Food Centre, one of many hawker centers famous throughout Singapore. These centers were set up in the 1950s and ‘60s to bring street vendors into organized, regulated spaces. Today, they’re icons of Singaporean food culture, reflecting the city’s mix of Chinese, Malay, and Indian influences and serving unique fusion dishes. Some stalls here have even been awarded Michelin Bib Gourmand certification for high-quality, reasonably priced food.
I went in search of a popular prawn noodle stall at Tekka, where a dozen people were already lined up by 7:30 am. But after waiting 15 minutes, I realized my phone couldn’t access their cashless QR payment—no signal! So, a bit defeated, I headed back to my hotel and ordered breakfast from a certain fast-food chain (which shall remain unnamed).
Still adjusting, I spent part of Tuesday morning watching Monday Night Football and chilled in my room for the afternoon. Later, I ventured back out into Little India as night fell (4:00 am back home in San Diego). Serangoon Road, the main street, was bustling with Indian tourists—over a million visited Singapore last year! Many shops were filled with people haggling over intricate gold chains.
Tekka Centre was crowded, so I ended up at a place near my hotel called The Beer People (naturally). My first true taste of Asian cuisine was a fantastic Thai prawn omelette paired with a locally brewed Czech Pilsner. To top it off, I made a quick stop at a Mexican restaurant for a shot of mezcal (of course, I did).
Today: off to explore Chinatown!— at Tekka Centre.