Singapore and Malaysia Trip

My Golden Week will be spent reuniting with my family members in Singapore and Malaysia. To be honest, I’m not sure what the exact plan or schedule is, but the purpose is catching up with each other and most likely with other relatives as well, rather than sightseeing as such. The trip will be for a week and will also double as a celebration of my five-year-old niece’s first trip abroad.

The most exciting aspect of the trip is absolutely visiting countries that I haven’t visited in what feels like a lifetime ago. In the case of Singapore, my last visit there was in 1998, when Changi Airport had recently opened. It has now become widely known as one of the world’s leading airports. Similarly, places that have since become famous landmarks on the island, like Marina Bay Sands, only existed in the imagination at that time. The amount of development that must have taken place since my last visit is such that it will probably feel like visiting the country for the first time.

My memories from that last visit and previous visits were that Singapore’s climate was somewhat like the Japanese summer, with an unrelenting humidity, though having a more distinct rainy (wet) season because of its subtropical location. On the other hand, the huge number of shopping malls made it easy to take refuge in the air-conditioned comfort of these buildings. I’m sure I’ll have a greater appreciation for these malls this time around, because walking around shopping malls in Japan has become one of my favorite pastimes.

In terms of the food, I clearly remember that coconut milk was a regular part of the local cuisine, which played a major role in its rich, spicy texture. A popular venue to try such local cuisine is a food court, which may be attached to a shopping mall or be a standalone facility. It’s difficult to characterize Singaporean cuisine precisely, because its multicultural nature draws upon influences from its neighboring country of Malaysia, but also countries like India, China and western countries as well.

Speaking of Malaysia, my last visit there was in 2010, so my memories are a little fresher. I suppose the biggest difference between Malaysia and Singapore is that the former has more nature to offer, whereas the latter is basically a single urban area within the space of a small island. On top of that, there is a greater sense of differentiation between areas of Malaysia such as the island of Penang, the medium-sized city of Kota Kinabalu, and the urban jungle of the capital city, Kuala Lumpur. The weather is similarly oppressive and humid, and the traffic conditions are wilder, and are surely closer to those found in other Southeast Asian countries like Vietnam than Singaporean traffic conditions. The food is known more for its spicy flavors, as shown by classic noodle dishes like Curry Laksa and Char Kuay Teow. We are blessed to have high quality Malaysian restaurants in Australia, but it’s a rare cuisine in Japan, so I’m looking forward to enjoying it again.

Ming