Day 15 - Bike riding before going home

My niece had piano practice today, so me and my sister took the boys out for breakfast.

Bakuteh - Pork rib soup, preserved vegetables, pork hock and fried dough sticks

The boys on the phone with their dad


After breakfast, we drove to the local Bishan park for bike riding. We hired a bike each, with the exception of my sister. She's going to be running behind my youngest nephew again today. I went for a few kilometer ride around the park with my older nephew, whilst the youngest one learnt how to steer and brake. He actually did quite well by the end of the day. He stopped crash landing.

We went home to rest up afterwards. I did some last minute packing to make sure there's nothing I've forgotten and spent some time with the kids. When it was dinner time, we decided to go back to the Chicken Rice place we stopped by the other day.

A whole Hainese chicken

Boneless chicken feet and kidneys


Chilli bean sprouts


Lime juice

Since I don't appreciate plane food, I grabbed a box of chicken rice take away to eat on the flight. I was already really fully, but my brother in law wanted to have some strudel at the Applebee strudel shop that was next door. He went and ordered a durian strudel, but after one bite, I was full to bursting. And my coffee hasn't even arrived yet! And when it did, I thought I was supposed to wash my face in it. Look at the size of the cup! My hand doesn't even go half way around it!


We get back to my sister's place where I spend some time with the kids and have a quick shower. When it was time to leave, my nephews and niece gave me big hugs and even asked me not to leave. Its always hard saying goodbye to the kids.

I get to the airport in record time and check-in without any problems. Even though my suitcase was 27kgs. And my hand luggage was 17kgs. I was planning on doing duty free shopping, but because of the stupid liquid restrictions, I can only buy liquids an hour before departure. The reason is they need to seal the goods in a plastic bag and they will deliver it to the gate for you. Since there was only an hour left, they reckon they can't deliver to the gate so I miss out on my duty free shopping.

I get onto the plane and spot a row of 4 seats next to me empty. The minute they closed the cabin doors, I jumped seats and claimed all 4 to myself. And when the seatbelt signs went off, I raised all the arm rests and laid down for a good nights sleep. I even skipped breakfast since I knew I had my chicken rice.

It was a short 2 weeks, but I'm glad I took the time to go to Singapore and spend with the kids. Even though I had all the problems going on at work, I think it was probably good that I missed most of the tension in the office. And now, to diet and detox.

Day 12 - More shopping and my favourite Bugis

All the kids are at school today. So me and my sister headed off for some shopping. Not before breakfast at her favourite Roti house:

Kopi

Mutton Murtabak and chicken curry

Roti Prata with curry sauce

Nasi goreng

We drove to Sim Lim square where I was hoping to buy a new camera lens, tripod and other accessories. But the prices were way more expensive compared to me ordering it from New York. Instead, I went and bought a new digital camera for the kids. Just a little cheapie for them to go play with and take on excursions. We also grabbed a few blood pressure monitors to use at home.

After that, we went across the road to OG where I ended up buying a wallet that cost more than my camera bags, which cost more than any handbag I've ever owned!! We ducked across the road after an hour to grab a quick lunch:

Hawker centre

Fish head noodle soup

Fish fillet noodle soup

After lunch, we quickly drive to my niece's school to pick her up. In Singapore, they start at 7am and finish at 1pm. We swung by to pick up my nephew before sending him off to Violin practice. It was at this time that it started storming. I'm not talking about just rain. I'm talking lighting and thunder, the type that makes you drop your glass and rattle your window.

Luckily, the plan was to stay home for the night and I helped my sister make BBQ pork for dinner:

The rain died down, so I grabbed a quick bite and ran off to the MRT to go to my favourite shopping centre, Bugis. Don't ask me why I like the shopping centre, I just do. I think its one of the first few I used to go to all the time whenever I visited Singapore. Its more sentimental value than actually good shopping I think. Didn't stop me spending up a fortune though.

My sister has also been raving on and on about the MOS fish burger and how its better than the maccas fillet-o-fish. Since I only had a light dinner, I ordered myself a fish burger and a piece of chicken:

MmMmm cheesy......

This was a whole chicken breast!

I was expecting a chicken strip or something small, little did I know it was going to be a whole piece of chicken breast. It was also incredibly moist. I bit into it and it squirted chicken juice everywhere! I also saw a stall making fresh cut potato chips. They literally cut the potato up in front of you and then fry it. I just had to get myself a small cup, which they drenched with wasabi mayo. Can anyone spell tears?

Day 11 - Vivo City and the meat coma

Today, my brother in law offered to take me to Vivo city, which is across the bridge from Sentosa Island. It's a new shopping centre that is trying to compete with the highly popular and touristy Orchard Rd and Suntec City.

Well, by the looks of it, they weren't doing too well.....



We split up and went abouts our own shopping. We met up 2 hours later, ravenous for some food. There was a new Brazilian Restaurant opened there called Carnivore. We get a table and hit the buffet salad bar. You gotta get some vegetables into you before all the meat comes out:

My veggie plate - with Feijoada (Black bean, pork rib and sausage stew)

The meat hits the plate - Round 1 of many

We sat and gorged for an hour until my stomach was going to burst. We decided to spend another 2 hours shopping since we've covered less than 1/2 of the shopping centre. When we go meet up, I'm still stuffed like a Turkey.

We go and pick up my nephew again, and this time, he's ecstatic to see me. He literally throws himself into my arms and then runs off to grab his bag! Hehe.

We get home and my sister is cooking dinner. I honestly can't put anything in my mouth right now. Instead, I take a nice long long walk to Junction8 where I spend a few hours just walking around and around and around.

On my way back, I grabbed a heap of snacks and drinks for the family as I promised I'll bring something back. I also stopped by the local hawker centre and got a small bowl of yong tau fu noodle soup for dinner. Something nice and light and also low on meat.

Yong Tau Fu rice noodle soup

Day 9 - The accident

We're up at 7am, and out the door by 8:30am. The plan was to find the first restaurant we see and grab breakfast there before heading to the Notre Dame church. Unfortunately, theres nothing open, and the few places I did find open, the 2 girls didn't think their bowels could take the risk. So there goes my idea of squatting on the street and eating.

We get to the Notre Dame church and take a few photos:



We head back to the hotel, in order to find food. Thankfully we walk past a Pho24 before we pass out from hunger.

Pho Duc Biet - Combination Beef Noodle soup

Ice soya bean and avocado shake

We get back to the hotel and relax a bit before we realise that we never ate the watermelon my sister bought. So she whips out her trusty chopping board and knife and starts hacking away. So imagine 3 chicks crowded around a bathroom sink, shoving a whole watermelon down their throat, 15mins before checkout.

Completely stuffed, we grab our bags and head off to the hotel.

The flight back wasn't too bad. We get home around 6pm and we're starving. After a quick shower, we all head off to a local hawker centre for dinner. The hawker centre is next to a playground. So whilst we let the kids run wild, the adults start ordering the food:

Sugar cane and lime juice

Hainese Chicken Rice

Boneless chicken feet

Chicken congee

Rojak

Satay chicken sticks

Laksa

After dinner, we go to the local bakery and load up on freshly made bread and buns for breakfast tomorrow. The traffic is atrocious and at a complete standstill. We wait at a park around the corner whilst my brother in law gets the car.

The kids are having great fun on the monkey bars whilst I stand there chatting with my sister, when next thing you know, my niece is on the floor. She had leaped up to try and grab the monkey bars and missed. She basically landed hands first onto the ground. She's screaming and crying like I've never seen before. My sister tries to calm her down as my brother in law pulls up. We jump into the car, and my niece is still screaming and crying the whole way back. I know she can sometimes be a drama queen, but we've never seen her behave this way before.

We get my brother in law to drop us off at the local medical centre and get her checked out by the doctor. The doctor suspects she's got a fracture in her wrist and probably sprained her other wrist and both elbows. He recommends that we go to a hospital and get it x-rayed. Meanwhile, my niece is in incredible pain. The doctor tried to find a sling to put her arm in, but would you believe that a medical centre doesn't have a sling? I ended up using my cardigan and turning it into a makeshift sling for my niece.

We drive straight to the hospital where it was a massive wait. It took us close to 2 hours before they would even see my niece (Even though 15people who arrived AFTER us got attended to first). And only because one of the other mothers saw my niece in so much pain that she went and begged one of the nurses for us. We finally get to see the doctor, and it took him less than 5 mins to send us to the x-ray department. And it was only then that they gave her any pain killers.

We get the x-ray done and then its another 30min wait for the doctor to check the x-ray. Unfortunately, she does have a fracture in her wrist. Luckily, its only a hairline fracture and won't require putting her arm in a cast. We go out and wait another 15mins to get her arm bandaged up and put into a sling before we're sent home. The whole process took over 3hrs and we didn't get home until about midnight. The bad thing is, its her first day back at school tomorrow. :(

Day 2 - More food and house hunting

Jetlagged kicked in, so I woke up extra early and went downstairs to grab breakfast. My favourite breakfast!

$1.20 mixed noodles with fried stuffed beancurd skin

Chwee Kueh - Steamed rice cakes with preserved veggies

I met up with my sister and the rest of the family after they went to church. We decided to have an early lunch where I managed to get myself the last plate of Nasi Lemak.


You see, in Singapore, there are a lot of specialty stalls in the hawker centre. Sometimes, they're so specialised, they only sell breakfast and when they're sold out, they close.

Kopi bing - Iced coffee

After lunch, I went with the rest of the family to go house hunting.

Kids having a blast in the park opposite the house

After an hour, my sister headed on home with the kids whilst I went to my favourite local shopping centre, Junction8 for some retail therapy. 2 hours later, I am completely exhausted carrying my 10 or so shopping bags so I stopped by for a quick snack.

Pork with glutinous rice - Looks terrible, tastes great

I get back home in time to have a bit of a nap to catch up on my jetlag. Me and my sister had booked for a pedicure, which took us a good 1.5hrs, but it was something we both needed desperately. It was also a fantastic chance for us to have a catchup without the kids pestering us.
After our pedicure, we met up with my brother in law and the kids for dinner. Whilst Singapore is a mixing pot of all sorts of Asian cuisine, Cantonese is not one they do well, or often. For decent Cantonese food, you need to go to a fairly expensive restaurant or hotel. Luckily, they found a pretty authentic one at a fraction of the price.

The best salt baked chicken I've had in year

Beef in black pepper sauce

Garlic Gai Lan

Gluten and egg free chicken and salted fish fried rice

Sweet and sour pork - My Bro-in-law's fav dish

Pei Pa Tofu - Minced and fried tofu

We got home around 8pm. I decided to go to the local super market for a bit of a walk. As I walked passed the fruit section, I found these:

Kiwiberries

I have been looking for these all over Sydney! I grabbed a packet and went home straight away to try these out. And they basically taste like mini kiwis! hehe yes I am easily amused.