Weekend on Bintan Island

This weekend I took a weekend trip to Bintan Island with a few friends. Bintan, an Indonesian island, is only a 55-minute ferry ride from Singapore's east coast and is a popular destination for Singaporeans. Resorts owned by Singaporean companies dot the north part of the island, which is populated by tourists, whereas locals tend to live in the southern end. 

We first ate lunch at Cafe Idol in the Pasar Oleh Oleh market, a "traditional" village-type shopping area that clearly caters to foreigners. Shops there sold colorful clothing, keychains and knick-knacks. A tour guide drove us to the market from the ferry terminal, free of charge, as long as we spent $50 at lunch. I was a bit skeptical but the meal turned out to be delicious.    

We tried gado-gado, an Indonesian cold salad dish that consists of hardboiled egg, spinach, cucumbers, and tomatoes with a rich peanut dip. We also ordered rice, stir-fried vegetables, and a mixed platter with different types of grilled and stewed meat. 

Unfortunately, when we arrived at our stay, the Bintan Lagoon Resort, the skies opened up and rain fell heavily for the next few hours. In Southeast Asia rain falls so intensely, in heavy sheets of water. 

In the afternoon, the sky cleared up and we were able to explore the outdoor areas of the resort, including a fantastic swimming pool and beyond that, the South China Sea. The area is quite pristine and the resort kept the landscape nicely manicured. 

For dinner we ate a la carte at the in-house restaurant called Kopi-O. We each ordered what the menu described as traditional Indonesian food, and I chose chicken and beef skewers, again with a nice nutty dip.

The next day we decided to get out of the nice but touristy resorts area and head to the south of the island. The tour operators seemed surprised to hear that we wanted to venture south, towards the city of Tanjung Pinang and the temples in that area. The trip took 1.5 hours each way along small winding roads, in torrential rainfall. We hired a driver for the day to take us around for $110 SGD.

Once we reached Tanjing Pinang, the largest city in Bintan, we wanted to go the Sengerrang Island with the famous Banyan Tree Temple. In order to reach the island we chartered a small motor boat to take us across the water. At first the waters were so choppy that the driver warned us not to go to the island, but after awhile the weather calmed. This photo below is of the driver with us in the boat.

The island is a village on stilts. It is a mostly residential area, with houses built upon decks above the water. Our driver told us that most of the residents who live in Sengerrang commute to work across the water in the city Tanjung Pinang and own businesses. 

The Banyan Tree Temple is located amongst these homes. Old trees have intertwined and grown around the entire structure, which was created purely from stones and sand. 

The village was so peaceful and homely, with no other tourists in sight. People went about their day, hanging out in coffee shops, running errands, and kids kicked around a ball in the rain. 

We stepped into one local coffee shop to get out of the rain, which by that time had slowed to a light drizzle. A group of men had gathered in there to relax and watch TV. We ordered hot glasses of Indonesian tea that came with large sugar granules clustered at the bottom. We stirred up the sugar with the spoon. The slightly sweetened tea was soothing on the cold and rainy day.

Before we left for Singapore we really wanted to try fresh seafood. Our driver took us out to this restaurant called Ciu Yong Seafood, located out in the middle of the countryside at the end of a long and winding road. The restaurant is out upon a deck in on a large lake. 

The seafood is freshly caught from these large nets beside the restaurant, and you can actually go and choose the fish or lobster that you want to eat. For some people this may be a bit too close for comfort, but at least you can see that your food is local and fresh! 

We ordered several dishes, including this delicious stir-fried prawns with salty duck egg...

...and steamed grouper. All the dishes were fresh, and seasoned perfectly. 

The beautiful view from our table created the perfect end to a relaxing trip. From this trip to Bintan I realized that there are things I miss, from living in Singapore - pure darkness at night, for example, undisrupted by street lights, and wide open skies with stars, and the still quiet of nature. 

The water may be dirtier, the roads bumpier, the waiters slower, the buildings more haphazardly situated, but there is something almost comforting about life here - disorganized yet organic and beautiful. 

Back in the "City"

It's been three weeks since I've arrived in Singapore!

This time I am living not in downtown, but in an area further out from the center of the island. It's a bit strange because I am so used to thinking of Singapore as a conglomeration of massive high rises, but out here there is a lot of green space and lower buildings interspersed in between the taller ones.

It's also harder to get around, though the public transportation is comprehensive. The bus stop outside where I live only is serviced by two bus lines, and I need to take a bus for about 10 min to reach the nearest MRT (subway) stop. Using public transportation takes me about an hour to reach the downtown core where I lived two summers back.

Yet, at times it's nice to have this separation, where I feel as if I live within an enclosed community. It's convenient - there's a 24/7 Starbucks, ATMs, 2 food courts, a pharmacy, and a convenience store, but I want to make sure I get out and explore the city. It's easy to fall into a daily routine, especially since I have already seen a lot of the various attractions of the city from my previous trip, but I know there is still a lot more out there. I still have yet to go to Sentosa (a nice beach), or really see the different ethnic quarters like Arab Street.

Work has been really busy, and I've realized that some days it may be difficult to maintain a boundary between work and personal life, especially since I'm living in the same place where I work. I will have to be proactive in making sure that I make personal time for myself - which may involve physically distancing myself from the work and living space.

I'm actually back in New Haven for a few weeks, and I think this separation will help me reflect upon the past few weeks and see what has worked and what needs to be improved in terms of what I've been doing.

I have a few photos to share:

This first one is the remnants of a durian-tasting session we experienced at a friend's house. Durian is known as the king of fruits, but it is recognized by its extremely pungent and somewhat repulsive smell.    However, the flesh of the fruit has quite an interesting taste that some people like - kind of like sweet avocado? There are many varieties of durian, and I believe our group tried seven or eight of them. I think it is okay in small doses.

This is just a beautiful view of Singapore at dusk. You can see how the architecture of buildings here are so similar - concrete blocks, similar geometric shapes, etc. 

One day we went biking on the island of Pulau Ubin, which is about 20 minutes off of Singapore by ferry. Many Singaporeans enjoy going there on day trips to bike and kayak. The island is wooded and full of various bike trails. Right when you get off the jetty, you find little shops that rent out bikes.

We went to Chinatown one night to try out this interesting vegetarian Chinese restaurant. It was family-run, and the menu only had 5 items, one of which was randomly a sloppy joe sandwich. Afterwards we went walking the streets underneath the lights of the lanterns, searching for desserts and egg tarts.

That's it for now! I'm going to enjoy my little bit of time in New Haven - a last taste of America, as well as of my college experience, before jetting back off to Singapore.

Reflections

Singapore has a strange combination. It's not a very open society, meaning freedom of speech and of the press are restricted, and the government is quite controlling. The political scene is not very pluralistic, as the same party has ruled since the founding of the country. However, Singapore is also one of the least corrupt countries in the world. It is very wealthy, highly developed, and has a great infrastructure. Almost all citizens enjoy a high standard of living. These characteristics don't often come together.

People describe the government as having a master plan. Since the 1960s, the government has tried to "engineer" society. It has, for the most part, been very successful. Not many other countries have leaped from third world to first world status in a few decades - and Singapore is not only "first world," but its living conditions are among the best. Unemployment is at a low 2%, nearly all residents have affordable housing, and business, especially foreign business, is thriving. Despite the population density, the city is immaculately clean, there are nice parks, and pollution levels are low. Crime rates are extremely low.

Of course, a few factors have been in Singapore's favor. The government only had to plan out a country the size of a large city, rather than a huge landmass. Smaller means easier to keep tabs on and control. Also, since Singapore had been under British control, English became the official language, and that always is helpful in terms of business development and innovation.

I think of the government as authoritarian but benevolent. It has a lot of power, but this hasn't corrupted the leaders. The leaders want to improve the country and satisfy the citizens. They realize that this is the best way to perpetuate their power. The plan has worked - you can hear people now and then mumbling and grumbling about the power of the party, but no one ever does anything. Everyone is too content with their lives to risk disrupting the equilibrium. If you have housing, a stable job, and good schools for your kids, there isn't much incentive to try to change the political scene. How would a change of government benefit you?

Best Moments of Summer 2011

Eating my first delicious banh mi sandwich upon arriving in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. It was from a roadside vendor and cost 50 cents. The lady took fresh-baked french baguettes, sliced them open, and slathered them with a special mixture of sauces and pickled vegetables. She then quickly fried up a few eggs in a sizzling hot pan before slipping them into the sandwich. The best of roadside food, period.

Swimming in the infinity pool on top of Marina Bay Sands, the iconic 55 floor resort/casino/hotel in Singapore. The view of the cityscape in the light of the setting sun was breathtaking. The cool water contrasted perfectly with the blazing rays of the near-equatorial sun. Fun fact: did you know that in terms of revenue from gambling, Singapore has surpassed Las Vegas? It is number two in the world, only behind Macao. I had no idea.

Witnessing a beautiful wedding in the oldest cathedral in Manila, the San Agustin Cathedral. Here all the guests are turned around to view the procession of the bridal party, and later the bride. Everything, from the music, decor, outfits, as well as the cathedral itself, was breathtaking. We were just touring the building and stumbled across a balcony in the back from which we could view the ceremony. I must have stood by the railing for a good twenty minutes, watching the procession and waiting for the entrance of the bride.

Exploring the Monkey Forest in Ubud, the geographical and cultural heart of Bali, Indonesia. This lush forest was crawling with free roaming monkeys of all ages. There were little babies with their mothers as well as wizened old geezers. They warn you not to get too close to the animals and not to bring in any food, for good reason! These monkeys aren’t trained or domesticated. Despite their cute appearances, they are not afraid to attack you and your possessions!

Walking along Jonker Walk, a winding street full of food vendors, boutique shops, and souvenir places, in the historic center of Malacca, Malaysia. This place was so festive that we had to come back three times! We strolled slowly along the street, stopping and buying cheap night snacks whenever they looked appealing, and browsing all the wares in the cute little shops. The boutiques sold everything from unique clothing to local traditional foods to handmade jewelry. There was also a huge outdoor stage where old people sang Chinese karaoke in front of an eager crowd.

Boat ride in Bangkok, Thailand. The small boat was just big enough for our group of travelers. We rode along the main river, taking in the city, before turning into networks of small canals that led us past neighborhoods of houses standing on sticks and platforms. Bangkok is known as the Venice of Asia, if I recall correctly. The driver took us to temples and pagodas, as well as a wonderful floating market, before dropping us of at our final destination, the Grand Palace..

Watching the sunrise in Desaru, Malaysia. We dragged ourselves out of bed at six in the morning, in the dark, and wandered down to the beach, sleepy eyes trying to locate the first rays of day. Sure enough, the sun appeared, with its blinding rays. After we were sure that the sunrise was indeed over, we promptly settled onto beach chairs and took a nap until midday.

Of course, there are many other moments that I will always treasure, as well as some that I may have sadly forgotten already, but these were a few that stuck out to me. I met so many people, saw so many places, and learned a lot about the world around me, as well as about myself. One thing is for sure: I could not have asked for a better summer.

Malaysia, Take Two

For my last weekend in Southeast Asia, we decided to make another trip to Malaysia, exploring other parts of the country. Unlike our first trip, we took a bus from Singapore to our first stop, Malacca, the UNESCO World Heritage Site. There's a lot of history to this small town - it was a Dutch as well as Portuguese settlement, and Cheng Ho, the famous Chinese explorer, visited it. The ride from Singapore was about 5 hours and it was nighttime when we rolled into the sleepy little town.

The area is predominantly Muslim, which explains why so many businesses and restaurants were closed, due to the Ramadan holiday. We wandered around the town for a bit before we found dinner at a busy little Chinese vegetarian place. Along with the requisite veggies, we ordered a spicy mapo tofu and a mutton curry. The mutton was made out of some type of vegetable protein product and it was delicious! All of the dishes were quite spicy.

The next morning, we woke up early to explore the historic city center, where the museums, ruins, and churches are located.

Malacca is famous for a dish called Chicken Rice Balls. This is a spin-off of the Hainanese Chicken Rice, a Singaporean national dish. The Malaysian version is a little anti-climatic: the only difference is that the rice is rolled into balls instead of being served under the chicken pieces. The rice is really tasty because it is cooked in the chicken fat. According to the owner of a nearby smoothie place, we should have gotten the chicken rice balls from the actual restaurant instead of the street vendor, which only sells an "imitation." Oh well, I still enjoyed it, along with a fresh carrot juice from the smoothie maker!

The city streets were lined with souvenir shops, small boutiques, temples, hostels and inns, and galleries of local artists. It was a touristy scene that somehow managed to retain a genuine cultural element.

We explored an old fort in the area. It must have been more intimidating in the olden days, without the tacky playground equipment and tourists lugging around giant cameras. There were also a ton of little museums with really random themes, such as the Museum for Democratic Governance, the Museum of Eternal Beauty, the Museum of Education, the Museum of Literature, and more. To be honest, the displays were a bit tacky and seemed forced.

I also had the experience of attending a Sunday church service at the Christ Church of Malacca. There was a really friendly and diverse crowd at the English service.

The smoothie place owner had mentioned that chicken satays are pretty famous in the area, so of course we had to try the dish. Basically it's chicken that is grilled on skewers and served with a spicy peanut sauce.

There is another fun activity in Malacca - riding these tacky rigshaws! They are brightly lit with Christmas lights and blare loud pop music. The driver will take you anywhere you need to go, and you agree on a price beforehand. I knew we had to have the experience as soon as I saw these wonderfully hideous things. On the second night, we rode one back to the hotel. It was quite an experience, weaving through heavy traffic and honking at nearby pedestrians.

On the third day we headed out to Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia. The bus ride took about 2 hours. We stayed in a nice little place called the Chinatown Boutique in the heart of Chinatown. Basically our whole trip revolved around shopping and eating, which was perfectly fine by me. Therefore, I don't have too many interesting photos.

For our first meal there, we ate at a hawker center in Chinatown. There was one vendor who sold various dishes by the "scoop:" one modest scoop of a dish was 1 ringgit, or about 30 cents. I picked out some broccoli, pumpkin, salted duck egg, and braised soy sauce egg. It was pretty good.

Our lone "cultural" activity in KL was visiting the Sri Mahamariamman Temple, a large Hindu temple. The architecture was very nice, but there was nothing too remarkable about the place.

We almost missed the plane heading back to Singapore because A) we were unaware that the airport is really far outside of the city, B) our taxi was very old and therefore drove extremely slowly, and C) we found out that our flight was leaving from another terminal that was located 20 minutes away from the main airport. Needless to say, it was an extremely stressful morning. But we made it safe and sound back to Singapore, and that same night I said goodbye to Southeast Asia and flew back to the U.S.

What a summer!