The shops are all closed up. There’s hardly any foot traffic or cars on the streets. Red lanterns hung around the city add to the atmosphere. But the most noticeable way to tell it’s the Eve of Chinese New Year is by the excessive and near constant explosions of firecrackers.

Children light them off. So do adults. But it’s the teenagers that are most aggressive. One will ride on the back of a scooter facing backwards lighting a series of firecrackers and dropping them while his or her friend drives away. I saw others having mini-wars; throwing clusters at their friends. Others just set them off near random people and scurry off before being seen.

Some firecrackers are bigger and louder than others. After a long string of big ones, at least one car alarm will get set off. The climax came at midnight, when it seemed like each of the city’s citizens was setting fireworks off at the same time.

I am witnessing all this in the small city of Jianshui, in Yunnan Province, about 200 km south of Kunming. Jianshui is known for its traditional architecture: its huge red gateway arch Chaoyang Lou, its venerable Confucian academy, the traditional Zhu Family Gardens, and the captivating 17-arch Twin Dragon Bridge.

Tomorrow, the 23^rd of January will be New Year’s Day and people will leave their homes to promenade through the old cobbled streets during the afternoon. The shops will all be open; the Taoist temple will be busy, and the street vendors will be cooking up their famous Jianshui barbecue.

The Chinese call this Lunar New Year’s celebration Spring Festival. The Lunar Calendar is observed in much of Asia. Last year I celebrated Lunar New Year in South Korea, which was an incredible cultural experience for me, spending the entire day with a Korean couchsurfer and his family. This year was not as special for me—I’ve just been watching people celebrate in the streets. I wasn’t able to see how any Chinese families celebrated in their homes. Nevertheless, it was fun to see everyone excited and in a festive spirit.

See the photos below of Jianshui preparing for Spring Festival, or Chinese New Year:

Red lanterns for sale in Jianshui, China

Red lanterns hang on the city gate in Jianshui, China

Decorations hung at the traditional Zhu Family Gardens in Jianshui, China

New Year’s decorations at the Confucian Temple in Jianshui, China

Red lanterns hung at the Confucian Temple in Jianshui, China.

Fireworks for sale in Jianshui, China.

Setting up fireworks at a private residence.

After the firecrackers

Exploded fireworks in front of the Linan Inn in Jianshui, China

Shops closed up on New Year’s Eve. Smoke after the firecrackers.

Out with last year’s red lanterns.

One day last June, I went for a jog with my new friend Shannon.  She had moved to Cajamarca as part of a Fulbright grant to teach English at the university.  While she loved her life in Peru, she missed working with school-aged children and was looking for opportunities to volunteer with an under-served community.  I had been informally teaching English to several children on my street for months.  I wanted to formalize my efforts into classes, but didn’t know how to go about it.  By the end of our three-mile jog, we had decided to start a school.  It was as simple as that.

After a couple meetings, we bought some markers and a dry erase board and began teaching free English classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays.  Following the principle that you don’t need a building to have a classroom, we began to teach in the street where the kids usually play soccer.  After two classes, a neighbor quickly volunteered a few child-sized chairs and the use of a roofed patio outside of his house.  Over time, more and more children came consistently and now we have an attendance between 12 and 18 children per class between the ages of four and eleven.  With geese, chickens and dogs wandering around us, we sing songs, play games and walk these kids through basic English. 

As terrible as it sounds, for most of my life I have not been a fan of children.  In graduate school, I dabbled in Pediatric occupational therapy but quickly became disinterested; preferring to work with a my-aged or older, even geriatric population.  Perhaps I hadn’t met the right kids.  For some reason, I find myself drawn to these children, who, despite the bad hands they were dealt, manage to be seemingly happy-go-lucky kids. 

Some of our students have it better than others.  Some eat three meals a day, others are lucky to get one.  Some go to school, others don’t.  One of my eight-year-old students lives in a closet-sized mud-and-grass hut with her 13-year old sister (who raised her).  Her parents live in the countryside and don’t want her.  One of our brightest students, Pepe, can’t walk due to a congenital spinal deformity; this seven-year-old boy crawls on his hands and ankles.  The family has been given money twice to bring him to Lima for a surgery that would give him the ability to walk, but they used the money on other things.  No matter what, each afternoon the kids gather to play soccer in the street with their worn ball and smiles on their faces.  Pepe is a surprisingly good player.

Each kid has a story.  These kids are TOUGH.  These kids rarely whine, cry or ask for anything more than for me to play soccer with them after class (a disgraceful sight).  In my opinion they need so much.  I want to give each one the same opportunities I had growing up.  However, saving the world or even one child is far more complicated than one would ever imagine (trust me, I’ve tried).  So, I offer free English classes twice a week to anyone who wants to come.  The kids and parents show extreme gratitude and have graciously welcomed me into their close community.

Not only are these kids happy, grateful and tough…they are SMART!  One day as I was conversing in Spanish with a small group, I asked a question and soon realized I already knew the answer.  “Duh!” I blurted out in English.  “Duh!” I heard the kids repeat.  From that point forward, I began to hear the expression “Duh,” used commonly and appropriately throughout the children of my neighborhood.  I was proud.  Fortunately their quick acquisition of the language carries over to more useful expressions such as “hello” and “how are you?” which I am greeted with frequently nowadays.

Shannon and I have faced challenges and worked around them.  No funding and lack of materials in English has not been a problem.  It forces us to be inventive.  Originally it was hard to get the kids to show up on time (four o’clock, gringo time tends to translate to four thirty or later, Peruvian time). We nipped that one in the bud by using constant reminders, starting class at four whether all the kids have arrived or not, and teaching classes that kids want to attend.  If you ask one of our students when the next class is, they will respond in English “Tuesday at four o’clock, punctual!”

The greatest problem we faced was that of classroom management.  With a teacher:student ratio of about 1:50 in the public schools, you can imagine it would be difficult to structure things.  In the local school that our students attend, the teaching is done mostly by lecturing in the front of the classroom.  During the first few classes, when we asked a question the children would either shout out the answers or stand up and wave their hands in front of our faces pleading “please miss, me, please!”  At the end of class when I read a book, the children would crowd me, trying to all sit in my lap at the same time.  Okay, so THESE kids are tough, happy, grateful, etc. but I don’t like them enough to get suffocated.  The chaos needed to be controlled and fast. 

Shannon, being a more patient person than myself and a more experienced teacher was good at ignoring the more outgoing children and calling on the polite ones.  I, on the other hand, couldn’t focus with this disorder.  First, I tried changing my typically “fun” demeanor.  I looked at the children who were talking amongst themselves with a frown on my face and disappointed and said “what are you doing?  Listen to your teacher!”  This was effective for about 15 minutes. Eventually we implemented rule: “when my hand is up, my mouth is closed” which has had a longer lasting outcome.  Generally we structure our lesson plans to keep the kids active and engaged, eliminating opportunities for them to act like brats.

While I spent time in the States in the early fall, Shannon continued to teach classes and upon my return in October I was greeted warmly by our students.  At that point we decided to get this on paper.  Shannon and I (both being major nerds) enjoyed long work sessions during which we wrote our mission and guiding principles, methodology, a profile of the community we serve, lesson structures and more.  After a couple weeks, we had our first draft of a portfolio.  All we lacked was a name and who better to ask than our bright young students? 

The one-and-only naming session was productive.  Shannon, myself, and several of the kiddos made suggestions.  Some were stereotypical names given frequently to schools, churches, buildings, and programs in Peru. “Escuela del Corazon,” (School of heart) “Escuela de las estrellas,” (school of the stars) “Escuela bonita,” (beautiful school) to name a few.  There were a few humorous suggestions such as “escuela de las gringas” and “escuela de los monos” (after their favorite song about monkeys jumping on the bed).  While the name “school of the monkeys,” was amusingly tempting (both to me and the kids), the final decision came down to a vote.  The winner?  “Mundo Maravilloso”.  In English: Wonderful World.

We’ve got a lot to do and a lot more kids to cater to.  At least 20 children have recently asked if they can join, but with Shannon back in the States, I’m putting a pause on new admissions.  I’m developing a long-term (3 month minimum) volunteer program under the principle that children need consistency to learn efficiently.  Little by little, I’ve gathered a box full of books, scissors, markers and a few other supplies to improve our activities.  Shannon and I are working together in the upcoming months to develop a set curriculum with matching lesson plans.  But Mundo Maravilloso has a great beginning and lots of exciting things to come.

–Danielle L. Krautmann

 *If you are interested in learning more about Mundo Maravilloso or receiving a copy of our portfolio, please contact me directly via my email: DanielleLParker [at] gmail [dot] com.   

The following is a guest post by Juno Kim of RunawayJuno.com

This is New Zealand: one of the world’s most well-known scenic places and one of the most adored countries on earth. However, New Zealand is not all about astonishing landscapes or adrenaline-rushing bungee jumping. It’s about the intimate feel of the place that warms your heart, that’s what makes New Zealand so wonderful. You’ve seen enough great scenery photos of New Zealand, so I’ll give you “Pure New Zealand” from five points of view.  These are the everyday scenes you’ll witness while traveling around the country.

Over the windshield, this is your view:

I admit; New Zealand is not one the most convenient places to drive around. You won’t find straightforward highways with lots of rest stops. Driving will take more time than you expected. Why? Because they’ve built their roads around the natural features: mountains, rivers, and lakes. Nature before convenience, just like their reputation. And you may have to stop the car for sheep crossing on many occasions. Also, you might want to slow down because the scenery will be beautiful. When you are planning a schedule for driving around New Zealand, keep this in mind.

This photo is from the northern neck of the North Island, near Auckland, taken while driving.

Natural Planetarium: Free admission, every night.

Afternoon’s clear blue sky turns into a dark blue natural planetarium. Then you’ll see the symbol of the Southern Hemisphere: the Southern Cross. Due to extremely low light pollution, New Zealand is a very well-known place for stargazers. Every night was a stargazing festival for me, an astronomy buff. But no astronomy degree is required to appreciate this amazing night sky. As I’ve heard, New Zealand’s brother country, Australia, is another outstanding place for enjoying the extreme darkness of the southern night sky. I’ll have to find out for myself by grabbing one of the numerous Australia flights from New Zealand, the next time I’m there.

For naked-eye stargazing, Lake Tekapo is especially well-known for its low light pollution. Also visit Carter Observatory at Wellington, Stardom Observatory at Auckland and Mt. John Observatory at Lake Tekapo for an organized astronomy tour.

“Oh, the mountains are my back yard.”

This is what you can say if you’re living in New Zealand. The landscape still pockets the town, not vise versa. Everything outdoors is easily accessible. Although New Zealand is well-known for extreme outdoor activities like skydiving, glacier hiking and bungee jumping, even small towns offer opportunities to explore the surroundings at your own pace.

This photo was taken on the top of Baldwin Street, the steepest street in the world. A lot of towns around New Zealand offer adventures both big and small. Even in a big city like Auckland, there is plenty of bush with hiking trails you can explore.

This is a beach

Notice anything missing? Beach umbrellas, souvenir stands, fish n’ chip shops…  development? The beauty of New Zealand beaches is that there’s still more beach than beachcombers. Depending on where you are, each beach presents its own personality: black sands, isolated coves, rocky shores, some roughness due to the proximity to Antarctica, and others boasting warm waters with fruit baring trees.

This particular photo is from Koekohe Beach which is famous for the Moeraki Boulders. As an island country, it’s easy to visit beaches in New Zealand, especially, Dunedin, Invercargill, and Picton on the South Island, and Auckland, Napier, Wellington, and New Plymouth on the North Island—all great places to enjoy the beach.

This is what you feel in NZ

Easy going. Everything here is just that.

By Isabel Eva Bohrer

When traveling to Ireland, many of us assume that people speak English. Which they do. But especially when it comes to food, the Irish language has left its traces and English-speaking visitors often find themselves in need of a little deciphering when it comes to the menu.

Here are ten typical Irish foods, some easier to decipher than others:

Irish Butter

It’s the staple served at every meal. The Irish are famous for their butter, and every restaurant will provide a decent chunk, usually accompanied with the typical Irish bread (see number two). Butter is also frequently used for cooking, frying and baking.

Soda bread

Without the bread, the butter wouldn’t be nearly as good. Though plain white bread can certainly be had at many establishments, soda bread is what is really typical. The standard ingredients of Irish soda bread include flour, bread soda, salt and buttermilk. It’s the latter that contains lactic acid, which reacts with the baking soda and then forms tiny bubbles of carbon dioxide. Different variations of soda bread may include raisins, eggs or even nuts.

Potato

The tradition of serving potatoes dates back to times of famine, and became known as the food of the poor. Nowadays, it is served as a side dish to just about every plate, but also provides the basis of many other, more elaborate dishes. Note that the Irish potatoes are not sweet potatoes.

Mushrooms (for breakfast)

Oh, the Irish breakfast. It is certainly a hearty one. As a vegetarian, you may need to pass on the “black and white puddings” that include sausage, but the eggs, hash browns, normal potatoes and grilled tomatoes are a real delight. But to me, the real highlight was the mushrooms; every establishment serves them slightly different. Some times they are grilled, some times sautéed and the best I have tried, include a basil stuffing that was hard to beat.

Irish stew

If you eat meat, this is a dish that cannot be missed. The traditional Irish stew is made from lamb or mutton, and includes potatoes, carrots and onions, as well as parsley. Cuddle up on those cold winter nights with a pot of stew, and you’ll be sure to escape the cold.

Colcannon

Grilled pork chop with a honey balsamic vinaigrette served with a side of mouth watering colcannon!

Another dish that needs just a little bit of translating or deciphering. “Colcannon” meaning “white-headed cabbage” in Irish, which is precisely what the dish includes. Specifically, it includes mashed potatoes with kale or cabbage. The photo tells it all.

Champ

If you’re in the mood for a hefty (and relatively inexpensive) meal, this could be your pick. Champ, also known as “poundies,” is similar to colcannon, but originates in the North of Ireland. It consists of creamy mashed potatoes, mixed with scallions or green onions. Usually, it will be accompanied by some kind of meat-based dish.

Boxty

The Irish really do love their potatoes. Boxty, meaning “poor house bread” is a traditional Irish potato pancake. Recipes will vary throughout the Island, but all include finely grated, raw potatoes and are all served fried. Boxty can be served as an accompaniment to beef or other meat-based dishes.

Coddle

The best place to get coddle is in Dublin, which is also why it is sometimes known as “Dublin Coddle.” This dish involves layers of roughly sliced pork sausages and rashes with potatoes and onions (also sliced). In the traditional version, it will also include barley. James Joyce even referred to this dish in some of his works, so it must be worth a try.

By Stephen Bugno

San Blas used to be important. It was a crucial port when trade between Spain and the Philippines was in its heyday. Then Acapulco took over and San Blas became a backwater. But that’s why it’s a fantastic, little, chilled-out beach town today.

The empty stretch of beach at Playa El Borrego, San Blas, Mexico.

Set 90 minutes down a narrow two-lane road bounded by dense vegetation from the nearest city, Tepic, it feels very remote. I planned my visit for Mexico’s bicentennial celebration back in September 2010. I wanted to see the party in a small town and witness the locals and few tourists join in for the festivities. It all happened in the town’s main square: music, dancing, speeches, parades.

I could have stayed in Mexico City or Guadalajara, but I wanted to be in a small town to celebrate Mexico’s 200^th birthday.

Why I chose San Blas

The famous Pan de Platano, banana bead of San Blas, Mexico

I was only in Mexico for a few weeks and only had time to visit one beach. I chose San Blas. It’s description mirrored that of a slow and very laid-back lifestyle.

In fact, my guidebook, The Rough Guide to Mexico summed it up perfectly by saying “for such a small town, San Blas manages to absorb its many visitors without feeling overrun, submissive or resentful”.

I visited in the off-season so it was even more void of tourists (probably only a dozen foreigners in all), but still there was plenty of local life. There are simple little cafes and street carts around town and a low-key but lively and fun bar scene. Internet cafes are plentiful and guesthouses are scattered around town.

The beaches are nice. For the first 200 m or so there are restaurants and a few cabanas along Playa El Borrego, but after that it’s just palm-fringed beach the rest of the way down. It eventually stops after a few km because this beach is like peninsula with a lagoon behind it. On the other side, where the lagoon opens into the ocean, are some other beaches at Los Islitas.

San Blas is also a relatively safe place to hang out. People linger outside at night. Budget travelers camp on the beach at Stoner’s Surf camp, where you can get surfing lessons as well. Safety is a concern to most people traveling to Mexico, so that’s why I tackled that issue in a recent post. Mostly it’s the US media that is blowing the drug wars out of proportion. Mexico is safe for tourists in most areas of the country.

I would consider San Blas as a destination for one of your upcoming Mexico holidays, specifically if you like a laid-back and independent beach scene. No Club Meds or Wyndhams here. And very few hawkers giving you any unnecessary hassles. Just a mellow surf scene and some fellow low-impact independent travelers.

Stoner's Surf Camp in San Blas, Mexico

The locals are really friendly and super easy going. On several occasions I walked past waiting taxi drivers are they didn’t even call out to me. A walk down by the beach you’re likely to witness fishermen doing their thing. Towards the evening I saw about 12 guys hauling in a gigantic fishing net by hand.

Before arriving to San Blas, I heard lots of nasty stories about the biting sand flies that seem to attack humans at certain times of year. This alone is said to be the reason that mass tourism did not develop in San Blas. The no see-ums weren’t around when I visited, but the mosquitoes were nearly unbearable every evening at dusk.

Around San Blas

One afternoon I was feeling energetic and borrowed a bicycle from my guesthouse and together, with a fellow traveler whom I just met, peddled over to Bahia de Matanchen. Most of the six kilometer road led through marshes where we saw plenty of bird life. Eventually when we reached Los Islitas near Mantanchen village beach we leaned our bikes against a palm tree and pulled up a chair at a local beach-side restaurant. I ordered a whole fish grilled with garlic and a huge coconut to drink. After dinner we took a dip in the bathtub-warm water and explored the rest of Los Islitas by bike.

Getting there and costs

San Blas is located on the Pacific Ocean in the Mexican province of Nayarit. It’s a 90 minute, $42 MXN ($3.50 US) bus ride from the city of Tepic and another 2-3 hours and $190 MXN ($16 US) back to Guadalajara.

I got a single room with bath in the off-season for 150 pesos ($12.75 US)per night, which was one of the cheapest options in town.

[The following is a sponsored post]

Anyone planning a trip to London any time soon will be faced with a dilemma on how best to travel around in the English capital. There are plenty of options – go on the London Underground, catch a bus, hire a bicycle, jump on a boat, hail a taxi or walk – and selecting the right one to suit your needs could be the difference between having enjoyable London nights and days and enduring a thoroughly miserable time. Here, we run the rule over the different modes of transport available to tourists and sightseers alike.

Going Underground

The London Underground is a feat of undeniable engineering brilliance. A whole network of train lines operate deep underground and ferry millions of passengers around the city on a daily basis. When everything is running smoothly, it’s a joy to travel on. It’s quick, reliable and easy to use after a few initial teething problems. However, when things go wrong it can be an absolute nightmare. Anyone that has been stuck in a carriage that has broken down in one of the tunnels for any length of time can testify that it’s an experience they won’t forget in a hurry. In the summer months, it’s stiflingly hot on the Tube and often overcrowded. And it’s best to give it a wide berth first thing in the morning and between five and seven at night because that’s when it’s busiest. Numerous improvements are being made to the Underground in preparation for the London Olympics next year so expect some disruption due to possible engineering work between now and then. Be aware that the Tube also only runs roughly between five in the morning and half 12 at night. In terms of cost, a day travelcard around central London is about £6 and this is great value if you’re planning on making quite a few journeys or if you don’t fancy walking.

Get active

Many of London’s major tourist attractions are in quite close proximity and the only way to really get your bearings in the city is to explore it on foot. It can sometimes take less time and be altogether more convenient to walk from one place to another rather than get on the Tube or bus. Needless to say, it’s also free of charge and a great source of exercise. Mind you, watch the weather – it is Britain after all.

Get mobile on two wheels

Hiring a bike in London is easy and offers another cheaper and healthier alternative to going on the Underground. A relatively new scheme has seen docking stations installed all over the city where you can pick up a bike and then drop it off at another station convenient for you when you’ve finished with it. If you complete your cycle within half an hour, the journey is free. Despite the cycle lanes, London’s roads are notoriously busy, though, so take care if you decide to rent a bike. It’s a perfect way to see the city if the weather is nice, not so great if it’s not.

Ride the River Thames

A boat ride down the River Thames enables you to see some of London’s landmarks from a different angle and it’s quite a novel and pleasant way of getting about. However, for obvious reasons, you’re limited as to where you can travel to and from and, despite being fast, it’s quite pricey.

Hail a taxi

You can’t beat getting a taxi for convenience, but it’s a luxury service for which you pay a premium, especially in a city like London. Given the size of the place, it may be wise to think carefully about how you plan to get back from a particular place at any given time – hailing a taxi should probably be a last resort when all other avenues are not viable.

Catch a bus

London Bus by Ambernectar

It costs less than the Tube, although it does suffer the same problem with the issue of overcrowding before nine in the morning and in the early evening. The night bus service may come in handy if you’re still out and about after the Underground has closed down.

[The following is a sponsored post.]

I’m sure everyone has their own tips but from my own travelling experiences, I’ve developed this list of key ingredients to a better holiday. They’re not applicable to every holiday, but I use them more as a checklist to make sure I’ve got all my bases covered and to make sure my holiday is as great as it could possibly be. Thanks to these five things it always is.

Sunset in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia

Bite cream

I don’t care how much faith you put in sprays that promise to keep mosquitoes away, they will get you. Maybe not on the first night, maybe not even on the second but they’ll get you eventually and you will be itchy. Pack some strong itch relief cream and you’ve nothing to worry about. It serves the dual purpose of stopping you scratching your leg off and preventing big unsightly red bites everywhere.

A holiday buddy

I’ve travelled alone and it can be great, you meet people and you do things a bit differently but there’s nothing you do on a holiday alone that you can’t do with the right holiday buddy. It’ll be more fun with two of you as well. Choose wisely though, because you will be spending a LOT of quality time together.

Pre-flight preparation

This comes in the form of a night in an airport hotel. So far I’ve stayed in Stansted airport hotels, Dublin airport hotels, and also made the most of a Gatwick airport hotel and parking package, and they were all fantastic. It gives you a nice, relaxed, easy start to your holiday rather than the usual chaos and I find I’m in a much better place after I’ve stay in one.

A guidebook

I hate missing out on anything so it’s essential for me to have guidebook. Even if you intend on lying by the pool for the whole holiday as I often do it’s still nice to know what you could be seeing and doing. That way you’ve had the opportunity but you’ve chosen not to rather than you just missed out. There’s nothing worse than coming home and someone talking about their visit to the same place where they saw something amazing that you didn’t even know about 100 meters from your hotel.

 A camera

Yes, it’s obvious, and most people pack one automatically. But for those who are of a more forgetful nature, photos are priceless. I once went away and didn’t take a camera because I assumed everyone else would have one so I’d just get copies of those photos…I have no photos from that holiday and am gutted. So my advice; take a camera.

Article compiled by Nick Phillipps

By Stephen Bugno

I am definitely not a mall person. You might even be able to classify me as a mall hater. Here are five reasons I didn’t fight malls when I visited Singapore.

5) A National Obsession

To understand Singapore without eating at or entering a mall is like trying to understand Ireland without entering a pub. Singaporeans are obsessed with shopping. The temples they’ve built to worship this infatuation with consumerism, are malls. They are big, they are beautiful, and they are here to stay. My conclusion: understanding malls equals understanding Singaporean society.

4) Nice to Look at

These are some of the nicest, most well-designed buildings I’ve seen. I spent much of my time in Singapore just walking through the malls admiring the interior design, the grand open spaces, the escalators. Not to mention all the beautiful people. Singaporeans look good! In fact, they are the best dressed people I have ever seen. Don’t get me wrong, Londoners and New Yorkers are dressed well, but in those cities there’s at least one person poorly dressed for each one that is well dressed. In Singapore, it’s just beautiful person after beautiful person. Even if they’re not good looking, they still look good.

3) I didn’t ask to visit this mall

How did I end up in a mall? Get used to it, malls are everywhere in Singapore. And they’re almost impossible to avoid. If you exit the MRT (mass rapid transit), you may end up inside a mall. It’s nearly impossible to escape. I tried once for 20 minutes to get to street level and failed. Luckily there are good information desks helping you plot your way out. So you may not have a choice about visiting malls while in the city. Accept the mall. Be one with commercialism. Smile, you love shopping.

2) It’s freeeezing in here

A mall in Singapore.

Singapore is hot. Walking around the city, you’ll think it’s the hottest, most humid place you’ve ever been. Enter shopping malls. They are cold, very cold. And to most people this feels good. Feeling good goes hand in hand with spending a lot of money. There you have the secret to happiness in Singapore. Unfortunately, to the weak (myself included), this shuffling into the ice cold mall and out into the hot street can cause headaches. Why not stay inside the mall all day?

1) 1 +1 = 3

Shopping malls combine shopping with Singaporean’s second obsession: eating. This city is both eater’s and shopper’s paradise. Malls have food courts. These are not the disgusting and dirty food courts that you are used to back home. This is good food. And lots of it. A diverse range of independent stalls offer an array of sophisticated food choices at reasonable prices. Char kway teow (fried broad noodles) with cockles, lemon pepper beef rice, fish ball and wan tan soup, chicken rice, turnip and mushroom dumplings, kaya (coconut jam) toast and coffee,  just to name a few that I tried. The mall food court is the place to get good food at good prices. If you think Singaporeans have fashion sense, they have even better food sense.

There you have it. Malls rule Singapore. The next time you’re here, just try to avoid malls. I dare you.

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