Kai ’24 and Matt ’25, describe the diversity of Singapore’s cuisine, a brief lion dancing lesson, and a visit to Sentosa Island.
This morning we had free time until lunch so everyone did a wide range of activities. Ryan, Finn, James and I all walked to Clarke Quay by the water where we got breakfast and coffee. We then walked back to Chinatown where we tried a bunch of new foods including Laksa and Singaporean beef jerky which was delicious. We managed to find an amazing coffee stand where Ryan and I had one of the best coffees we’ve ever had. We then walked through a Hindu temple during a ceremony which was enlightening to see other people’s traditions. After that, we made our way through Chinatown back to the hotel where we soon departed for lunch at a hot pot restaurant in one of the malls nearby. I managed to try lobster balls, cheesy chicken balls, a wide range of noodles, and countless different meats, including beef and lamb.
After having a delicious lunch at a suki-ya Japanese style hot pot, we took off to the westernmost part of the island to attend a lesson on traditional lion dancing. We learned about the complex history of the dance, its cultural and political significance in ancient China, and how the tradition, especially in Singapore, is slowly dying off with the newer generations. Though we only had time to learn a snippet of the dance, I loved participating in the learning experience, especially the traditional drums where I was deemed the “best drummer” (though I find the name somewhat unfitting). After our lesson, we headed straight for one of Singapore’s biggest attractions: Sentosa Island. Though not initially a part of our itinerary, going to Sentosa was definitely worth the change. I went on their “luge” attraction, which was essentially go-karting accelerated by the steepness of a hill, followed by a skyline ride which I enjoyed (despite my intense fear of heights). Afterward, I went to a food court with Aviel ‘25 and Kayleen ‘25, and enjoyed some good local food. Overall, I had a lot of fun with the activities today, and I think everyone else feels the same way.
