Legal Cat-asthrophe: Indulge in the Uniquely Singapore experience

There is a lot of similarities between Malaysia and Singapore that as a Malaysian I cannot ignore the fact that I sometimes tend to visit Singapore and consider it as being still a part of Malaysia. It may not be governed by the same government and there is a few animosity between the two countries but no one can deny they rely on each other on a few matters. As a lawyer, I studied the case laws of Singapore as much as I studied the case laws of Malaysia. We even have a laws which can only be found in these two countries (mandatory death sentence for drugs anyone?). So, it is a shame that sometimes people think too much of the difference that we have than the similarities.

I love going to Singapore due to the cultural and the art scenes that it has to offer. I am an avid follower of certain theater shows I have learned to appreciate thanks to a trip to London once which was filled with theater shows. I had been going to Singapore to watch a few shows like 'We Will Rock You' and 'Mamma Mia'.The trips for these shows were short and was on a very tight budget as I went there with my wife to just watch these theater shows and then get out of Singapore to visit my elder brother in Johor Bahru.

However, last June, we made a very memorable trip to Singapore which lasted for 3 days and 2 nights with my whole family on tow as my parents decided to sponsor a trip there as our first family trip together. There were my parents; my wife and I; my eldest brother with his wife and their 3 children; and my brother who lives in Johor Bharu with his wife and 2 children. We experienced Singapore on a different level as we went to the Masjid Sultan, Singapore Zoo for the Night Safari, the Merlion, all the malls and such.

Although Singapore is not really a new territory for me, I am still consider myself eligible for a proper full tour of Singapore as I am always touring the city center in contrast with what it has to offer in totality. I heard that the Sentosa Island, which I have been to only once when I was still small has been upgraded and there is a lot of fun things to do there.

I heard the parks, which Singapore has a lot of, have been added with new species of birds for its Jurong Bird Park, new species of orchids for its National Orchid Garden and I have not even been on the Singapore Flyers yet! I know about all these attractions but have never experience it. Saw some of it in the Uniquely Singapore advertisements and nearly went to it but Orchard Road always pull my wife and I to its bosom....especially when we were there in June which was when the Great Singapore Sale happened.

I should be allowed to explore all that Singapore has to offer without the distraction of shopping!

Maybe then I can really give a good review on what Singapore has. If I am given a chance to plan for a full-day itinerary, I will plan it as such :

8.00 am - 10.00 am : Breakfast at Zam Zam Restaurant near Arab Street. I have been here every time I go to Singapore. Although I know I can get good breakfast at the hotel I will be boarding, I can never get enough of their murtabak which is very different from the Malaysian kind. It is thinner but longer than the Malaysian murtabak but the taste when partnered with the curry is very much out of this world. I actually rarely eat murtabak in Malaysia.

10.00 am - 12.00 am : Singapore Botanic Garden which has the National Orchid Garden, the Ginger Garden and the Evolution Garden within it (this will raise up my mark with wifey who loves gardening). I read somewhere, there are orchids named after famous persons in the National Orchid Garden. Maybe they will name one orchid after my name if I make enough of a scene.

12.30 pm - 2.30 pm : Lunch in one of the fast food joint in Orchard Road such as Pizza Hut or KFC as I can eat slowly and wifey can start her shopping list by window shopping within the area. Orchard Road is the stretch of road much like Kuala Lumpur's Bukit Bintang with all the malls lining up both sides of it. I love the Borders store at one corner of it (I think it is in Wheelock Place) which is where I wouldn't spending my whole day there while waiting for wifey to shop.

3.00 pm - 5.00 pm : Riding the Singapore Flyer. I have actually planned to go on it the last time I went to Singapore but due to the weather, we cancelled on the last minute. I would love to see what Singapore looks like from it and to really see places such as the Esplanade and the Merlion from the sky...

6.00 pm - 7.00pm : Quick dinner at any one of the stalls at Makansutra Gluttons Bay, while enjoying the evening breeze then if we have time stroll a bit at the waterfront overlooking the Merlion. I love to people-watch at the Esplanade as the locals will be out and parading their best outfit whilst the theater and dinner crowd coming and going in their best looking suits

7.30 pm - 11.00 pm : Indulging in one of the theater on show at Esplanade, Theaters on the Bay (Hopefully, if this itinerary comes true, the show will be one of those that we have never seen such as Miss Saigon or Les Miserable)

11.30 pm : More food at Kampong Glam. We are Malaysian after all, we love eating more than going anywhere else. By the time the theater is over, we will be very hungry and will be wanting to eat more. Maybe I will try that Mee Beriyani I heard is sold here. The last time we were here it was too late and most restaurants were already closed.