Memories of Singapore - get yourself to Katong

Hi all,

I'm currently living back in England, but previously lived and worked in Singapore for almost 15 years. During that time I saw the country swell from a population of approx 3.5 million to over 5 million and build high quality infrastructure which ought to be the envy of any western country. Say what you will about central planning, in Singapore it works, very well.

One downside of the huge modernisation however was the replacement of many old areas which contained generations of history a charm. It seemed as if you couldn't walk for 10 minutes without seeing a new 5 star hotel or shopping centre. However, one area which did successfully blend both worlds and retained its old charm is Katong, in the East Coast. Its an area in which my wife and I lived for several years and if we ever return to Singapore, would be high on our list of potential locations to stay again.

Singapore is a very popular tourism city stopover destination and there are many excellent places to go, but if you want to escape the relentless 5 & 6 star hotels and designer shopping mall experience, I highly recommend a visit to Katong. Go with an open mind and an empty stomach.

This was one of our favourite restaurants for some excellent food and local authentic life:

Not fine dining, but some of the best chilli crab and black pepper crab i've had:

And if you happen to be there during the Durian season, well you will find the best in Singapore right here:

Don't know what durian is?? Perhaps I shouldn't spoil the surprise. You will either love it, or hate it. Guess which camp i'm in (and yes I was very drunk that evening)!

Hope you enjoyed this very brief introduction.