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5 Places in SG That Make for an Awesome Photo Background

Travels and even everyday routines don’t go about without a snapshot or two. There is always that picture-worthy angle, that good shot we all want to capture. Singapore, with all its other perks, offers just the right infrastructures to pepper our feeds with like-hoarding photos.

1. Orchard Gateway Bridge
Built on April 26, 2014, this bridge connects Orchard Gateway to Orchard Gateway@Emerald for the purpose of allowing pedestrians to cross safely unscathed by the weather to and fro the two locations. Its tube-like structure offers great lines and depth for photos, with Orchard Road as background. It also has 3D art which creates the illusion as if there is a whole at the center of the bridge.

2. Helix Bridge
This 280-meter bridge connects Marina Centre with Marina South, all in the Marina Bay Area. It accommodates pedestrians which is just perfect for taking shots of this picturesque structure. At night, LED lights illuminate the bridge in contrast to the pitch black darkness giving it an identical aura to its inspiration – the human DNA. It is comprised of two delicate helix structures forming a tube, only touching one another at one point.

3. Railway bridge
Picture yourself back in the day when bridges were rare and transportation wasn’t as accessible as it is today. The Railway Bridge in Singapore stretches above Bukit Timah Road. Despite all the rust, this structure still holds much beauty and nostalgia, both locals and tourists appreciate.

4. People’s Park Complex
Who would have thought that a residential building could provide a catchy backdrop to that profile photo you’ve been waiting for? The People’s Park Complex is a high-rise structure with 31 floors which functions both as a residential and commercial building. Containing both offices and apartments, it thrives in commerce as it is located in one of the most packed areas of Singapore.

5. Sports Hub
Bask in all the reds you can see in this sports structure not only for athletes but enthusiasts as well. The dome of the National Stadium houses 55,000 red seats which makes all indoor structures stand out in contrast to this vibrant hue. It also has other amenities such as Aquatic Centre, Arena, commercial retail space, which will surely fill your camera roll with architectural delight.

No better way of appreciating today’s symbols of advancement and urbanization than through the lens of equally-advanced cameras. We can preserve what our eyes enjoy as of the moment, and immortalize it to a certain time when it would be no longer what it is today – either it’s change for the better or the opposite.
Good thing we can take snapshots; good thing we have memories along with each click.

Satisfying the Foodie in Us

Singapore is not only colourful and vibrant. It is also tasty. There are different dishes here in Singapore  with various influences from Chinese, Malaysian, Indonesian and Indian to satisfy the foodie in us. Modern restaurants also offer cuisines like Italian, American, French, Spanish and many more. Whatever we prefer, there is always something here in Singapore.

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Most people here fancy modern restaurants. In fact, there are people who ignore or forget the dishes that truly define Singapore. If we want to satisfy the foodie in us, the best way is to start with the traditional foods. We should never forget the foods that we all grew up. Here are the some foods we need to get a taste before it is too late:

  • Popiah: Popiah is a healthy meal that features an assortment of vegetables and meat (like lettuce, bean sprouts, carrot, turnip, boiled eggs, Chinese sausage and prawns) enveloped in a thin wheat crepe, cooked to a golden crisp and lathered with a sweet sauce which is called hoisin.
  • Curry puff: Curry puff is an excellent snack. It is a baked pie enclosed in a crust. The pie is filled with chicken, egg, potato, curry gravy, sardines, yam or durian.
  • Duck rice: Not all people know about duck rice. This meal is hearty because it features duck strips and rice with braised sauce. There are restaurants that include eggs, peanuts and tau pok on the side.
  • Chicken rice: If there is duck rice, who will forget about the chicken rice? Traditionally it is called Hainanese Chicken rice. This is the country’s well-known dish.

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  • Rojak: Rojak is a mixture of dough fritters, beancurd puffs, bean sprouts, roasted peanuts, radish, pineapple and cucumber.
  • Mee Siam: Mee Siam is vermicelli noddle soaked in sweet and spicy gravy (called Assam) with dried shrimp and bean paste. Mee Siam comes with beancurd puff, bean sprouts and boiled egg.
  • Ice Kachang: If we want something cool and refreshing especially during the summer, ice kachang is the perfect choice. The shaved ice comes with assorted ingredients like palm seed, red bean, jelly, grass jelly, chendol and many others.
  • Oyster Omelette: Oyster omelette is famous in Hawker centres here as well as night markets. If we love eggs, this is a must-try dish. It features eggs of course, potato starch and special chilli vinegar.
  • Wanton Mee: If we are craving noodles, wanton mee should be considered. The noodles are drenched with sweet sauce, pork slices and wanton dumplings.

There are a lot of foods that we should not miss. We need to support these foods so it will not be lost. These foods are more tasty if we share it with our loved ones.

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Halal Food App Launched in Singapore

Muslims abound in Singapore therefore it is important to cater to their every need, especially when it comes to food. This is why halal foods are becoming more popular not only in Singapore, but also in other parts of the globe.

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A positive news for people who enjoy halal food- a company based in Singapore has just launched a smartphone application that encourages and enables Muslim travelers and food enthusiasts to share their Halal restaurant discoveries from around the world.

Halal is the term used to refer to food and other products that adhered to Islamic requirements as mandated by Islamic Sharia law.

The app, called “HalalTrip” is free and available on both Apple iOS and Android gadgets. The app lets the users snap photos of the Halal cuisines, upload it and then share it through their various social media accounts.

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When you click the said photo, more details about the dish and where it can be found are displayed to inform others who are interested. The application is available in two interfaces- English and Arabic. An added feature also uses the location of the user to display various Halal foods that are served in restaurants near them.

HalalTrip is affiliated with a Muslim-oriented business company called CrescentRating since the application’s chief executive is also part of the said business group.

This app is very helpful especially for travelling Muslims who are concerned with what they are eating when they travel to other countries. The app shows them various halal food choices that they can enjoy even in another land.

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Singapore as the “Little Red Dot”

The term “Little Red Dot” is a famous term in Singapore. It is actually a term that is given to Singapore because of the fact that in maps, Singapore has a red dot because of its small size. This term was first coined by Indonesian President Bacharuddin Jusuf Habibie as a form of criticism to Singapore.

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It was published in the Asian Wall Street Journal that President Habibie called Singapore as the red dot who treats Indonesia, the green dot, not as a friend. The remark was purely political and economical as Indonesia needed help from Singapore at that time and Habibie seem not to see assistance from them. This happened in 1998. In the same year, Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong, leader at that time responded to this speech saying reiterating the ‘red dot’ state of Singapore and its capability to provide only little help to Indonesia’s economy.

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In 2003, this term was revived again as a reminder how weak Singapore was and how this can serve as an inspiration for this country to strive now. Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in 2003 used this term again on his speech saying that the ‘red dot’ is an epithet they would always be thankful for.

Until now, red dot is known to many Singaporeans. This term serves as a reminder on how weak they were and how they went up because of that weakness.  However, Habibie on 2006 aid that his remark about Singapore being a red dot was not intended for insult but to actually praise Singapore on their capability despite their small number.

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