Tourist for a Day

My preceptor gave me the day off today to be a tourist so I took advantage of it and marked a lot of things off my list.  First up was the Singapore Botanical Gardens.  Normally plants are just plants to me but most of the guides say to check it out since it's famous so that's how I started the day.  It was extremely hot and humid though as I walked around the park and got uncomfortable pretty quickly.  Good thing today it was unexpectedly free for students!

Lunch was at a nearby English cafe but the food seemed pretty American to me.  It wasn't bad and good value for a 3 course meal:

Mushroom Soup

Salmon, Chicken, Beef Combo Platter

Tropical Fruit Jelly

Following lunch was a trip to the Asian Civilizations Museum which was interesting because it touched upon the pasts of all the major ethnic groups that live in Singapore, showing the diverse cultural backgrounds of the residents here.  A bonus was that this museum also offered student discounts today so admission was only $2 USD!

Then a quick snack break with a sweet corn ice cream sandwich that was only 82 cents USD!

Transiting through Chinatown with a stop at the hawker centre here I made it to the Helix Bridge, constructed to look like DNA (quite appropriate for my area of studies!)

Dinner was very tasty and interesting.  So this was one of the 10 things you must try in Singapore from the best restaurant that makes this item.  It is called Bak Kut Teh and it's actually just a simple soup made from a blend of spices, pork, and pork bones.  The flavor is very peppery from the spices and the broth is very rich from the bones.  The only downside is I think I consumed 3 days worth of sodium in one sitting! 

I ended the day by visiting Gardens by the Bay, another man made park near the edge of the waterfront which is colorful and distinct at night when lights illuminate the trees.

It was a very long day but well worth the time - a good break from the demanding schedule at the hospital but now it is time to get back to work!