Day Three

Our hotel didn’t offer free breakfast so we had to bring our own. I didn’t feel like eating cereal though so I headed out to get dollars and buy my own chow. Exchange rate is Php30 to a dollar. I bought bread from Bread Talk; the prices are a bit more expensive. The Floss bread costs S$1.40 or around Php40.

I had agreed to meet M and H at the nearby McDonald’s but since they weren’t there still I explored for a while. I went into the Converse store and found that the cheapest sneakers they have cost S$45 or Php1,350, Php300 less than the price in the Philippines. Other stuff were outrageously expensive – you’d have to be a complete moron to shop there when you could get the same stuff for less in Tutuban. One mall, Seiyu, was having a super sale. Their idea of a sale confounds me. Ped socks were going for three for S$10, or about Php100 apiece. You could get the same socks for Php10 in Divisoria.

In Parco mall I sighted a shop that sells gelato, two scoops for S$3.80 or Php114. M urged me to try it out. I chose the Ferrero and white chocolate flavors. It was superb. Ferrero Rocher is hands down my favorite brand of chocolate and to have it as an ice cream flavor is delightful with a capital D.

After that bit of malling we headed out to work once more. We had dinner again at Temenggong Road that night so from our hotel we took a cab that would take us directly to the house. It was a Saturday night and we weren’t taking any chances again.

I got my first taste of hawker food at lunch this day – S$2 for a meal with one meat and one vegetable dish. I had chicken curry.

Day Four

We were scheduled to do some interviews outdoor that day but much to our chagrin, when we woke up it was raining. We had no choice but to cancel the interviews but we still went out to shoot some footage that we needed.

Highlight of the day was our trip to Little India. I was able to buy some reasonably-priced bangles for pasalubong.

We walked along Orchard Road which is literally a shopping mecca – for those with money at least. It was great strolling along tree-lined street bustling with shoppers. On a related note, it was Sunday and perhaps every Filipina domestic helper’s day off. We saw lots of them at the Orchard Road MRT station where they apparently converged every week.

One thing I could say about Singapore is their impressive MRT system. We were quick learners and so before this day we were able to acquaint ourselves with it and how to transfer from one line to the other to get to our destination. Maps from the hotel were particularly helpful. I am happy with the knowledge that though it is my first time there, I will not get lost in Singapore.