'New level of spicy': German woman explores heartland attractions in Singapore, gets first taste of laksa

Mention Singapore to any tourist and the first things to pop into their mind will undoubtedly be the typical attractions Gardens by the Bay, the Merlion or Marina Bay Sands. 

So it's refreshing whenever a traveller decides to take the road less travelled when visiting our little red dot. 

German native Tina Huegel did just that as she documented her first-day experience of Singapore in a YouTube vlog video posted on August 23. 

Ditching the swanky hotels in the city centre area, Tina opted for a hostel in Aljunied, remarking: "This area is very different from the touristy areas."

Her adventure started at an unassuming coffee shop in Geylang where she tried the local staple laksa but with a twist. She got the vegetarian version with the bowl packed with tofu puffs and bean sprouts sans the usual fish cakes, cockles and prawns. 

The verdict? "It's a new level of spicy," Tina remarked, noting that the dish resembled ramen as she was coming to terms with the heat. 

Her journey through the East side led her to the culturally rich Katong and Joo Chiat neighbourhood. There, she visited the charming row of Peranakan shop houses, painted in a vibrant array of paddle pop rainbow colours, lining Koon Seng Road.

Another lesser-known area she visited was the Haig Road enclave, peppered with old-school bakeries, fruit stalls, traditional provision shops, a wet market and a coffee shop. 

Tina seems to be fascinated by the neighbourhood stores and shared the observation that the food prices here are more budget-friendly compared to the cafes she found on Google.

For lunch, she settled on something more simple compared to other standout local dishes like chicken rice and nasi lemak. Instead, she got herself a plate of curry chicken with rice at Mr Teh Tarik Eating House in Geylang Serai.  

"I don't know how traditional this is but Singapore has a very international cuisine," Tina commented as a nod to the variety of different ethnic cuisines available at her lunch spot.

Netizens' reactions

Netizens were eager to jump in with their recommendations in the comments section, particularly about trying our kaya toast and kopi.  

As it turns out, Tina became a fan of this classic breakfast combo after trying it at Ya Kun Kaya Toast.

In the video, Tina mentioned her initial impression of Singapore, noting that the city seems to have two distinct facets. 

She described some areas as "super beautiful", while contrasting them with the more traditional areas. 

A user pointed out that the colloquial term for these traditional areas is often referred to as the "heartlands."

Another user, who suffers from obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), found inspiration in Tina's solo travels and brought up her previous discussions about travelling with OCD in her videos. 

Tina responded by acknowledging that she still grapples with OCD on her travels and shared that meditation and practising minimalism have provided some relief.

All about Tina

Tina took a big leap in 2008, leaving behind her small German hometown to embark on an adventure as an exchange student in Tokyo. 

Over time, she decided to call the bustling city her home. Fast forward to now, she has left the Land of the Rising Sun, and is exploring the other countries in Asia.

ALSO READ: This tourist thinks Singaporeans only dress formally after seeing 'everyone walking around in suit and tie'

venkat.gunasellan@asiaone.com

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