One of the things that made me fall in love with Singapore was its diversity. The population is a melting pot of cultures, backgrounds and religions, with certain areas embracing very distinctive roots and giving the feel of being in another country entirely.
I am desperate to visit India, but a day in Singapore’s Little India felt like a good start. I fuelled up on incredible, fluffy murtabak from the Tekka Centre market (my full review of which is here), and headed to Buffalo Road – the centre of the area. Wherever you are in Little India you are surrounded by vivid colours. The area is filled with fresh flowers, fruit and vegetables – all for sale, all creating a mesmerising rainbow to walk through.
This isn’t for tourists; Little India is a living and breathing neighbourhood with shops catering for locals and building containing homes, not just hotels. Street after street revealed azure blues, baby pinks and canary yellows painted on every wall. Even the Masjid Abdul Gaffoor mosque welcomed visitors with emerald green accents all over, being totally at one with the neighbourhood in which it sits.
It is the insane House of Tan Teng Niah that is the crown jewel of Little India’s vibrant appearance though. It could easily have come straight out of Oz; a kid’s colour-by-numbers that’s used up all the pens in the box. Every alcove, windowsill and door frame had clashing blocks of colour that shone so bright in the Singapore sunshine.
I think it might be time to start planning a trip to India…