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Before Sunrise walking tour
Joined 2024
Jet lagged? Can’t sleep? Want to see Singapore in a different light? Wonder who are the morning shift workers who bake your bread and prepare your breakfast?
"As we stroll along, you will find early risers engaging in qigong or tachi in lush green spaces. At the wet market, we will discuss the day's catch with the fishmonger and hear cooking tips from the butcher for various meat cuts. Then we will saunter to the urban park to look for magpie robins while the sky busks in an orange glow ....."
Itinerary
This itinerary can be customized to meet your needs and preferences. Send me a message with your requests!
Meeting Point
Ang Mo Kio MRT
- This town is located almost in the centre of Singapore, which allows it easy accessible to other parts of Singapore. This is also a place I call home for the past 22 years. Ang Mo Kio has over 8 "wet" markets and hawker centres, many of which are operated by 2nd generation owners which imbibes a deep sense of tradition.
Early risers exercises
While the sky is still dark, groups of seniors will gather to engage in qigong or tachi and if we are lucky we may see more unique meditation groups in action. I always wonder what motivates them to rise so early to start the day with exercise. Nonetheless, it is a healthy habit that prepares one for a great start for the day ahead.
"Wet" market opens
The "wet" market has a dazzling variety of fresh vegetables, fruits, and condiments. We will discuss the catch of the day with the fishmonger and peruse the butcher’s meat cuts. The government stopped building "wet" markets for almost 3 decades so the existing ones are an asset to treasure. When I visit a different country, I can learn so much about the culture from the interactions at the local market.
Kopi at hawker centre
Located just beside the "wet" market, we will pause at the hawker centre for a cup of kopi or soy milk with a fresh roll from the nearby bakery's oven, or if you prefer a freshly made peanut pancake... & more! Observe the fellow diners, are they preparing to start their bus shift? Make a long journey to the factory in the west?
Let's goto school!
Like clock work every weekday morning, children will stream out of the apartment block from all directions and stride towards the school gate. Younger kids are accompanied by a parent or domestic helper. The traffic warden smiles at the kids while his gloved hand pauses the traffic. Another day of discovery and friendship is waiting to start.
Bird spotting at urban park
After waking below the train tracks, we will reach a 50ha urban park to spot magpie robins looking for insects as the morning light glistens through the gentle stream.
Magpie-robins are handsomely dark colours with a white streak across their bodies. They feed on insects and berries and dwell in gardens or forests. Like many other bird species, they are active in the pre-dawn period.
Those who toil in the morning
As the community starts coming to life …parents walk their children to school, the traffic warden pauses the traffic with a wave of his gloved hand and cleaners sweep the verge with their coconut brooms. These are "invisible" labourers who tidy up the detritus of the previous day so that we can start the day with a swept walk without having to sidestep a fallen branch or see an overfilled dustbin. Have you noticed the "invisible" in your neighbourhood?
Breakfast at community dining hall
After strolling through the park, we will step on the cobblestone to cross the stream and join another lively hawker centre community to enjoy a steaming hot bowl of rice or wheat noodles, a dough fritter, stir-fried rice cake and more.
In the community dining room where Indian, Malay and Chinese food can be found, the residents have their rituals and the stall owners know by heart their regulars' favourite dish combinations.
Ending Point
Bishan MRT
Want to personalize this tour?
This tour can be customized to meet your needs and preferences. Click below to send me a message with your requests.
Inclusions & Exclusions
Hawker breakfast & drinks
Transport to and from hotel
Tour Important Information
This tour involves about 3.5km of walking, so make sure to wear comfortable shoes and walking attire. Please let me know in advance if you have any food allergies or other dietary restrictions.
Please note that for tours starting later than the 6am start time, some of the itinerary may not be covered as described i.e. watching kids stride to school, looking for magpie robins etc
Important message from the supplier
I am happy to make changes to the itinerary (where possible) to cater to your needs. I have 3 children and would love to engage young people on my tours. I am also willing to explore how the tour can be catered to wheelchair users and any other needs.
Cancellation Policy
- Free cancellation - 8 days prior to meeting time
- 50% Refund - 3 to 7 days prior to meeting time
- No Refund - Within 2 day(s) prior to meeting time
Joined 2024
About Tour Guide Caleb L.
"The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeing new sights, but in looking with new eyes" by Marcel Proust has increasingly shaped my travel approach in recent years.
When I recall my most memorable overseas trip experiences, the highlight is often not a mainstream tourist attraction, but a serendipitous encounter off the beaten path. I hope to guide you to your serendipitous encounter.
I love to travel ... my style is to spend more time with authentic local neighbourhoods visiting local markets, and shops, speaking to locals (language permitting), blending in (try!) and engaging in the daily activities of the locals. This also shaped my guiding approach; I seek to unearth local stories, unwritten practices, nuances of community dynamics, unique botanical features etc. (not regurgitate info from Google search results).
I am equally comfortable discussing policy & governance comparisons, explaining municipal matters, sharing cultural nuances, tracing historical developments or pointing out minutiae like a tile design, a leaf's drip tip, an orchid's sepal. In my free time, I enjoy exploring, learning and sharing insights about this little island of Singapore.
I attended UIUC in Illinois, USA for 3 years, worked for a German MNC for 5 years helped coordinate a 100 pax orphanage project in Indonesia for 12 years, so I am passionate with learning and sharing about different cultures. I am an adult educator at a polytechnic in the evening and enjoy guiding during my free time in the mornings.
I have been a heritage guide since 2016 and have developed over 15 unique walking tours and clocked over 100 tours for schools, churches, seniors and other social groups. I am also a tourist guide licensed by STB (Singapore Tourism Board).
$225/ per group
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