Singapore
Singapore was the final stop on our Southeast Asia circuit. With just two full days, we did our best to see as much of the city-state as possible….while simultaneously trying to avoid the heat/humidity and trying not to blow through our daily budget (newsflash, we didn’t achieve either goal).
Marlene was too hot to think in Singapore so Chris wrote a few highlights below:
Changi Airport
I (Chris) had seen the above photo on many a blog about Singapore but hadn’t realized that its location was no further than a few steps outside the airport terminals. It’s certainly a unique sight with the tall glass dome, abundant plant life, and light rail track through the center. When it rains, a waterfall will cascade down through the glass funnel pictured in the center of the photo. Unfortunately for the sake of this photo, we had sunny skies for all three days. Darn…
Walking Tour
We kicked things off in Singapore with a walking tour of the downtown.
A native Singaporean took us for a three-hour walk around the main sites and explained Singapore’s complicated history which includes English colonialism, Japanese occupation in WWII, brief time as part of Malaysia, and eventual Independence. He discussed the different cultures that make up Singapore, the strict laws that exist, and how a sort of curtailed liberty allows for a certain order and quality of life.
The sculpture below represents a changing Singapore. After gaining independence just a few decades ago (1965), Singapore has since undergone a massive transformation into a successful financial hub.
We crisscrossed across the downtown on our tour. Below are a couple of photos of the skyline during the walk.
Singapore has four main ethnic groups and four national languages (English, Malay, Tamil, and Mandarin). While sitting in the chairs at the Old Parliament House (where the Singaporean parliament met until 1999) we noticed the participants could select any one of these languages on their headsets.
Singapore is hot and humid. These cooling stations (solar-powered fans) can be found around downtown for a quick rest (though to be honest, they didn’t help much…).
A couple of other interesting facts about Singapore:
- Chewing gum has been banned in the country since 1992. The ban was implemented to help keep Singapore clean (i.e. prevent gum from being stuck under desks, on the sidewalks, on walls, etc). While not illegal to chew it, you cannot import and sell it.
- Foreigners can enter Singapore casinos for free but citizens have to pay a fee. The government wants to discourage its people from wasting their money gambling (but if a foreigner wants to waste their money, Singapore is happy to take it).
Gardens by the Bay
Probably the second most recognized place in Singapore, Gardens by the Bay, lives up to the hype. With 250 acres of gardens, wetlands, and walking trails, we came here on both of our days in the city. Marlene was reluctantly convinced to walk on the swingy sky bridge (note the right hand clamped to the railing…).
Covering these “mega trees” were air plants!
The gardens also hold some wetlands where we were able to see kingfishers, orioles, and water hens (below).
Marina Bay Sands
Love it or hate it, a glimpse of this massive hotel and shopping center is hard to miss in Singapore. Costing over 6 billion US dollars to build, it contains over 2500 hotel rooms and a 490-foot infinity pool. I checked the price of a room on booking as I walked by (USD 685…no free breakfast). We decided to also skip paying $50 to take an elevator to the rooftop garden (which would have been free if we decided to book a room! What a deal).
Food and Tea
Tea is a real treat in Singapore. Strong, dark tea is brewed and then mixed with sweetened condensed milk. And it is sold everywhere (malls, restaurants, street stalls, etc).
One way to not blow your budget (or, “blow but not financially cripple yourself”) is to eat at one of the numerous hawker stalls in the city. The food scene here is unique, delicious, and high quality. A highlight would be laksa, a rich and creamy soup made with coconut milk, noodles, and spices.
Next, on to Abu Dhabi (and more heat)!
