Singapore, Summarized

Arrival March 1: Such luxury here. My flight arrived 12:40 am and I swear I was in my hotel room by 2:00 am, including a 30-minute taxi ride. No lines at immigration, helpful employee steering me away from the luxury cab (ha! How could he tell?)

Our room is microscopic, reminds me of a newer Japanese business hotel. .. tiny room chock a block with modern conveniences. It is clean beyond all expectations, but tiny for two people.

I am really taking it easy here...went to grocery store and brought fruit and then did a little swimming in the hotel lap pool. I will never travel in South Asia without a pool again, Call me a brat, it is a psychological necessity.

Barbara arrived at noon and we decided to walk the 1.2 miles to the China Center, one of many “Hawker Centres” in Singapore. Hawker Centres are conglomerates of street food...usually indoor, multistory markets with many stalls, each featuring a small menu. Or, more succinctly, food court. It was devilishly hot, walking through Singapore’s pristine streets, past colonial buildings, an Armenian church, and a giant display of dogs celebrating Chinese New Year. 

Green wall, typical of modern Singapore



Chinese New Year of the Dog

The food, sadly, did disappoint. Me, hainin chicken and rice is a signature dish of Bali. It was good, the rice was excellent and flavorful as was the chicken. Barbara got noodles. She tried a few other times as did I. I just don’t care for Singapore-style noodles,which are roughly the size, shape,and flavor of spaghetti.

The Botanic Gardens

We sweated our way through these artfully designed gardens, although the heat. I think jet lag played a role here, but it was tough to truly enjoy amidst the oppressive heat and humidity. Nevertheless we enjoyed.

Orchid garden

Little India

My favorite part of Singapore, with a cup of chai (tea masala) available everywhere. We ate at a South Indian vegetarian restaurant and shopped the five-story, 24-hour air conditioned Mustafa Mall for pure white clothing for our yoga retreat.

Vegetable Dosa Little India

Zoo

I wanted to see the tapirs, a shy Malaysian animal and we saw that and more. The zoo is phenomenal with many animals roaming about freely. They also had vegetable gardens and a very sad, hot polar bear.

Tapir, related to elephant, check out the feet.

Orchard Road

We went because it is the heart of Singapore. You can buy anything.

Gardens by the Bay, Satay by the Bay, the Harbor

The iconic view from Gardens by the Bay


Lighted dogs (Gardens by the Bay)


Harbour - 1,000 Ships pass through daily



Satay stand, Satay by the Bay



Garden Viewpoint, that’s a Kingfisher



Towers at Gardens by the Bay

Shophouses

Old Singapore must have been full of shophouses, with storefronts on the first floor and sleeping quarters upstairs. They have thankfully retained sections of this history, both in Little India and in the colonial district near the Raffles Hotel (closed for construction).

The old and the new