Fetter's Travels: HOLIDAY #3: Singapore (by Suzie)

What a great city! We loved Singapore, from start to finish. It's a tiny country on the south tip of Malaysia, and very, very modern in comparison to all the surrounding countries. We arrived mid afternoon and instantly were reminded that we were at 1 degree longitude south (as in right beside the equator). Hello heat wave! The sun was behind the clouds and we were still melting.

We were very lucky with the weather. The forecast for the week was on and off rain. But the whole time we were there it only sprinkled on us once and rained overnight while we slept. We were able to enjoy our 'walking holiday' of Singapore. However, I must say that the one time it sprinkled on us we were disappointed that it stopped. It felt so good to get misted and cool off a little.

Our hotel was right behind Orchard Avenue, which is the equivalent of 5th Ave. in New York or Champs Elysees in Paris. Except that it's not just nice stores and expensive boutiques. In a country of over 5 million people the same size as Essex County, space is a problem. So they build up. All of Orchard Road is mall after mall, after mall. Each one is a unique explosion of colour and an architectural masterpiece. Picture the Windsor Art Gallery, but full of light and colour, and literally 10 times bigger! I stopped counting after we passed 20 different malls. The Singaporean's LOVE to shop! And since Wayne booked this hotel, and our location, he really didn't think that through very well, did he?

The first thing we did was tour China Town and start off our souvenir shopping. This made Wayne more than a little nervous by the way. First few hours and the wallet was out! But I couldn't tell if we were going to make it back to the same place twice, so when we saw something we liked... we had to buy it :)

Checking out China Town on our first day

Most of Singapore is very colourful

Noah, Ellise and Suzie at The Sri Mariamman Temple, Singapore's oldest Hindu temple

China Town; the best place to shop!

Many restaurants had big pictures; very helpful!
It took us ages to find a restaurant where the kids would try something on that first day.

To save some cab fare we started off by walking everywhere. People had warned us about how expensive Singapore was, and we had just finalized and paid for our travel plans to get back to Canada (5 more flights, 2 cruises, and hotel stays for 25 nights). So now we're feeling like a budget might be a good idea. We had even brought the kids out for neighbourhood walks in Waikiki after dinner for weeks prior to this holiday (Ellise normally cramps up if we even talk about a long walk!) So we were ready to go. Problem #1, time. We couldn't see everything in 5 days if walking everywhere. Problem #2, the heat. We would just step out of a shower feeling fresh and clean, walk 2 blocks and be hot and sweaty! And our feet couldn't take the 10 kilometre's + a day. Hot, sticky feet are prone to blisters. Trust me. Despite wearing good shoes, there were blisters happening in odd places on my feet. So I knew it wasn't just Ellise wimping out. It was hot!!

So after walking from our hotel to the city centre the next day and exploring some great historical sites and gorgeous modern buildings, we decided to treat ourselves to a cab ride 'home'. Turns out the cabs weren't that expensive. So everyday we took cabs more and more often. We couldn't have made the kids happier if we'd been buying them ice cream hourly!

The famous Raffles Hotel (a mere $1000 a night)

also the origin of the Singapore Sling.

The Raffles Long Bar; just a few hundred years old!

Singapore is known as the Garden City, because the law
requires a percentage of all property to be covered in greenery. And it really shows. They have beautiful gardens everywhere. Even on the tops and sides of buildings.

I should explain here that I was the unofficial tour guide while in Singapore, only because I had read the travel book from cover to cover. So the family relied on me to select the tours and generally get us around. (Wayne was in charge of Thailand the following week.) So Wayne and I laughed and laughed at our lucky moment... after spending an entire day exploring, swimming and sight seeing (meaning hours and hours on our feet and now getting tired and hungary)...

we happened upon a monorail train ride back from Sentosa Island back to the mainland. Very fun, still all good. But then we ended up in a huge que for a cab ride. Everyone in this city stands in lines and waiting for a cab is no exception. We couldn't do it. We just didn't feel like waiting for what looked like an hour, so we voted and "start walking" won. BUT we ended up in a big construction zone with traffic flying by us on a partial highway. Not where we wanted to be! Even two joggers that pass us stop to ask us if we're lost. They recommend waiting at the next bus station up the road. So it's soon going to be dark, time for dinner, and we're standing there wondering what part of the city the bus will bring us to if we chance it and hop on? Remember now, we are in a major urban centre that constantly reminded Wayne and I of Tokyo, Japan (big, busy, crowded, and lots of hussle and bussle). Here comes a bus! There's no time to think; keep walking or jump on and see where we end up? Wayne's looking at his guide (me) and wondering 'what are we doing? Where the hell are we going?' A second later we're laughing at our good luck - when Wayne asked the driver were this bus was heading, we were told it passed right by our hotel on Orchard Road! And it did. In no time at all. So for a few bucks each, we had made it back to pick from one of the hundreds of restaurants or street hawkers offering all kinds of yummy food options! Whew!

Okay, enough from me. Here are some photo's from our adventures. And for the record, I only spent about $200 on some awesome souvenirs! That even includes a great handbag that I spent our remaining Singaporean Currency on at the airport (that had Wayne totally rolling his eyes at me, BUT he was about to spend it at the M&M Shop anyhow)!

Check out my shadow with the sun
directly over my head at noon.
Parliament Building behind me.

Singapore Court House- often the site of world news when
harsh punishments are handed out for their very strict laws.

Court House; great city views from the big dome
and a nice place for a picnic lunch!

Marina Bay Sands Hotel
and City Hall from the Court House.
(Notice the haze? Turns out the Indonesians crop burn all the time, sending smoke to Singapore. Weird).

This is what happens to you in Singapore if you are caught breaking any of their strict laws like
J-Walking, chewing gum, spitting, .....

The Singapore mascot, a "Merlion". It has the head of a lion and body of a fish.

The famous Marina Bay Sands Hotel with the 'ship' on top. Very cool and very expensive!
Wayne didn't like standing on the 'bow' knowing there was nothing below him for a kilometer.

Looking back toward the stern.

Great views of the city.

And the infinity pool is very cool.

Built by the Las Vegas Sands Hotel- no surprise when you see how gigantic it is.

We had a blast during our time up there. A lot like going to the top of the CN Tower.
P.S. My dad would have loved looking out at over 200 ships at anchor. (Noah tried to count them). Singapore has the 2nd busiest port in the world

Gardens By The Bay