Singapore day 02

Where to begin, we landed in a pleasant airport (changi) and then caught a pretty cheap cab ride into a tourist district. We stayed at the BLISSFULLOFT on Hong Kong road which instantly brought me back to Hong Kong mentality. Everything I loved about Hong Kong was magnified by a million here in Singapore.

Singapore is a city state, when flying in, no matter the time of the night, you can see the city lights outlining the beautiful view of the city, and the elegant spider web created by the well light main highways. The city spans over majority of the are with constant developments. For a less congested city style visit, you can ferry over to the island that is vast and green as you peer at it from the observation deck on the Singapore skywalk. Nothing says metropolitan like Singapore's population. The urban cores are well mixed sand are consumed by "sky scratchers" that are hotels and office buildings, beautiful to look at but other than that, used to form the more collective artsy mentality that there is literally room for everyone here.

The transportation in Singapore is relatively cheap and convenient for travellers and everyday commuters. The public transit like in most of Asiaian urban  cores is well run and time saving. 

Money in Singapore is actually more manageable than it is in Canada, the dollars maybe similar but the cost of living is similar. If you want to eat cheap, you can, if you want dress and purchase nice clothes, you can. Out of everywhere we went in Singapore, there was not a slum like area. 

We are here for two days, we are doing city seeing more than anything and I personally did some souvenir shopping. Chinatown, little India, knick knacks and teas are really the only souvenirs. 

Food is wide in variety and accommodates much of the western style of foods and dishes.

Little India and Arab street are both places that when crossed into, you know, a bit westernized but still quite recognizable than if you were in Canada or America. 

It's hot and sunny. Where light clothes and bring sunscreen unless you buy these things there which you can. Clothes are cheaper and still just as nice if you to back markets in little India and Arab street. Tailor shops and silks are quite easy to find, like anywhere, beware of knock offs unless you don't care but they are easy to spot.

Hostels are littered along south bridge road and always have room for one more, if booking in advance de (like anywhere) have your passport and a printout of your reservation ready (on paper or electronic device). 

Laws are not half as strict as people make them out to be and tourists are played on with these zany laws in terms of souvenirs and what not. Totally got shot glasses and pins of different laws for the family. 

The people here are amazing! Oh my goodness! So sweet and the women are beautiful! Being a foreigner here means nothing, people are so desensitized to the number of expats, so that card doesn't work, however, if you smile at a girl, and she smiles back, well, chances are it's worth looking into.

People here dress nice! Frat boy casual or Buisness casual is how you normally want to go out, most clubs have a dress code, bars are lenient but beers can be expensive after awhile. If you really want a good night to start and just get a feel, grab a seat at the Singaporean noodle house called BK EATING HOUSE at the intersection after the south bridge by parliament, while heading to Hong Kong road. 

Everything is walkable but after awhile you will want to take transit, especially to save time.

Checkout the skywalk which is a giant freight liner placed atop of three towers by the marina, it costs about 23 sgd to access the observation deck, you can by beer and snacks as well as pretty souvenirs up there. The hotel itself is beautiful and costs around 300$ a night but includes access to the infinity pool and the entire rest of the boat that you don't get to see which is a fair bit. 

Across from The skywalk while still in the marina bay you will the botanical gardens that you can walk through and venture through. It costs about 5$ to access a treetop walk which is beautiful but once you did the skywalk, you won't hVe the ambition to complete this. It is a a beautiful garden with many labyrinth layout walking paths and is accessible by using the highway overpass from the hotel/building beside it.

The night safari is on a different part of town, further down the north south line. You could jump on the Mtr, take it to Chao Chu kang. From Chao Chu kang, take the city bus to the night safari, just follow the bus till you see the immense and beautifully lot night safari entrance, without a tour package deal it costs about 49 dollars sgd. when you fly into the airport, you will find money exchange places and ATMs as well as tourist tour package deals. One of which is great you will see that they offer a lower price when booking through the city, do it, save your self some coin for the souvenir shops there :) worth it!

In little India at the corner of the Main Street and serganoon Rd is an amazing tandoori restaurant (166) that doesn't only have great hours but delivers till 10:30 at night! It is called KHAHSAMA. Cheap and easy, nice owner, loves to chat!

Although we didn't see it, there is a dominos! Look for the number in the phone book or online, yes, the food chains there in Singapore are very much what you find in North America. A lot of the time people complain about Chinese subway getting the sandwiches wrong but I promise you that in Singapore, they don't!

Well it's about 12am and we need to shack up for the night, most people were up when we got back to the hostel after lights out because they are also planning the rest of their trip it seems, but I think we want an early start tomorrow before our 4pm train ride that you need to be 30 minutes early for. I also need to checkout the post office and send away a box of stuff :)

Night!

-CB

Ps. Need any information, email me at Carm.bono@hotmail.com