I had always fancied people who had gone abroad. I heard their stories and I wonder how it feels to be on a different land. I had never imagined that it would happen sooner than I expected. It felt surreal when we booked our plane ticket. I wasn't really excited, maybe because I just couldn't believe that it was about to come true- not all people are given the chance to visit another country for fun, I feel blessed. Together with my mum and my brother, we headed to The Lion City, Singapore. Let’s go!
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What to do in Singapore
1. Merlion Statue
The Merlion Statue is the symbol of Singapore, there seem to be five official statues around the city however, I've only got to see two of them: one shines in the daylight with waters splashing out from its mouth while the other one shines at moonlight in its purple radiance that you'll never missed when you passed by. The Merlion Statue in Merlion Park near the Singapore CBD is a well-known tourist icon of Singapore. The Merlion is a mythical creature with the head of a lion and the body of a fish. The fish represents Singapore's origin as a Fishing Village on the other hand the lion represents Singapore's original name 'Singapura' which means 'lion city' or 'kota singa.'
Singapore is a great place to lose some calories, so wear some comfortable shoes and see where it gets you. We walked alongside Marina Square which is located in the City Hall district we kept on walking until we spotted Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay. It was a gigantic metallic Durian fruit that's why some preferred it "The Durian" or "The Big Durian" or "The Durian Shell". Durian seemed to be such a pleasing fruit to the Singaporeans that they made a building which replicates the fruit itself.
The Aluminum Sunshade creates such a perfect clone of the fruit with its reflection on the water. People don't just come around here to see shows, you can visit the place, squat anywhere you like and have a small picnic. I will visit this place next time and at night, they said it looks more interesting with its lights on.
It was designed by Tsao and McKown Architects the buildings were built according to Chinese Feng Shui. Feng Shui is a Chinese belief in balancing heaven and earth to improve one's life or absorb positive qi/life force or energy flow. We were at the center of these four buildings and I felt tiny being surrounded by it. It's a nice place to sit around the area, the building served as a great shade from the sun's heat.
It was said that the five buildings and convention centre were arranged and designed that way so that if viewed aerially, it forms a left hand. The Fountain of Wealth/Fortune Fountain if also viewed from above would be like a golden ring in the palm of a hand. The fountain was made of bronze and it is believed that the balance of metal and water from the fountain paved the way for success. I was like a kid spinning round and round while looking at these four buildings.
Koi Garden in Suntec City Mall is the place where you can drop by if you feel the need to have a change of environment after a whole day of shopping.
The Fountain of Wealth is Singapore's well-loved and World's Famous Largest Fountain.
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Nature Lovers would absolutely love to see Singapore Botanic Gardens, it's a paradise located in the City. It's a great place to be with nature, to have a break from all the complexities of life.
Swan Lake is a great place to relax your senses; you can have a seat at their Gazebo and have time to breathe the fresh air. The swans were mysteriously entertaining.
The Bandstand is a glimpse of Victorian Heritage. A perfect shot for a Wedding Picture. The area was surrounded by yellow rain trees still more or less in its original 1860's form. It was a great surprise to see again a wedding pictorial, just like what happened at Sentosa where to couple lay on the sand being photographed.
Sculptures you should not miss to see:
a. Girl on a Bicycle down the spiral hedge. It pictures how a free spirit with fewer worries in Life feels like.
b. Lady on a Hammock
c. Swing Me Mama mother-child tableau is an inspiring piece of art. It radiates love and happiness in all directions.
d. Girl on a Swing local sarong kebaya costume of a lacy blouse and wrap-around batik print skirt
e. The passing of Knowledge - a unique symbolic gesture that we usually see just around the corner, but the artist has seen right through it and made wonderful art.
Singapore Botanic Gardens is a place where your imagination wildly runs free, along the tall trees, the fresh scent of each green leaf comes to life, and it seems like Peter Pan and Tinker Bell are playing hide and seek with you, while Thumbelina sings along with the breeze. It was such a wonderful place, especially for people who truly admire Nature.
I've always been fascinated with trees, each of them is different, like humans, we all have unique fingerprints, and trees have their rings -found inside them. When you cut a tree in half you'll find the rings and that usually points out its age.
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6. Singapore's National Orchid Garden
A Fairyland of Blooms just beside Singapore Botanic Gardens. It's considered the largest display of orchids in the world.
There's always something interesting lurking around the garden, you'll just have to open up your eyes and explore your surroundings. Along the way, we saw a tree which was tattooed with names and messages. I didn't get the name of that tree, the bark was smooth like a paper and you can easily write anything on it. It was like a Guest list for all the visitors who wanted to leave a mark or something behind them. I believe that tree was special; it's a place that nobody should miss when they visit the garden.
Feast your eyes by passing along fabulous fountains and sundials on your way. My favorite was the Swiss Granite Fountain, an ever-revolving stone ball. We had a great laugh having are pictures taken at this Fountain.
A Fairyland of Blooms just beside Singapore Botanic Gardens. It's considered the largest display of orchids in the world.
There's always something interesting lurking around the garden, you'll just have to open up your eyes and explore your surroundings. Along the way, we saw a tree which was tattooed with names and messages. I didn't get the name of that tree, the bark was smooth like a paper and you can easily write anything on it. It was like a Guest list for all the visitors who wanted to leave a mark or something behind them. I believe that tree was special; it's a place that nobody should miss when they visit the garden.
Feast your eyes by passing along fabulous fountains and sundials on your way. My favorite was the Swiss Granite Fountain, an ever-revolving stone ball. We had a great laugh having are pictures taken at this Fountain.
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7. Singapore Zoo
Singapore Zoo is the World's Best Rainforest Zoo. The whole place was designed to fit the animal’s habitat. They said a zoo is a lonely place for animals, I was looking around and I guessed that might be a wrong perception. I admit they are not in a place where they should be right now, where the forest is really their rightly true home. However, here, they are fully taken care of, and fed as scheduled and their place is essentially made comfortable according to their habitat. It's pretty much a great home for these animals but no matter how I think about it, there's just, I mean there's no place like Home.
The animals were quite amazing when you can actually see them right before your very eyes and much more when you can see them live doing a few more tricks. Elephants of Asia is where the Elephants show off their ability to listen and interact with people and their amazing strength. There are two more venues for different kinds of shows: Splash Amphitheatre and Shaw Foundation Theatre.
I noticed little students wearing colourful raincoats, they were having their field trip. I loved seeing them with their buddy system, hand in hand, smiles on their faces and of course their curious eyes. Animals are fascinating creatures and being able to see them like this, like they are actually at home in this man-made forest, makes me appreciate the flexibility of every living thing on earth.
Singapore Zoo is the World's Best Rainforest Zoo. The whole place was designed to fit the animal’s habitat. They said a zoo is a lonely place for animals, I was looking around and I guessed that might be a wrong perception. I admit they are not in a place where they should be right now, where the forest is really their rightly true home. However, here, they are fully taken care of, and fed as scheduled and their place is essentially made comfortable according to their habitat. It's pretty much a great home for these animals but no matter how I think about it, there's just, I mean there's no place like Home.
The animals were quite amazing when you can actually see them right before your very eyes and much more when you can see them live doing a few more tricks. Elephants of Asia is where the Elephants show off their ability to listen and interact with people and their amazing strength. There are two more venues for different kinds of shows: Splash Amphitheatre and Shaw Foundation Theatre.
I noticed little students wearing colourful raincoats, they were having their field trip. I loved seeing them with their buddy system, hand in hand, smiles on their faces and of course their curious eyes. Animals are fascinating creatures and being able to see them like this, like they are actually at home in this man-made forest, makes me appreciate the flexibility of every living thing on earth.
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8. Jurong Bird Park
Home of the World's Largest Collection of Southeast Asian Hornbills and the World's Tallest Man-Made Waterfall. An Air-Conditioned Panorail that allows visitors to the World's Largest Walk-in Aviary- African Waterfall Aviary.
My favourite is the Penguin Expedition. I was excited when I felt the cold air when we entered the big room to see the penguins. It was like a gigantic freezer. They said a colony, a rookery or a waddle, which means a group of penguins on land, while if it's a group of penguins floating in the sea it's referred to as a raft. Happy Feet, "Mumble" is what comes to mind when we're about to enter the world of these fascinating birds flapping their wings and propelling underwater. Penguins are great swimmers, their wings were designed as excellent paddles to swim their way underwater. They are exquisitely cute in every angle, the way they swim around and most especially when they do their famous walk.
Cable Car to Sentosa Island
Cable Car to Sentosa Island
In my research, it was said to be the first aerial ropeway system in the world to span a harbour. It was a great ride plus the glass floor of the cable car made it more adventurous, it even gave me the chance to take a picture of the soon-to-be casino in Singapore.
An aerial link from Mount Faber on the main island of Singapore to the resort island of Sentosa is across the Keppel Harbour. It was a great ride plus the glass floor of the cable car made it more adventurous, it even gave me the chance to take a picture of the soon-to-be casino in Singapore. The construction of the casino looked spectacular, and being able to see its framework before the walls and roofs were there, gave me the feeling of how difficult it is to build something.
9. Sentosa Island
Sentosa is a Fun land for all ages. A place built for families, friends, for anyone who wants to chill out and have a relaxing weekend. A wide range of activities can be done on the beach and will surely pump up your energy. It's a beautiful man-made island paradise here in Singapore; people who need to get some time off from work will only need to ride any available transportation that suits them to reach this place.
The easiest way to get here is to take the MRT system and exit Harbourfront Station. Process to Vivo City Mall and take the escalators to the very top to Sentosa Express Monorail.
a.Universal Studios
Universal Studios is also on the island if you're into Roller coasters. This is like the Disneyland of Singapore. You have to spend the whole day here to try out all the rides.
b.Underwater World of Singapore
One of Singapore's Famous attractions is located at Sentosa Island. The place welcomes you to a different world you walk through a hallway with sharks, stingrays, and all kinds of small and big fishes swimming in all corners. They're enclosed in a tank, a big-sized aquarium that serves as the wall and ceiling along the way. It was really amazing to see these creatures right before your very eyes. My favourite was the jellyfish, also known as jellies or sea jellies or Medusozoa. They adapt to their environment and they change colour based on the lights inside their tanks which also changes every minute. These sea creatures are called the Sea Nettle Jellyfish.
c. Lights show
The Songs of the Sea was my favourite on the island. An enchanted show of splashing water and vibrant colours. A mixture of colours, sago, gulaman (gelatin), langka (jack fruit), beans, cornflakes and halo-halo yum! It has a story that tells about the importance of the environment. Kids will absolutely adore the characters while adults will be pleased to see how they manoeuvre each scene with bursting water, lights and sounds. It's my first time seeing such spectacular scenery of lights and water bombarding to create such a delightful array of watercolours- it's like what I do when I blend in my watercolours to find a specific colour.
10. Nightlife in Singapore
a. Orchard Road
b.Clarke Quay
Clarke Quay is the spot for parties, fancy bars and entertainment. A place that looks nice in the daytime but looks even better at night. It was a pleasant night we strolled around the Riverbank and what made it more fantastic was the Singapore Festival.
We passed by the bridge and saw that a stage was set up with performers getting ready to start the show. We had a good spot to watch the show. They were dancing up in the air and they had this Cleopatra Gothic look that made the show more interesting to watch.
c. Chijmes
It has a very romantic ambiance especially when you're looking to have a fabulous dinner date. Chijmes is just across the road from Singapore's busiest MRT station, City Hall (exit A) and a few blocks away from Singapore's Oldest Hotel
d. G-MAX Reverse Bungy
Opening Hours: 2pm until late, daily
G-Max Reverse Bungy is a well-known bungee jumping centre in Clarke Quay, Singapore.
Prices: G-MAX Reverse Bungy: 45 SGD/pax, Extreme Swing: 45 SGD/pax and Combo Rides: 69 SGD/person. Students get more discounts so don't forget your ID.
e. Riverside
We strolled along the Riverside which has fabulous scenery, especially at night time. The river looked absolutely gorgeous; the calm water captured the colours of the lights which made the place a sight everyone would enjoy. We were headed home; we waited around the bus station for our ride. While waiting everyone was busy chatting around and my brother noticed the board where we were seated and showed it to me. It's an interesting and inspirational message. You never know what you're going to see around the corner. Good thing I have my handy, dandy, all-time camera buddy with me, to capture this kind of thing that is truly something worth pondering about.
After all these activities you will be hungry, and lucky you Singapore has a wide variety of foods to offer. Check out my post on What to Eat in Singapore.
Have fun and be safe ^__^
Do you want more adventure?
If you still have one more day to spare why not go take a bus to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and see the World's tallest twin tower also known as Petronas Tower.
Where am I going next?
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