Singapore

Arrival in Singapore

We took a bus from Malacca to Singapore. At the border, you get out and go through a customs and border crossing building where they remind you many times of the strict penalties for smuggling drugs into Singapore (death). Also, no chewing gum.

2013-12-07 14.58.33
On the Bus, Almost to Singapore
2013-12-07 17.47.08
Subway Platform, Singapore
Hawker Court with Friends

Back in Halong Bay in Vietnam we made friends with a couple from Singapore, Andrew and Soomae. We kept in touch via WhatsApp and got together for dinner one night during our stay. It was great seeing them and they also explained some subtleties about Singaporean culture and made sure we tried all the right foods. They took us to a hawker court, which Singapore is famous for. The hawker court is like a mega-food court filled with at least a hundred different food vendors. You walk around putting in all your orders, wait for a while, then go around again and pick them up.

2013-12-07 21.49.30
Reunited with Andrew and Soomae, Friends from Our Halong Bay Cruise in Vietnam
2013-12-07 19.21.41
Inside the Hawker Court
2013-12-07 19.25.59
Hawker Booth
2013-12-07 19.21.50
Satay Stand
2013-12-07 19.27.55
Advertising
2013-12-07 19.26.47
This Place is Huge...
2013-12-07 21.50.50
Soya Bean Curd Stall
2013-12-07 20.03.39
Hawker Food
2013-12-07 20.03.35
BBQ Stingray
2013-12-07 20.03.31
More Hawker Food
2013-12-07 20.23.23
Potstickers
2013-12-07 20.15.31
Satay
2013-12-07 20.03.42
Noodles
2013-12-07 20.03.44
Bento Box
2013-12-07 20.40.22
Soya Bean Curd, Crazy Delicious
Around Town, Singapore

Singapore has an efficient subway system and we had fun exploring around town. Orchard Street is shopping mall after shopping mall, all decked out for Christmas. You could stand on a street corner and see 3 different Rolex shops. We loved all the Christmas trees and over-the-top lights and decorations. Another memorable neighborhood was Clarke Quay, a collection of nice colorful houses, shops, restaurants, and a riverside walk.

2013-12-09 13.42.20
CBD Skyline
2013-12-09 13.29.34
Cool/Weird Building
2013-12-09 13.26.35
Under a Bridge
2013-12-09 13.31.13
Strolling Through a Park
2013-12-09 11.50.04
Clarke Quay
2013-12-09 12.04.16
Ferry Boat, Clarke Quay
2013-12-09 11.47.01
Us in Clarke Quay
2013-12-09 11.59.03
Colorful Housing, Clarke Quay
2013-12-08 15.02.35
James Gets a Terrible Haircut in a Singapore Mall
2013-12-08 16.34.38
Hmmmm...
2013-12-11 15.36.15
Art Deco Building
2013-12-09 13.52.22
St. Andrews Cathedral, Built 1856
2013-12-09 14.01.52
St. Andrews Cathedral
2013-12-09 13.56.12
Inside St. Andrews Cathedral
2013-12-09 13.43.51
City Hall
2013-12-09 00.44.22
James Purchases the Latest Singapore Hipster Fashions
2013-12-07 22.20.49
No Durians OR Mangosteens in the Hotel. So Many Rules!
2013-12-07 22.42.02
Pineapple Beer. Verdict: Gross.
2013-12-08 11.40.29
Dunkin' Donuts Innovating Every Day
2013-12-08 13.07.53
Malls and Christmas, Just Like Home!
2013-12-08 11.53.09
Christmas!
2013-12-08 12.02.54
Daytime Christmas Street
2013-12-08 21.03.13
All Lit Up
2013-12-08 21.24.38
Christmas Diorama!
2013-12-08 11.54.24
Inside a Walk-In Tree, Daytime
IMG_5108
Inside a Walk-In Tree, At Night
2013-12-08 11.55.18
Lin After Viewing the Walk-In Christmas Tree
2013-12-08 18.16.42
So Many Lights
2013-12-08 22.11.41
More Christmas Decorations
2013-12-08 21.01.47
'Tis the Season
2013-12-08 21.01.00
Deck the Halls
The Raffles Hotel

A family member of ours worked in Singapore during the 1960’s, and would tell us stories of going to the Raffles Hotel for scones. We stopped by this luxurious hotel for the same treat. Yum!

2013-12-09 14.11.13
The Raffles Hotel
2013-12-09 14.16.41
Outside the Raffles
2013-12-09 14.15.22
Feet Pic, Raffles Style
2013-12-09 14.44.58
Scones at the Raffles
2013-12-09 14.44.05
Yum
Marina Bay Sands

The Marina Bay Sands is a massive building completed in 2011 that hosts a hotel, casino and shopping mall. According to Wikipedia, the project cost S$4bn to complete, thats almost $2.75bn US! The building consists of three towers with a large surfboard-shaped deck on top connecting all three. On one end is a cantilevered platform (the largest in the world) that hangs far out over the side of the supporting tower. This platform is the observation deck. Also nearby to the building is a park with two enormous greenhouses and a grove of “supertrees” — metal structures that have plants growing all up the sides. The “supertrees” are connected to each other with hanging bridges.

2013-12-09 16.42.10-1
The Marina Bay Sands
2013-12-09 17.20.06
Getting Closer...
2013-12-09 17.19.02
View from Below
2013-12-10 10.44.28
Lin with Marina Bay Sands in the Background
2013-12-09 13.22.44
Selfie Time
2013-12-09 13.34.32
What Is This, the Leaning Tower of Pisa?
2013-12-09 18.32.40
View from the Roof of the Marina Bay Sands
2013-12-09 18.34.31
Observation Deck on the Roof
2013-12-09 18.37.05
James on the Observation Deck
2013-12-09 18.33.42
The View
2013-12-09 18.35.56
View from the Roof
2013-12-09 18.35.21
View from the Roof
2013-12-09 18.35.25
View
2013-12-09 18.33.06
James on the Roof
2013-12-09 18.37.28
Sunset View from the Roof
2013-12-09 16.30.51
Another View of the Building
2013-12-09 16.28.46
Yet Another Angle
2013-12-09 18.21.12
Mall Inside the Marina Bay Sands
2013-12-09 18.18.23
Gondolas Can Take You Around the Mall...
2013-12-09 17.18.03
Inside of the Building
2013-12-09 17.17.15
Lower Levels
2013-12-09 18.52.56
Koi Pond Outside the Base of the Marina Bay Sands
2013-12-09 16.31.41
"Supertree" Grove, Marina Bay Sands
2013-12-09 16.53.12
Supertree Silhouettes
2013-12-09 16.35.48
Supertrees
2013-12-09 16.34.44
Lin with Supertrees
2013-12-09 16.56.40
Inside of a Supertree
2013-12-09 17.01.02
Supertree Canopy Walkway
2013-12-09 17.03.26
Supertree Walkway
2013-12-09 16.59.27
James in Supertrees
2013-12-09 16.58.32
View from the Top of the Supertrees
2013-12-09 17.02.42
View from the Supertrees
Chinatown

The largest ethnic group in Singapore is Chinese, however the city still has a historic and bustling Chinatown enclave.

2013-12-10 12.50.25
Exiting Subway Station, Chinatown
2013-12-10 12.50.20
Chinatown, Singapore
2013-12-10 12.59.12
Chinatown
2013-12-10 13.29.35
Chinatown Street
2013-12-10 12.51.02
Chinatown
2013-12-10 13.29.32
Paper Lanterns Everywhere...
2013-12-10 12.55.00
Hindu Temple Near Chinatown
2013-12-10 13.04.28
Coffee
2013-12-10 13.04.34
Green Tea
2013-12-10 13.07.58
Kaya Toast, Eggs & Coffee
2013-12-10 13.36.11
Engineering Office
2013-12-10 13.29.54
A Very Smelly Table Full of Durian Slices
2013-12-10 18.18.50
Stuff for Sale, Chinatown
2013-12-10 13.55.02
Dried Persimmons for Sale in Chinatown
Arab Street

Within Singapore’s Bugis district is Arab Street. A centerpiece of the neighborhood is the Sultan Mosque, the largest mosque in Singapore. The neighborhood has lots of interesting shops like rug stores and perfumeries. We made sure to try some delicious Lebanese food while we were in the area.

2013-12-11 13.04.17
Singapore's Arab Street
2013-12-11 14.00.15
Muscat Street, Leading Up to Masjid Sultan ("Sultan Mosque")
2013-12-11 14.07.42
Sultan Mosque
2013-12-11 14.11.59
Sultan Mosque
2013-12-11 14.20.13
Entrance to Sultan Mosque
2013-12-11 14.12.57
Prayer Hall, Masjid Sultan
2013-12-11 14.14.28
Time to Pray? Check the Prayer Clock
2013-12-11 13.56.52
Lebanese Food
2013-12-11 13.11.19
El Sheikh Lebanese Restaurant
2013-12-11 13.29.33
Lunch
2013-12-11 13.29.25
Falafel
2013-12-11 13.29.27
Hummus
2013-12-11 13.29.28
Tabbouleh
2013-12-11 14.42.20
Baklawi
2013-12-11 13.09.02
There Are Lots of Rug Stores on Arab Street
2013-12-11 13.10.55
Inside Rug Store
2013-12-11 13.09.07
Rugs
2013-12-11 14.30.56
Perfume Bottles for Sale, Arab Street
2013-12-11 14.02.26
James Makes Friends with a Robot, Arab Street
2013-12-11 14.06.56
Antiques for Sale, Arab Street
Onward!

Singapore’s Changi Airport has a reputation for being one of the best in the world, featuring a movie theater and swimming pool among other perks. Unfortunately, neither of these amenities were in our particular terminal, but we still found it to be a pleasant airport experience.

2013-12-12 12.06.26
Hanging Out at the Airport
2013-12-11 15.44.06
Duty Free: Placenta Collagen for Sale at the Airport...
2013-12-12 13.22.11
The Airport Was Decked Out for Christmas, Sorry for the Blurriness
2013-12-12 15.05.22
Our Airplane
2013-12-12 19.28.30
Nice Lighting in Here
2013-12-12 19.28.46
Mood Lights
2013-12-12 21.30.54
Next Stop, Australia