Singapore, Republic of Singapore - Tuesday, March 18

My kind of town, Singapore is..... MY....KIND.....OF.....TOWN!!!!!

Day 1:

We arrived in this beautiful city early this morning.  We were greeted by cloudy skies and VERY HIGH humidity.  In spite of the gloomy weather Bob and I jumped on the shuttle bus this morning and went into town.  The shuttle dropped us off at the beautiful Marina Bay Sands Hotel, which is attached to a huge, very upscale mall.  In southern California, we would have to travel to Beverly Hills to find such a massive collection of exclusive designers.  We were looking for a simple door magnet to add to our collection.  Unfortunately, we didn't find it at Prada, Tiffany, Gucci, Ferragamo Salvatore, Cartier, Fendi, Bvlgari or any stores in this spectacular mall.  The hotel wing, which is built in two tall towers, is connected on top by an enormous rooftop garden shaped to look like a ship setting on top, connecting the two towers.  There is a river that runs through the middle of the mall, complete with sampan rides!  Since we had already taken a number of sampan rides on this trip we decided to forgo this activity and continue our trek on foot.  After all, we were on a mission to find a cheap door magnet!  When we were hot, sweaty, exhausted and hungry we finally decided that perhaps this mall was not the most likely place to find our magnet.  So, we returned to the ship for a brief reprieve from the heat and humidity.  My face was dripping and my head was soaked - a hot mess, as my daughter in law, Summer, would say.  We sat and enjoyed a snack on our ship in the fabulous air conditioning, then headed back out for a fun-filled afternoon.

After lunch (on a cruise one NEVER misses an opportunity to eat) we re-boarded the shuttle and headed for downtown Singapore.  What an incredibly beautiful city!  The architecture and beautiful design of this city set it apart from all of the other places we have visited.  First, the city planning aspect is very unique and savvy.  New developments are being built in mixed-use buildings.  These are huge complexes which have residences as well as all the retail stores and services you need to outfit, stock and maintain a household.  Outside the doors of the personal residences there are grocery stores, clothing shops, household good, pharmacies child care, health care office, etc.  Everything residents need in their daily lives is located in one complex - talk about saving time and convenience!  Next, the use of green space, man made rivers running throughout the city, and beautiful walking paths create easy access so that the sites and sounds of this magnificent city can be enjoyed by both residents and tourists.

I LOVE the architecture in Singapore.  There are so many shapes, textures, colors, and layers to the downtown area that we could spend many days here and continue to discover new aspects of it.  I don't remember seeing even one skyscraper that was built straight up in a typical box design.  Every single building was graced with curves insets along the sides filled with greenery, windows which jut of of the building like clear glass cubes which have pushed their way outside of the box.  High rise buildings have roofs with concave roofs while others have convex roofs.  There are skyscrapers which look like they are cinched in the middle, fanning out at the top ad bottom. There is a building which is built to look like an open lotus flower petal and another one which looks like an unopened  bloom.  There is also a set of tall monoliths, a bit similar to the ones we have at LAX that change colors except that the top of each one in Singapore has a structure on top that looks like an open flower.  One of our guides told us that there is a belief in Singapore that buildings that are built with sharp corners are not good for business and do not bring good luck so everyone builds structures by softening or rounding the corners.  Evidently, many nights there is a spectacular laser light show that shines from these structures.  Unfortunately for us there was no show last night :(

Building materials are a beautiful mesh of steel stone, many types of wood, and glass.  The colors are subtle giving a gentle, relaxed feel to the downtown area.  There are occasional pops of color strategically placed on buildings to draw attention to a unique architectural feature.  Graceful foot bridges with gentle curves span the spotlessly clean canal which runs through the city center.  There is a beautiful double helix bridge which connects the outdoor recreational area to the Marina Bay Sands Hotel.

In the afternoon we joined six other couples from the ship and rode the "Singapore Flyer" which is the world's tallest observation Ferris wheel.  Each car holds about 20 people and we had arranged to have tea and canapies served as it revolved.  Each revolution takes 30 minutes and provides a spectacular view of the magnificent city.  We had sooooo much fun on this ride.  It was such a unique experience made even more fun by enjoying it with so many new friends.

It was time to return to the ship for the night and get some rest so we would be ready to enjoy more adventures in this fabulous city tomorrow.

Day 2:

It has been another remarkable day!  We had a great time experiencing a unique fusion of distinctive Chinese, Malay, and Indian cultures.  We started our day in Chinatown by walking thought block after block of Chinese shops featuring souvenirs, wares, fresh fruits and vegetables and a huge assortment of fish.  I think what struck me most about this area was that every inch of it was spotlessly clean - not typical for such heavily trafficked areas.  Vendors were assertive, but not quite as aggressive as we had experienced in Vietnam or Thailand.

Next, we walked through Little India and visited the Mariamman Temple, which is Singapore's oldest and certainly most colorful Hindu temple.  The neighborhoods in this area are just as bright and clean as everywhere else in Singapore.  There were brightly colored saris with beautiful patterns and displays of aromatic spices which wafted through the air as we strolled through the streets.

Our tour continued with a stop at Arab Street, where we had an opportunity to visit the Sultan Mosque.  A mosque is strikingly different in design that the Buddhist and Hindu temples we have visited.  While the temples are extremely ornate and the worship area is divided into small, quiet areas with multiple altars for personal worship, the mosque was a huge open area complete with beautiful tile floors and ornately painted ceilings.  Followers worship in a very public setting as people meander through the mosque.  The members are very strict with the dress code.  Anyone who had shorts which didn't cover their knees had to wear a long white robe (you can imagine how much Bob liked wearing one) and women had the additional requirement of covering their shoulders, otherwise they were also asked to put on a robe.  We removed our shoes just outside the door.  We were a little uneasy about leaving our shoes outside on the street since in a previous town some passengers had their shoes stolen while they were inside the temple.  However, Singapore is very safe and everyone's shoes were there when we returned :)

Our next adventure was another ride in a trishaw!  Now, after my last experience in Saigon I told myself I would never do it again, but here I was taking another chance in one.  This time, however, Bob and I were riding together and the cyclist was on the side of us, not in back like in Saigon.  Also, the streets in Singapore are not overrun with motor scooters.  Traffic is busy but it feels much safer when you enter an intersection.  Our trishaw ride lasted approximately 30 minutes and was actually quite comfortable and fun.  We cycled our way through the remainder of the Arab neighborhood while being protected from the sun's hot rays by the shade of beautiful green trees lining the lanes.

After a surprisingly relaxing ride we climbed back on the bus and went to the Asian Civilizations Museum where our guide gave us a broad yet integrated perspective of Pan-Asian heritage and customs.   I really appreciate the emphasis that Singapore places on blending the cultures in their city.  There are special days wet aside in school for the students to begin to learn, understand, and appreciate the differences in people's faith, customs and practices.  Everyone seems to respect one another's beliefs while being firmly planed in their own faith. 

We stopped for a quick photo stop at the Raffles Hotel which was originally made famous as the site where Thomas Stamford Raffles first landed in Singapore in 1819.  However, most people would know this exquisitely elegant hotel as the originator of the "Singapore Sling."  Unfortunately (or fortunately) we didn't have time to partake in this popular beverage :)

Our next stop included a ride in a colorful riverboat along the Singapore River.  In the 1800's these vessels were used to transport goods.  Today, they are a popular way to experience a kaleidoscope of historic river images including the gracious buildings of the old waterfront set again the skyline of the new business district.

We returned to the ship with a bit of sadness to have to leave this truly magnificent city so soon.  Singapore is a very special place to visit and I feel very blessed that we got to spend time here.  Residents have a beautiful, peaceful, and harmonious way of life.  They respect the cleanliness ad safety of their city making it a very comfortable place for tourists.  Finally, the shear beauty of the architecture, parklands, and genius of the city planning definitely makes Singapore one of the very favorite places we have visited.  Now, we're on our way to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia for more exciting adventures.