Back from Singapore...

It's been more than a week since we got back from Singapore. I've been very busy after that because of my aunt's birthday party so it is only now that I'm writing about my trip.

One genione statement can be said of Singapore - Singapore is a very clean and green country! I really admire it for that. I did get to see and eat the stuff that I wrote here in my previous post. First is the Merlion. I did get to see it and have a picture but not with the more popular one that is along the Singapore River. The Merlion that I visited was the one in Sentosa Island. Now, this is a funny story. I wanted to much to have a nice picture of the Merlion that it took us a while to finish. We thought that the other tourists who were also taking photos near us belonged to our tour group. But we were mistaken. Our group already boarded the bus. To make matters worse, the tour guide miscounted and thought that everyone was already present. And so, our bus passed us by heading for the city. Walking and feeling lost, I thought of how to get back to the mainland. We could take the Sentosa Express then take the MRT to Orchard Road station, the nearest station to our hotel. But then our bus suddenly appeared! Thank goodness! We were really glad they came back. The tour guide apologized and said that she didn't realize immediately that the two from the Elizabeth were missing. I have never been that glad to see a bus in my entire life, honestly! :D

Speaking of Sentosa, I had a great time in that island. Going there was fun already because we rode a cable car. I've wished to ride one in my life and thank God I was able to fulfill that wish. The view of the Singapore River and its banks was fantastic from the cable car. We also rode the luge. It's like a go-kart. I went fast down the hill. Ahhh... very exhilirating. We then went to the Underwater World. I love the sea in general and the creatures in it so I enjoyed this place very much. I liked the part where you could touch the large fishes including the rays which were smooth and slippery. I was afraid at first but I learned to like feeling them with my hands. I also liked the semi-circular aquarium that goes overhead. It makes you feel like being under the sea. It was creepy seeing sharks and giant weird fishes swimming above your head but the dugong or seacow was very cute.

I also didn't that I'll like noodles for lunch and dinner and not have rice, but I did. I never had so much different kinds of noodles before. The char kway teow (fried broad noodles) was a little spicy but it was good enough. I liked more the beef stew noodles that papa bought though. It was very tasty. I should also mention that they have large servings. My father and I could easily share one large bowl of noodles. My skill of using chopsticks was really tested. The one time that I had rice was when I ate Hainanese chicken rice. The chicken was seasoned simply but it was very tender and juicy that it almost like melts in your mouth. Lovely! Last but not the least is the roti prata. It's like a cross of a hopia without the filling and a large pancake. It's served with a spicy curry sauce. Yummy!

Other interesting places for me are the Chinatown, where real bargains are, and Little India. It was my first time to visit a real Indian community with the shops and statues. I took lots of pictures here and even sampled some Indian delicacies.

We also went to the Night Safari, the first of its kind in the world. We rode on a tram, and with the help of the guide, were able to see many forest creatures that are active at night. I've been to zoos before but this one was really different. It makes you feel a bit scared but excited at the same time. The landscaping and design of the zoo was such that the animals feel that they are in their natural habitat which also made me feel like in a real forest, watching closely for any stray animals that might cross our paths.

Now comes Orchard Road, said to be the shopper's paradise. I have never seen so many malls in one street. You'll never get enough of them! The memorable ones for me are Wisma Atria where we had our first meal in Singapore at the Food Republic here, the Far East Plaza where I bought my Harry Potter book, the Tangs which we reached unknowingly after getting off the MRT, and the Lucky Plaza where we often ate and met many Filipinos, and did a lot of shopping.

The Elizabeth Hotel where we stayed was a cool place. Its interiors were really Elizabethan, ornate, complex and beautiful. The service was very good and the place was clean and complete. It was somewhat homey, too.

Finally, the Changi Airport. It's only the second airport I've been too but I like it. It's huge but the general atmosphere was relaxing.

Haaay... We really covered a lot in three days but I know that Singapore still has so much to offer. I really, really enjoyed this trip that somehow, Sinapore is now occupying a special place in my heart. I would gladly accept another opportunity to go back. There is still so much to explore and experience in this small but wonderful country. Well, maybe someday, the Merlion and I could have more pictures to share. :)