The vibrant city-state of Singapore

Uñt’ayata: 23.04.2019

When we arrived in Singapore by bus, luckily we only had to take the MRT (metro) once and could drive to our hostel only 400m away.

Our new home was right in front of all the skyscrapers of the banking district at the old boat quays.

You can see our hostel right next to Thea
You can see our hostel right next to Thea's left shoulder

Wait, home?! Rather our space station 'Met a Space-Pod'.

We decided against the endlessly expensive luxury hotels decorated with stars (we were just about to check in at Marina Bay Sands, Fullerton Hotel or Parkroyal by Pickering (see pictures below), but then we were too stingy) and finally rented a capsule hostel. In this arrangement, there are about 8-12 so-called pods in a large room, and then you share the tiled annexes.

Our little space station
Our little space station :-) Small but nice...

The view from our hostel to the famous hotels Fullerton and the over 200m high Marina Bay Sands (in the background, room rates over $300 per night)
The view from our hostel to the famous hotels 'The Fullerton' and the over 200m high 'Marina Bay Sands' (MBS in the background, room rates over $300 per night)

Shortly after check-in, we went for our first city walk. Singapore immediately captivated us with its magnificent buildings and many small parks.
The Fullerton - former post office...
Beautiful parks with nice details everywhere..

When we arrived at Marina Bay, the MBS immediately stood out and we took one photo after another (that's why this blog post is only now, as we had to review over 600 pictures of Singapore - with about 250 of them featuring the MBS)... ;-)
The huge terrace has a huge infinity pool, you should google it
The huge terrace has a huge infinity pool, you should google it... The building can be seen from everywhere and is simply incredibly impressive.. And the highlight of the city...
But the opera house is also a sight to behold
But the opera house is also a sight to behold, it looks like a hedgehog, doesn't it? :-)
The sun makes the city shine gold... And invites everyone to linger :-)

One hotel surpasses the other in uniqueness and originality of the architecture... The Parkroyal by Pickering - Thea's absolute favorite hotel because of its greenery and so ;-)


When we arrived at Marina, we stayed until sunset and watched all the other tourists posing in front of Singapore's landmark (... and the others watching us 😉).
For a change, we took some photos from the other side, as the railing on the side facing the MBS was crowded... :-D

In the evening, there was a light-laser and water fountain show in front of the MBS every hour, which was quite nice... but somehow we expected it to be more breathtaking...
It was nice to sit there with a cold beer :-)
... but it was nice to sit there with a cold beer :-) Just watching people and enjoying the lights of the city...

After that, we tried the so-called hot-pot, which is a traditional Chinese meal where you cook various ingredients in two different soups.
Since we saved a bit on accommodation (if you can say that in Singapore), we could dine in the front row :-=
Since we saved a bit on accommodation (if you can say that in Singapore), we could dine in the front row :-) The food was very delicious - similar to fondue ***Looking forward to Christmas*** <3 ;-)

The next day, we had tourist program on our agenda: Hop-on-Hop-off bus! In such a big city like Singapore (where the bus stops have no schedule), it's a simple way to get around.
So we visited the main attractions, such as Chinatown and Little India (yes, these districts exist in every city), but it doesn't matter :-)
Chinatown - super touristy - not so spectacular in the morning..
... here we were somehow the only tourists.. Indians everywhere (only men), wherever you look... A few streets further you could find one gold shop after another...

We then drove around the city with various bus lines - to the freight port (which is one of the largest ports in the world) and to an amusement park with a fairy tale castle located on an offshore island..
A small section of the port facility in the south of the city-state

After that, we went to Orchard Road: A 3km long street with one shopping mall next to the other - from luxury goods (with Prada, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, YSL, etc.) to the typical shops with, well, the same things but different, not entirely original and cheaper... 'same same' :-D
In a department store, you could create your own Magnum-style ice cream (with white chocolate, hazelnut, speculoos, almond flakes, and dark chocolate) :-)

... when the bus driver suddenly pointed out a particularly good food court, we were at the door in no time... and there was also delicious food: small wok with curry, egg, and rice.. In Singapore, the small food stalls that you can find on the streets everywhere else in Southeast Asia are prohibited, and a special place has been created inside buildings. They are called Hawker Centers. Nicely temperate and just as delicious!!! (and maybe a bit more hygienic ;-) )
We parked our car by the roadside...
... to take some 3D photos ;-)

The city only has new cars and many luxury cars, as driving is very expensive. Almost everyone travels in the city using public transportation, such as the MRT, so the city has no problems with emissions or traffic jams...

We also spent the evening at Marina... It's just nice to sit by the water and watch the bustling activity - it's a bit like Hamburg on a larger scale :-)
Helix Bridge with MBS and the Science Museum (...the shell)
Our first encounter with the Gardens by the Bay, which we wanted to explore a bit more the next day! We only saw a few excerpts of a light show. Simply fantastic!
Then we came across a small concert by an inclusive school that was making music right by the harbor.
Before and after that, there was a percussion group 50m away that heated up the crowd... It's a very lively city with something to see everywhere!!!

The next day, we walked around a bit: through the banking district on a Monday, where everyone was busy in their suits...
... completely fascinated by the tall buildings :-D
We then continued through the greenery to the MBS... Beautifully landscaped parks can be found all over the city :-)
We arrived at the shopping malls and immediately had something 'small' to eat.. Clem interpreted the 'snack' a bit differently... ;-)

After refreshment, we went to the Gardens by the Bay... This park area consists, among other things, of 2 glass domes: a 'Cloud Forest', where a huge waterfall, several rare plant species such as orchids and carnivorous plants, and an artificial mountain are beautifully arranged...  
This is a waterfall to Clem's taste, because it has water and lots of it <3<3<3
A huge glass dome and the mountain with a circular path
... crazy orchid
Thea's beloved Monkey Cups :-)))))))
Various carnivorous plants (real and fake)..
Magnifying glasses for the particularly small specimens
... there's something to discover everywhere :-)

.. oh yeah, and a 'Flower Dome' - we quickly left because the current theme was bending tulips next door 😉
1000 different varieties of tulips, yay
*** When does a Dutchman get a yellow license plate?
When he has failed the driving test 3 times :-)))) ***

From there, we went directly to the Super Trees: The trees, which serve as energy generators (solar panels on top) and water storage (collection facility) for the entire park area with the two glass domes. The system is virtually self-sustaining and yet offers a musical light show several times a night that is nothing short of amazing :-D
That evening, we had premium seats and couldn't get enough, so here are 'a few' photos - believe us, there are 100 more where these came from :-D look at them and enjoy ;-)







Then we headed home...
The city at night is simply magical!

On the last day, we bought an MRT ticket, as the metro network here is so well-developed that you can get anywhere quickly, affordably, and comfortably, and also explore other areas...
By the way, Clem was the tallest here as always (notice the Asian guy at the door)... and was often admired
So we went to the passenger port, where two kinds of home were waiting for us:
... on the one hand, the Aida, which unfortunately came from Vietnam and sails on to Doha - otherwise we would have booked a cabin there again...
... and on the other hand, Clem's favorite dish at 'Brotzeit' restaurant... It felt strange and we decided to skip it...

We then went to the Botanic Gardens for a little walk:
This is another beautifully landscaped park!
Clem seems to be enjoying it too. I wonder why...
... teasing turtles :-D

After the fantastic days in Singapore, we longed for a bit of home on the last evening and ordered burgers at 'Hans im Glück'...
... not just rice, Asian noodles, fish, etc...
And on the last evening, a cocktail with the MBS in the background in the golden city...

I think you can tell that Singapore completely captivated us... That's why this blog post is a bit longer, but maybe now some of you will consider visiting when Urlaubspiraten.de comes up with a deal...

That's it for now, but we will definitely be back!!!

The next day, we started exploring the next country: Vietnam!
We will be in touch again and until then, have a great week and belated happy Easter... ;-) better late than never!
Thea & Clem <3
Jaysawi (2)

Axel
Ist doch schon was Anderes , als die Jammerbucht in Dänemark - aber schön war es damals auch 🏄🚣🏊

Jess
Die Bilder sehen einfach klasse aus! Und auf den Spargel habt ihr verzichtet?! Naja, immerhin der Burger!! :D Jetzt hab ich direkt Lust auch in Singapur Urlaub zu machen. Sieht super schön aus und dieses Parkroyal hotel!! Aber bestimmt auch leicht... teuer XD Viel Spaß bei der Weiterreise!

Singapur markanxa
Viajes ukan yatiyawinakapa Singapur markanxa
#singapur#hop-on-hop-off#mrt#mbs#gardensbythebay#marinabay