Singapore - What a contrast

After the 3-hour flight (Philipp successfully built a theme park on Rollercoaster), we safely landed in Singapore. And even the transfer to the hotel was completely different. Up until now, our modes of transportation were always tricycle, bus, boat, or jeepney. We had not seen a subway on our trip yet. But it brought us safely and surprisingly easily (here the houses have numbers again and the streets have names) to our hostel InCrowd in Little India. We got to stay in a proper backpacker hostel and of course we could immediately gather tips there.

Less than an hour later, we were on the MRT (our new favorite mode of transportation) again, heading to Marina Bay or Garden by the Bay to watch the evening show. It was truly impressive to enjoy the show amidst these giant "trees". What impressed us even more, however, was the fact that in a city of 6 million people, you can simply lay down on the ground without feeling guilty and find it comfortable. After that, we had a little snack at Gluttons by the Bay and then back to the hostel, as we had two full days in Singapore ahead of us.

Our day started with a walking tour through Chinatown. Stanley, our guide, took us from Hindu temples (yes, they are also in Chinatown) to food corners in private high-rise buildings, former sales houses/residences, and of course Buddhist prayer houses. In these, we were able to see Buddha's tooth. Overall, it was a very fascinating journey through the culture and development of Singapore. A big compliment to the organizers, especially because the tour was completely free. After the 3-hour excursion into history, we were faced with a whole new challenge - finding a spot in a cafe during lunchtime in what felt like all of Singapore (in Singapore, people always eat out because they don't have time to cook and it's cheaper - we learned that). After solving this problem as well, we continued towards Marina Bay to see the whole area in daylight. After a short detour along the Singapore River - of course also with a little boat tour - our path led us back to Gluttons Bay to grab something to eat, and after that, the light show in Marina Bay was on the program. They really pulled out all the stops for that one. I have rarely seen such a good light/water show. After the show and after being on our feet for 12 hours, we made our way back home.

The next day started just like the previous one, except this time in Little India instead of Chinatown. Dani led us through her neighborhood and vividly illustrated the history of the Indians in this city with personal reference points. Because our guide was a bit late and we started later, she even invited us for a Masala Chai (real Chai tea). It was super good! That alone made the tour a highlight. We spent the rest of the day in the air-conditioned shopping labyrinth. I would say it was quite successful. On our last evening, we treated ourselves to a cocktail on the deck of Marina Bay.

So we have already checked off the second country on our trip. At this point, I would like to personally thank those who provided us with tips:

• Lukas and Sabi (also thanks to Eva)

• Julian and Annika

• Mom and Dad

• My sister

• Mathieu (also a big thank you for your donation)

• And everyone else I forgot

Now we are continuing to the Island of the Gods - Bali. Let's see what awaits us there