Second of three days in Singapore

After another very pleasant Etihad flight, I arrived in Singapore yesterday morning. Then I'll see what's going on in the world's most expensive city - and get a 3-day public transport ticket for the equivalent of €16. Which I can potentially drive around the entire city-state. So public transport is cheap. ;-)

With just one change, I reach my station on the MRT frozen and when I emerge from the tunnel I run into a 30 degree wall with 95% humidity. I was correspondingly happy about the early check-in at my capsule hostel and the shower that was waiting for me. The fact that I pay the equivalent of €45 per night for a sleeping coffin in a room for 10 women is more like first place in the ranking of the most expensive cities.

Since I like to discover new cities through free walking tours - tours that don't cost a fixed amount, but are based on tips and the guides make an effort - I quickly book them for the afternoon and then go in search of food. You'd think Singaporeans do nothing but eat all day long. The offer is overwhelming! Luckily, I picked up a few insider tips at the hostel and first made my way to Toastbox and had a traditional kaya toast including two boiled eggs. Wild mix, but the nice older ladies at the table explained to me how to eat the snack. ;-)

The free walking tour finally went through the Civic District and our guide Gene had a lot of information, anecdotes, etc. with him. And had a hard time maneuvering us dry via covered paths, as Singapore goes all out in the rainy season. Luckily I had bought an umbrella at 7 Eleven beforehand. So we walked from here to there, listened, marveled, took photos, got from here to there via tunnels and suddenly, as if out of nowhere, I'm standing opposite the Marina Bay Sands Hotel! WOW! This has been on my "Bucket List of Buildings & Towers" for a long time - anyone who knows me knows that I have a soft spot for it (and have even flown a detour via Taipei to get to Taipei 101)...

Filled with many impressions, I end the day in Chinatown, where the Maxwell Hawker Center is located. Hawker centers can be found on every corner here and are part of the cultural heritage. Since Singapore is the cleanest city I've ever been in (throwing away cigarette butts costs a fine of S$1,000), a few decades ago permanent halls/centers were built for the Asian-famous food stalls, which offer a variety of culinary delicacies. Even if it often doesn't look like it at first glance. ;-) Note: always queue at the stand with the longest queue. There I had traditional Fried Hokkien Mee - noodles in an indefinable sauce with shrimp. Just don't ask what's in it. If it tastes good, then everything is good!

I spent most of today in my hostel sleeping capsule because the side effects of the dengue fever vaccination caught up with me just in time after an 8 day incubation period. After a lot of sleep and rest, everything was back to normal in the evening and I was a guest at another hawker center, the Tekka Center in Little India. There I had two Roti Prata (with and without eggs) - a flatbread from South India, for which a long dough flavored with ghee (clarified Indian butter) is baked. Plus mango lassi and a short conversation with the chef, who has already cooked and made tea for the president.

I'm going to sleep now and hope that the jet lag will finally let me get up a little earlier so that I can finally explore Marina Bay tomorrow (without any health restrictions).