Gigantic Singapore!

Off we go....bye bye Thailand!

As mentioned briefly in the previous post, our time in Singapore was absolutely amazing! The elegant atmosphere of this country really fascinated us.

First of all, we want to tell you about the only downside we had to endure during this stay... our accommodation! Once again... Thinking that we had made an absolute bargain, we booked this accommodation on the Airbnb website from Germany. Unfortunately, it was a total disaster. Especially the bathroom was terrible. There couldn't be more mold in a wet cell... DISGUSTING!! But we had already booked it and had to go through with it. Even though extensive shower sessions were rather rare. The room itself was okay. More on the bad side, but still more bearable than the bathroom. We couldn't do without our sleeping bag on the bed.

After checking in at our accommodation, we went straight to explore Singapore. The first destination of our trip was 'Gardens by the Bay'. It is a 101 hectare park built on artificially reclaimed land. Beautiful is the right word to describe this place. In the park itself, there are various attractions to visit. We chose the 'Cloud Forest'. There we saw the largest indoor waterfall in the world and plants exhibited in different vegetation stages.

In the evening, we made ourselves comfortable on the lawn with the 'Super Trees'. The 'Super Trees' are 25-50 meter high artificial metal trees that give a great spectacle with fairy lights. An absolute highlight is the accompanying light show.

To end the evening, we went to a nearby shopping center after this great show. At that time, we didn't know that all the shops there would close at 9:30 pm sharp. With empty stomachs, in an unfamiliar city, we looked for an alternative for dinner. In the end, we found a small 24-hour supermarket. The selection was limited and the prices were high. A slice of bread with salted butter didn't make us poor or unhappy at that time. At the nearby train station, we devoured the butter on the bread and stuffed ourselves happily :)

The next day was all about 'other cultures'. We set off early to visit Little India. It is a whole district that is described as a major attraction in every Singapore travel guide. And we can only confirm that. It is really astonishing how suddenly you immerse yourself in a different world there. The Mustafa shopping center was incredible! There was absolutely everything you can imagine. Really everything in an unprecedented variety. Various items are always available in at least 10 different versions. We didn't know where to look first. The area covered 4 floors, and two buildings that are so huge that you can get lost countless times. As the name suggests, 95% of the people here are Indians. We really enjoyed having different smells in our noses again. For lunch, we ate in an Indian restaurant. DELICIOUS!

After all the impressions, we still didn't have enough and went on to 'Chinatown'. Basically, you can find similar things here as in 'Little India', just with Chinese people :) Apparently, small souvenir shops are especially popular with the Chinese. One shop lined up after the other and it strongly reminded us of Thailand. In any case, it is also a place that you have to see. However, we didn't find any dogs and cats for consumption there. :)

Still not enough of our sightseeing tour, we went on to the Marina Bay Sands Hotel. THE HOTEL! Most of you will know it, have read something about it, or seen a documentary about it. It is a world-famous hotel that quickly became one of the top hotels in the world. Especially the infinity pool is famous worldwide. Unfortunately, it is only accessible to hotel guests and was therefore forbidden territory for us. The cheapest room there, without breakfast, costs 360 euros - not affordable for us. However, in life, you have to treat yourself sometimes, so we went up to the 54th floor in the bar for 20 dollars. That view....woooow....Bangkok can't compete with that in any way. An amazing experience that we will definitely not forget quickly!!

The next day, we strolled through Singapore's city center in a relaxed manner. It was simply wonderful to see something great behind every corner. Whether it was the extraordinary architecture, the always green parks, or a food stand just around the corner. There was always something great to see. The Singaporeans present their country in the best light and both of us were really impressed. The well-developed transportation network is also gigantic. Buses and trains seamlessly connect with each other. Well thought out and always clean, that's how Singapore can be described.

In the afternoon, we ended up in a really interesting museum. 'Art meets technology'. We especially liked being able to interactively contribute to the art. For example, we could paint something, scan it, and see it on a large screen. It was really cool :) What was astonishing was the fact that technology and art go together perfectly. Even though 'cold' technology alone can't evoke great 'emotions', it is possible to evoke positive emotions in combination with light and well-thought-out artistic actions. Fascinating.

In the evening, we walked along Marina Bay and simply enjoyed the here and now. We went back to a shopping center, had something to eat, and then returned to the accommodation.

It was departure day. We left with a happy and sad heart. Of course, we were looking forward to our upcoming time in Australia. Finally working again, doing sports, and having a purpose. But Singapore has impressed us incredibly!! For both of us, it was the most extraordinary and beautiful city we have ever seen. We would come back here anytime and can only recommend this country to everyone. BINGO!