Singapore
The third and final leg of our trip was Singapore. Because of our preconceived notion that Singapore is 'just another city' and the fact that it's known for being one of the most expensive countries in the world, we decided we would only stay a few days. However, by the time we flew home Wednesday, we had learned that both of these notions were (at least partially) untrue. Although the entire country is essentially one big city, it's a fairly unique one. It's history as both a Malay state and a British colony, as well as interaction with various other Asian and European countries, have created a melting pot of many different cultures. English, Chinese, Malay, and Hindi are all widely spoken languages and art and architecture from many surrounding cultures are noticeable throughout the city. It's also obvious that the government does a great job of preserving old buildings and historic monuments, which make some neighborhoods have a colonial feel.
As far as Singapore's reputation for being very expensive, we found out our first night how true this can be. After spending an exorbitant amount on a mediocre dinner and drinks in a trendy expat area our first night, we decided we had to find cheaper meals somewhere else. We actually went grocery shopping immediately after dinner so we could avoid eating out for breakfast the following few mornings. However, the next day we found out that Singapore is actually a foodie's paradise. In lieu of traditional street food, the city has lots of public, outdoor 'food courts' with literally dozens (if not hundreds) of stalls with different food from all over the world. In total, we ate at three of these markets and had food from India, Spain, Turkey, Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Middle East. There were dozens of other countries represented at these stalls and you would have to try really hard to spend more than $10 USD per plate. The most we ever spent total (for two meals) was about $12. It's also common to see people sitting around drinking beer all afternoon, also at a very cheap price. So while you can definitely rack up hefty bills at trendy western restaurants and nights out in Singapore, it's also very easy to eat and drink like a local and keep it much cheaper. If I were ever to go back, I would just want to binge eat for the entire trip. All the food was amazing.
In between food comas we did manage to see some of the popular sights around town. Chinatown and Little India both have rich history in Singapore and we were able to learn about both on a city tour we took our first full day there. We also saw the oldest hotel in the city, which served as a military HQ during Japans occupation of the island during World War 2. The hotel bar is also the birthplace of the Singapore Sling, which of course we had to try. The famous Singapore 'Merlion' fountain, a museum of traditional Singaporean culture, and the botanical gardens were a few of the other stops we made. We also managed to get in a day of hiking, our favorite vacation pastime, at one of the nature reserves near the center of the island. Although it was fairly flat with few mountain top views, it was still hiking through some pretty cool scenery. And we were able to do a little over 10k, which is impressive considering we were in the middle of a sprawling metropolitan.
The third and final leg of our trip was Singapore. Because of our preconceived notion that Singapore is 'just another city' and the fact that it's known for being one of the most expensive countries in the world, we decided we would only stay a few days. However, by the time we flew home Wednesday, we had learned that both of these notions were (at least partially) untrue. Although the entire country is essentially one big city, it's a fairly unique one. It's history as both a Malay state and a British colony, as well as interaction with various other Asian and European countries, have created a melting pot of many different cultures. English, Chinese, Malay, and Hindi are all widely spoken languages and art and architecture from many surrounding cultures are noticeable throughout the city. It's also obvious that the government does a great job of preserving old buildings and historic monuments, which make some neighborhoods have a colonial feel.
As far as Singapore's reputation for being very expensive, we found out our first night how true this can be. After spending an exorbitant amount on a mediocre dinner and drinks in a trendy expat area our first night, we decided we had to find cheaper meals somewhere else. We actually went grocery shopping immediately after dinner so we could avoid eating out for breakfast the following few mornings. However, the next day we found out that Singapore is actually a foodie's paradise. In lieu of traditional street food, the city has lots of public, outdoor 'food courts' with literally dozens (if not hundreds) of stalls with different food from all over the world. In total, we ate at three of these markets and had food from India, Spain, Turkey, Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Middle East. There were dozens of other countries represented at these stalls and you would have to try really hard to spend more than $10 USD per plate. The most we ever spent total (for two meals) was about $12. It's also common to see people sitting around drinking beer all afternoon, also at a very cheap price. So while you can definitely rack up hefty bills at trendy western restaurants and nights out in Singapore, it's also very easy to eat and drink like a local and keep it much cheaper. If I were ever to go back, I would just want to binge eat for the entire trip. All the food was amazing.
In between food comas we did manage to see some of the popular sights around town. Chinatown and Little India both have rich history in Singapore and we were able to learn about both on a city tour we took our first full day there. We also saw the oldest hotel in the city, which served as a military HQ during Japans occupation of the island during World War 2. The hotel bar is also the birthplace of the Singapore Sling, which of course we had to try. The famous Singapore 'Merlion' fountain, a museum of traditional Singaporean culture, and the botanical gardens were a few of the other stops we made. We also managed to get in a day of hiking, our favorite vacation pastime, at one of the nature reserves near the center of the island. Although it was fairly flat with few mountain top views, it was still hiking through some pretty cool scenery. And we were able to do a little over 10k, which is impressive considering we were in the middle of a sprawling metropolitan.
Like Bangkok, by the end of our time
in Singapore we were wishing we had dedicated more time to this city. It’s hard
to know when planning these trips which cities will be the same-ol’, same-ol’
and which are worth staying a little longer in. However at this point we had
been gone for quite a while and were both exhausted. We were ready for a night
in our own bed and to live out of an actual closet again. One last day of
travel and we were back home in Hangzhou, with a few days to spare before
school started. It’s been a few weeks back now and it feels like we’re already
well into the spring semester.
We had a great time on our Chinese New Year trip
this year and are already looking forward to the trips we will get to take in
the future. We are thankful that we get to have these experiences and want to
let our parents and family know how much we appreciate your support, which our
life abroad wouldn’t be possible without. We want you to know how much we miss
you all and that we look forward to simple things like Skype sessions, emails,
and text messages just as much as we look forward to our travels. As much as we
enjoy seeing the world, missing major life events such as births and deaths can
be a challenge. We would like to congratulate Daniel and Theresa, Justin and
Carrie, and Madsen and Hannah on the births of Ruby, Charlie, and Robert. We also
lost Grandpa Minks this past year and deeply regret not being able to be with
loved ones for the funeral. He will be greatly missed. We love and miss you
all.
Hunter & Chelsea
Hey guys, I wanted to let you know that I've been following your journeys and have really enjoyed the stories and photos. Take care, Sarah Fucik.
ReplyDeleteThanks for reading Sarah!
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