I claimed Singapore as my 2nd home the moment I landed on Sep 11. Its different from Cebu, Philippines. Landscape wise: it had tall buildings, convenient public transportation, wide road without traffic, numerous malls, clean environment, no shanties. The moment I step into its streets, I felt home and safe.
Singapore is my 1st international country to be visited and by myself. It has become my home and where I will be working for years to come. I would say it is one of the cleanest place I have been to. One thing that people might be surprise of is the prices of everything. From meals to accommodation, the range will be as twice as much as I could pay back from Cebu, Philippines. Getting a massage, my favorite recreation, is now a luxury whereas we could get it back home anywhere at ridiculously low rate. As long as you know how to budget while enjoying small pleasures at a time, you can survive this fast paced island. Currency is in Singapore dollars.
Singapore is a melting pot of culture. We have races from everywhere around the world but mostly Chinese, Malay and Indians. Western foreigners are called Ang Mo. Feeling up for Indian brotherhood? Head to Little India for some get together. Fancy shopping for some Chinese herbs or souvenir? Go to Chinatown for night street shopping. Most people can speak English but Mandarin Chinese is one of the prime language.
Weather is sun and rain so wear light clothing and sunscreen. Air conditioned are everywhere if you need to cool down.
Transportation is not an issue as there are 3 types of mode to choose from: MRT (trains), bus or taxi. You can purchase the EZ Link card for cashless payments which is preloaded with credits. All you need is to tap at the card scanner to start travelling. Click here for more info
Shopping: Orchard and Somerset for the branded items; Chinatown, Bugis and Little India for bargains.
Attractions: I will refer you to this site as there are dozens of attractions here for different tastes. Click here to start exploring. Some of my favorite places would be:
- Marina Bay Sands – you can take the option to go to the top to see the panoramic view of the city.
- Universal Studios and Sentosa – fun rides
- Botanical Garden – pinic setting
- Singapore Zoo
- Esplanade – for outdoor music and view of the city. Best time to visit is at night
- Hortpark – for nature stroll. You can take the tree top walk to the different parks around Singapore
- Gardens by the Bay – I have not been there but it looks beautiful from afar.
Nightlife: Clarke Quay, Club Street, St James Power station, Marina Bay Sands, and many more
There are a lot multi-cultural dishes (is that the correct term for food?) sold everywhere. Most of them are spicy but you can tell them to remove the chili. Singaporeans love their chili. Food you need to try
- Sambal Stingray
- Chicken Rice – rice is cooked in chicken broth
- Fish Head Curry
- Laksa – spicy coconut seafood noodle soup
- Satay – barbequed meat with peanut sauce
- Bak Kut Teh – pork ribs soup
- Fried Hokkien Mee – stir-fried noodles with shrimp, chili and egg
- Chicken Briyani – chicken in curry with long indian rice
Related articles
- Sightseeing in Singapore – Singapore, Singapore (travelpod.com)
- Singapore (thisitchyfeet.wordpress.com)
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