I just came back from the most incredible 11 days in Singapore. The joy I felt landing in Singapore and seeing the people I missed was something I warmly welcomed. It was so nice to be back in the country that pretty much changed my life. It was only January of this year that I moved back from Singapore, so be going back just six months later was very exciting!
We stayed at Orchard Scotts Residences,
which is always incredibly comfortable. Its close proximity to the Newton MRT
makes holidaying in Singapore easy and convenient.
On our first day in Singapore, we took it
as a rest day, as we knew that the next ten days were going to be chaos! Around
midday I headed to Orchard Road; I couldn’t possibly wait any longer,
especially as the Great Singapore Sale was on. If you are looking for a top class shopping
experience, Singapore will cater to your every desire. Orchard Road is a 2.2km stretch of shops, resturants and all things entertainment. It is a huge tourist attraction in itself! Orchard Road without a
doubt is the best shopping location I have ever been to, it seriously has
everything.
Along with shopping, Orchard Road has an array of delicious food spots. When I found out I was headed to Singapore, I was immediately tantalised by the idea of eating cheap Asian cuisine while I was there. Even though Orchard Road can be a very expensive place to shop, it offers cheap eateries, one of which is Food Republic. Food republic is located in many malls in Singapore. It is similar to a food court, but offers an extensive variety of stalls that are all dedicated to cooking cuisines from predominantly Asian countries. I kid you not, I ordered fresh juice from the Food Republic in the Ion shopping centre every single day. It was so cheap and delicious; I could not pass it up!
I ate so much Vietnamese cuisine on this trip that it was bordering on crazy. Vietnamese food is my all time favourite cuisine, and it is so affordable and delicious in these food courts, so I had to make sure that I had my fair share before I headed back to Australia!
The next day I was reunited with my
beautiful university friends from when I was studying in Singapore. It was the
best thing in the world to see them! They took me to one of my favorite
eateries in Singapore which is Punggol Nasi Lemack. If you have never tried the
delectable Malaysian dish that is Nasi Lemack, you absolutely have to! It typically includes rice cooked in coconut milk with pandan leaves, fried chicken, chilli paste, cucumber and various side dishes. It is definitley my guilty pleasure! I was so
happy to be satisfying my cravings, alongside a refreshing drink of lime juice.
It was bliss.
When I found out we were going to
Singapore, I knew I had to get in my fair share of sightseeing. People may
think that the only thing in Singapore to do is go shopping, as that is what it
is famous for, although this country is overflowing with so many beautiful locations. One of my friends Sarah took me
out one afternoon to explore the enchanting Marina Bay.
The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands really is
one of the most beautiful shopping centers I have ever been to. You enter it
and a feeling of exclusivity and luxury immediately sweeps over you. Seriously
though, what shopping centre has a Venetian inspired canal running through the
middle of it?! This shopping centre is unlike any other and is a popular
tourist site on its own.
The incredible lotus shaped ArtScience
Museum, which is just outside the shopping centre, reveals some spectacular
architecture. From here you are able to get a perfect view of the Singapore
skyline and the famous floating Louis Vuitton store. You can also see all the
way over to Clarke Quay. In my personal opinion, it is one of the best views in
Singapore.
The day we went to Marina Bay, the sky was
the perfect shade of crisp blue, which illuminated the bay. We decided that we
could not possibly pass up the opportunity to walk across the Helix Bridge beside
the shopping centre, to get a better view of the bay. There are many lookout
points along the bridge, which allowed for lots of photo opportunities! From
the bridge you can see the bay, but you also have a perfect view of the ArtScience
Museum and the iconic Marina Bay Sands Hotel. If you are ever in Singapore I
thoroughly recommend putting Marina Bay at the top of your itinerary. I
guarantee you that you will not be able to see a bay like this anywhere in the
world. The perfect layout of it and the unique architecture is captivating.
Before dinner one evening, I decided to
head back to Orchard Road. Across the road from the Orchard Gateway Shopping
Centre at Somerset, there is a secret spot, perfect for the explorer at heart.
Here, there are a cluster of ornate, Peranakan inspired houses. The old charm of
these colourful houses is something not to be missed. The ambiance that these houses create made me
think that I had gone back in time! They are incredibly well preserved and
their design is something very unique to modern day Singapore, meaning that
this spot really is a hidden gem.
My University friends were kind enough to
take me to Chinatown on one of my last days in Singapore. One of my first posts
on this blog was about Chinatown in Singapore actually! It really is one of my
favourite places in Singapore. Not so much because of what you can buy (even
though I did pick up a few things), but more so of how it is decorated, the
colourful lanterns, the temples, the historical looking streets and the busy
alleyways. It is an area which always makes me excited! Around every corner
there is something new to look at and be made in awe of. At the end of this blog post I will link my
original Chinatown post, as it goes into detail what exactly you can purchase
and see there.
After Chinatown, we simply had to go and
eat. Honestly, I don’t think I have ever eaten so much on a holiday! Eating is
one of the biggest aspects of Singaporean culture. Every time I planned to
catch up with someone, it was centered around eating. Although, I do have to
say, I was definitely not complaining! As mangoes are currently out of season
in Australia, I was hanging out for a serving of the famous Thai dessert; Mango
Sticky Rice. We went to a café at Suntec shopping centre called Tuk Tuk Cha,
where I was served one of the best sticky rices I have ever had. The ratio of
mango to sticky rice was perfect! My friends also got me to try some toast
which you dipped into kaya spread; also known as coconut jam. It was scrumptious! Knowing Singaporean
people when holidaying in Singapore, I have come to realise, is one of the
greatest things. I was able to eaten so many new foods during this trip that I
would have usually glanced over with no intention to try.
Coming back to Singapore really was a
privilege for me. To be able to see the
people I missed so much and explore the country that I love filled me with
uncanny amounts of joy. One thing I have struggled with since moving back to
Australia is that not many people can relate to my experience of living
overseas. It’s hard for me to express what this country has done for me and
even talk about my time there, as often people don’t understand. It was so nice
to come back and talk to my friends and even fellow expat families about my
experience and their experiences living in Singapore and other parts of the
world. It made me realise that Singapore really is my second home.
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