Singapore Travel Notes | Merlion, Gardens and Sailing Boats (1)

The first country I traveled to in 2017 was Singapore.

The place is not big and the distance is close. It not only satisfies the nationally mandated few-day holiday, but also fulfills the wish to go abroad.

Although I know that the temperature in Singapore is relatively stable all year round, I still check with friends who have lived there for a few years to confirm whether it is the right time to go out. In Indonesia, land burning occurs from August to October because the wind direction will blow polluted gases to Singapore, causing the air in the entire city to be very bad. This is the only time when it is not suitable to go, and there is not much difference in other months.

        

Taking into account the travel time and the lower price of night air tickets, we set the air ticket at around 1 am.

After get off work, I slowly go home to take a shower, pick up my luggage, and then slowly go to the airport. Before boarding the plane, I went to the bathroom to brush my teeth, take off my makeup, and wash my face. After I sat down, I took a sleeping pill. The flight time is about 4 hours, and it’s almost enough to wake up. This move is not recommended for friends who rely on sleep to rest.

By the way, I would like to praise the facilities and services of Singapore Airlines . The flight attendants are trilingual, the food is acceptable, the service is in place, and they can do a good job of easing the flight plan delay. And I love that the airline team has equipped each seat with headphones and blankets in advance.

This is the second best airline I have ever flown on.

The first place will be awarded to Air New Zealand for the time being.

           

There is no time difference between Singapore and China. It was already dawn when the plane landed. At around 6 a.m., we arrived at Changi Airport, which is said to have a lot to do and experience, embodies humanistic care, and has been rated the best in the world many times.

Ignore the passenger express between the terminals and wander all the way to the transit hall playing games. It seemed to be too early and the counter staff looked tired. "Good morning", mam only responded with a faint nod.

It was about 7 o'clock in the morning after I cleared customs and picked up my luggage. I bought a transportation card on the subway and headed straight to Clarke quay where the hotel is located.

As soon as I got out of the subway, I saw Songfa Bak Kut Teh . I heard that there is always a long queue. Anyway, I haven’t had breakfast yet, so I started my first meal in Singapore at this busy restaurant.

I don’t know what real Bak Kut Teh tastes like, so I can’t tell whether it’s authentic or not. The soup base is peppery, the meat falls off the bones easily, the rice noodles are very refreshing and warm to the stomach, and the fried dough sticks are delicious when soaked in the soup (I don’t know if this is the way to eat them, I like to soak the fried dough sticks in various things to eat). For me on an empty stomach I think the combination is very heartwarming, I want to give it a thumbs up.

Four points by sheraton Singapore, Riverview.

The Four Points by Sheraton Haojing where I stayed this time is said to be a four-star hotel. The decoration and facilities are much superior to those of ordinary hotels or B&Bs. I stayed here for two nights and spent two nights in the sauna to relieve fatigue . The location is not good. The location is not very close to the subway, but there is a bus at the door. The common check-in time in Singapore is 2-3 pm. I checked in at the front desk, stored my luggage, went to the bathroom, washed my face and put on makeup, and then set off to play.

Singapore's urban transportation system is very complete. Basically, there are direct buses and subways to wherever you want to go. Just like Hong Kong and Macau, the arriving and departing bus stops are often not on the opposite side. The route of the bus stops is not easy to see clearly, and the announcements on the buses do not like to announce the stops. I have to use the map to see if I have arrived at the stop.

 

First stop, Little India. Little India.

When you get off the bus, you will think you are in a gold rush or Xiaobei (Guangzhou), and you will see Middle Eastern skin tones everywhere. This is where the first batch of Indians in Singapore settled. Later, with continuous immigration and reproduction, it became a gathering place for the local Indian race.

Due to the strong regional nature, most of the shops are for daily needs in the Middle East. I don't understand the glittering gold and bright red and green. The shops are all about gold, silver, copperware, garlands, silk saris, and spices. There are many businessmen and few tourists on the road, and the public security in Little India is poor. It always feels uneasy. Find the Sri Veeramakaliaman Temple (Hinduism), one of the oldest temples in Singapore. I don’t know much about religious culture. There are too many people worshiping in the temple, so I don’t go in to observe.

Walking towards the subway, I discovered a colorful area on the road, which is the Little India Art District. The population here is not so dense, and the graffiti everywhere arouses interest in taking photos. I found that foreign girls are really stylish when taking photos. Even if they are not very pretty and dress ordinary, they still seem to have model skills. I finally understand why there are so many good-looking photos of girls on Instagram. They really look natural and cute every time they smile.

I couldn't help but want to take some pictures myself.

Orchard Road-ION 360-degree viewing platform

The famous business district Orchard Road is a conventional urban business district. The main reason for coming here is to find a resting place and to view the 360-degree viewing platform on the 57th floor of ION Mall. The viewing platform has fixed opening hours in the afternoon, and we arrived at the queuing elevator entrance 45 minutes ahead of the opening time. I thought I had arrived much earlier, so I lowered my head and played the game. Looking up again, there was already a long queue behind us. Fortunately, he stood his ground and was able to be the first group of tourists to get on the elevator that day.

The 57th floor is not too high. In the middle of the floor is a Cafe/restaurant, surrounded by glass walls. Here you can see the scenery from high altitude in all directions, so it is a 360-degree viewing platform. What’s interesting is that many wall glass will have text on it, telling tourists where to see the sunset, which street is in which direction, some are about geographical knowledge, and some are lines and poems.

I took a few steps to cover the wall, and I read as I walked. I found it very thoughtful and interesting, and I loved it so much.

The tour takes about 20 minutes.

But I walked slower and was not in a hurry. I came downstairs at around 4 o'clock and found a long queue at the elevator. It was even more crowded than before I went upstairs.

Come out to the street. Although it's almost evening, the sun is still strong and the temperature is still very hot.

I walked around aimlessly, keeping an eye out for the legendary Orchard Road ice cream. I was a little disappointed. I placed orders on several sections and didn’t find this type of ice cream truck on Orchard Road. Later, I asked a friend and he said they only had "Grandpa/Grandma Ice Cream" and had never heard of "Orchard Road Ice Cream". But from the description, they should be of the same type. It is estimated that the name has only spread to China and has become distinctive.

      

Singapore Chinatown－China town

Chinatown is a commercial area with a relatively mixed ethnic palette.

Although it is Chinatown in Singapore, it is also mixed with Middle Eastern and Malay culture. There are many Qingba Gallery souvenir shops, and various vendors coexist with the century-old hometown. There is more food here. Maybe it’s not lunch yet, the crowds are not very dense, and the restaurant hasn’t officially opened yet. Most of the shop assistants are taking a break and chatting, or they are starting to set up the tables and chairs needed for the night market, preparing for the huge crowds in two hours.

In addition to visiting Chinatown, we mainly visited the religious architectural landmark Buddha Tooth Relic Temple . It is said that the sacred tooth relic of Buddha is enshrined here. Unfortunately, the Temple of the Tooth Relic is under renovation. You can only punch in at the door.

Then I started wandering to the nearby small literary streets.

I came across a Nanyang Old Coffee , which I had recommended in an article before. I forgot which delicacy I recommended. I wanted to have a bowl of steamed pork rice, but it was not served before the meal was served. I picked a few snacks at random.

Maybe it's closer to Hong Kong style. As a Cantonese, I have no interest in this restaurant's chee cheong fun or baked buns. Pad your belly and head to the distant night zoo.

Night Safari Night Safari

The Night Zoo and Singapore Zoo are both in the north, slightly far away from the activity area. If you go northwest from the southeast area, you have to take the subway and then transfer to the bus. At this time, I want to think of every difficult hike in Hong Kong.

Take the subway to Ang Mo Kio and you will see a shopping mall. A merchant held an event and gave me a flightless frog balloon. Unfortunately, you cannot bring them into the zoo and leave them at the service desk. I forgot to take it again when I left.

As the name suggests, the Night Safari is only open at night. Opening hours are usually 6pm-7pm. Please refer to the seasonal schedule or park announcement for details.

But can I enter the venue once I buy a ticket? No.

Night safari is divided into three times. If you miss this time, you have to wait for the next one.

It was a little late, so I had to wait in line for the second show.

The ticket plus the tram around the park is SGD 28.

I stood there for about 40 minutes or an hour, it was very hot, and I kept fanning myself and playing games. Finally, I was able to queue up to enter the venue, and I was dumbfounded when I saw the large queue of tour buses. So I first asked the staff what time the last bus was, walked around the garden first, and finally took the tram.

In fact, it proved that this decision was right. Not only did we finish visiting the garden, but we also successfully avoided the crowds and took the tram around the park. I can't watch the animal show because of time constraints, and I don't really want to watch animals perform for humans anyway.

After leaving the zoo, we successfully caught the transfer bus back to the city, and then took a taxi back to the hotel. Everything was just right.

You are not allowed to turn on flashlights or flash lights in the zoo. All cats are like your little masters.

The animal species are not very special, but there are some such as dream-eating tapirs, deer men, and sickle weasels. Black question mark.JPG

The play time is about 2 hours, which is actually enough. Although there are street lights in the garden at night, they are too dark. I can’t take pictures, the main thing is to experience it.

I was very excited before going, but after the trip I wasn’t too surprised. The animals are still isolated as they should be, except for some like kangaroos that can be fed. There are complete road signs and staff on the road, but if you don’t have a good sense of direction, it is recommended to follow the crowd. The possibility of wandering around in the garden cannot be ruled out.