Singapore Day 2, a Hike Around the City, the Heart Explored and Night Found

Day 2 in Singapore I decided I would do a self-guided walking tour. When you look at this city on a map, it can deceive you on close it seems, and I was absolutely fooled. I thought the hotspots of this city were much closer to each other than they actually were. Convinced they were for sure walkable, but I should have done some basic math to calculate that would not be good for my health to walk that far in that hot of weather. (my route to the right, was about 90 degrees outside and sunny) But that was later in the day, let me tell you about my morning. 

One perk I forgot about this hostel is that there was free breakfast. They had two options, cereal or toast. Good thing for me, toast is my favorite breakfast food and they not only had peanut butter but some margarine too! I opted for three pieces of pb toast as I wanted it to take me late into the day. I couldn't find the bread at first and a hostel mate helped me out, and we chatted a bit but that was the extent of that interaction. Sadly, I had a pretty quiet hostel in the fact that no one was super open to making friends and seeing the city together, so this stop was truly solo. But, because I was alone, that meant I could easily go to a vegan cafe. I had planned this as my first stop mainly for its location near the starting point of my walking tour, and I kept it in my agenda just in case I wanted to order something more than coffee. But the coffee and pb toast was filling enough, I thought if anything I would just come back here for a meal another time. 

A sweet time getting some coffee and getting ready for my day. Proud moment for me, I decided that it was time I figured out the public transport. It always makes me a bit nervous the first time I have to use it in a new city because each one has their unique process and it's never any fun to make a mistake in that manner. After a quick chat with a worker, I found out that I simply just had to tap my phone/apple pay and I was good to use it as much as I wanted, getting one charge at the end of the day based on usage and distance. I had no idea how much a ride was but I did know it would be cheaper than taking a taxi everywhere so I just used it whenever needed with complete disregard of the price. I took it to my coffee stop which was near the downtown area, cool to enter the heart of this metropolis. 

My taxi driver from the day before told me if I couldn’t find any souvenirs in the Arab square to save my hunt for china town which is exactly what I did. I found a lovely new ring to add to my travel jewelry collection. I was texting my friend that studied abroad in Singapore for some recs and he let me in on a coconut shake, a blended drink completely made of different coconut based ingredients. I passed a stand and couldn’t resist. My first sip I was greatly impressed and immediately thanked my friend for such an awesome rec. It was a creamy slushie with a natural sweetness from the coconut and the occasional crunch of unblended meat, but it was the perfect balance of added texture to this soft served drink. After circling Chinatown multiple times, I decided to head to my next destination which was down the main stretch of town and toward the river walk. There were two places I specifically wanted to see, Clarke Quay and Boat Quay, these cute areas along the rivers with the sweetest architecture and tons of shops and restaurants. I loved the views at boat quay and I was getting pretty hungry from all of my walking. It doesn’t sound like much so far, but I indeed have been on my feet constantly moving for almost two hours at this point so I surely burned off the toast and needed to refuel. 

So, I was roped in by an Indian restaurant at Boat Quay, and upon request I got a table right by the water so I could have the best view while enjoying my chana masala. Little did I know how that would come to bite me. We all remember that I do not bode well with animals, simply put, I had another unwanted interaction with one. While enjoying my indian food, out of the blue comes flying in from behind me a large, ugly, black crow. Getting so close to me I questioned if he got my food, and when he perched on this ledge right in front of me with some red sauce on his beak, I was not only feeling scared of this birds confidence over mine, but grossed out over the fact my dish was now ruined. Thankfully, a worker saw that I was being stared down by this bird, more freight in my eyes than in the creatures, until the worker ran toward it with a broom to shoo it away. I am grateful the worker offered to remake the curry after I told him I suspected the bird took a bite given the residual of my meal on his beak. I was nervous this bird was going to come back, as I was defenseless, convinced this bird had the guts to bite me and I cower in the face of a fearful animal, so with an elevated heart rate, I can say my enjoyment of the view was interrupted by my terror. 

While I waited for the new chana masala to come back, the bird swung in again for another attack. This time I pushed my plate away from me not wanting it to get close to me and at this point I was ready to just move tables or get up and leave I was in that unpleasant of a state. Once it happened for the second time, I moved tables, got new food, and one of the staff even posted up next to the area the bird was coming for to make sure to scare it away before it could scare me. I even told the staff I was afraid of animals and being a solo girl just trying to travel they must of took such pity on me to go to the measure of standing guard for me.

Thankfully, I finished the meal, and left sad that the bird tainted what was supposed to be my peaceful time next to the water with an amazing view. But there was more to see so I continued on. I was aiming now for the Merlion Park (photos above and below). It was said to be just down the river, and it wasn’t too far of a walk. I got to pass by this huge finance office, seeing all of the workers out on a lunch break in their snazzy suits and with a coffee or smoke in hand. It made me miss the work grind a bit, I know I will get it for the rest of my life and I should greatly enjoy my time to just travel, but I am proud to say I love what I do and my profession interests me so much, and I do look forward to one day starting it and having a life where I can head to my downtown office in my nice work clothes and chat with my new work friends. I also passed by a lovely hotel, again, wishing I was here with a wealthy wallet and not the broke backpacker budget. 

Finally, I got to Merlion Park, and I was so impressed with this little corner park in the city. When I say park, it’s not like what you're thinking with some green grass and flowers, but instead an open area with food stands and a cemented path that reaches out over the river to walk out and take in the panoramic view of the city. And the chef's kiss was the lion fountain that had water shooting out of its month. If you were standing next to the lion, in front of you is the grandiose Marina Bay Sands Hotel, the famous three buildings with a boat shaped structure placed on top, making it appear as an M which I thought was quite coincidental with its name. Then to your left, you have the durian shaped theater, esplanade, and two big bridges that cross over the river. And all behind you is the skyline of the city, skyscrapers filling up the expansive blue sky.

This was a moment where I didn’t want to come, take my photos, and leave. What I was seeing was the city I dreamed to visit now within in a single frame. I think, if I wanted to come to Singapore to see the city, this would be the place to do it, and I should give it its fair share of attention and appreciation. No phone, no photos, and no distractions except for making a memory and realizing exactly where I am right now. In Singapore, looking at THE Marina Bay Sands, and surrounded by one of the coolest, most modern and sophisticated societies. I came here for a reason, and what I was looking at was just that. So, I rested my arms on the railing and looked out at the river for about 15 minutes, then turned around and leaned my back to glance up at the skyscrapers. Noticing all the companies taking ownership of each incredible building. To then adore the flowers that lined the bridges that take you to the coolest looking theater. I was proud of myself for being as present as possible in the moment. I think it’s so easy for us to just pass by the sights, but I don’t think we recognize that we travel so far to see and take in the experience of being in-person next to it, and we don't take the time to appreciate we are doing just that. It deserved more than a photo, it deserved admiration and more time than a quick moment's glance and seeing it only through a phone screen. 

That was my time there, I treasure my presence there as I will remember it as a moment in which I gave Singapore my signature approval. I then wanted to get a closer look at the theater, crossing the river and being right out front of it. I read that they sometimes have free performances for local artists to showcase their talent, most happen at night but I hopelessly dreamt I would stumble across a performance to add to the experience this city kept providing me. From here, and just up the road (that's how it appeared on maps) was Orchard Street, a newer area with great shops. So I journeyed that direction. The walk ended up being almost an hour away, and I am embarrassed to say that I made it just to the outer edge until I was absolutely drained.

I stopped in a mall and got an acai bowl because I felt so depleted, and even that didn’t help enough to encourage me to continue on. I instead found a train back to my hostel as the only thing to heal this fatigue is a bed. I took about two hours to bounce back before forcing myself back out to the town because I had some light shows to see. 

I went back to the Gardens by the Bay to see the light show at the SuperTree Grove. I took the metro there, amazing that I figured it out because I now feel invincible and as though I can transport myself anywhere I please. I went exactly where the older man directed me to, it was a great aerial view and I enjoyed the 15 minute light show. Right after, there was another exhibit that mimicked the northern lights, but it wasn’t that great from my birdseye view and I wanted to see how it appear underneath, so I raced to the base of the trees. Once I got down there, I knew this was the only place you could properly enjoy this exhibit. It really did look like the most amazing northern lights. Again, I just wanted to take it in as it was so cool. I knew I wanted to see the water show at the Marina Bay Sands hotel, but that wasn’t for another hour so I had plenty of time to be present. I was getting tired of standing as my legs were dead from the 5 mile (if not more) hike around the city. I saw a kind girl who had some space on both sides of her so I asked if I could sit down and she moved over for me. She looked like she was alone, and the whole time I was sitting there in silence I just knew I needed to say something. After 5 minutes of contemplating opening my mouth, I just did it and asked her where she was from, my favorite opening question. 

I got talking with this girl from Germany, solo traveling SE Asia but four younger than me, traveling over her gap year between high school and college. I was impressed by her courage to go on this trip so young, I feel like I struggle sometimes with my courage on my trip, and I have grown so much in the last four years in this specific way. I was so happy when she accepted my invitation to check out the water show and we walked over there together. After another 15 minute spectacle, she again took up my offer to grab dinner at a hawker. Hopping on the metro to get in the vicinity of one I got a rec for, Maxwell Hawker. It was pretty late by the time we actually sat down to eat, well past 10pm. It was so late almost all of the stalls at this food court were closed and the options were so limited. I was so nervous about finding a vegan option, but the minute my eyes landed on mapo tofu, I ordered it up. While it was being cheffed up, I had some sugarcane juice to tie me over and hydrate me. 

This city has free water but at times it can be hard to find a fountain. I wasn’t very diligent in filling up my water bottle and drinking throughout the day and I felt a migraine coming on so I had to take some recovery measures. It was all self-inflicted and a lack of water drinking discipline. So, the juice helped, the food as well, and the shower and medication when I got back. Because it was so late by the time we finished dinner, we parted ways to get some sleep and recover from the long day, so I said goodbye to my new friend I proudly made by simply speaking, and doing so at a time I knew I needed to find a friend to enjoy this city with.