Around the town
Singapore is a fabulous city to get around in. Almost everything is in walking distance and if it isn’t the MRT is, and it will take you exactly where you want to go. On our first night in town we wandered down past the Raffles hotel to the Merlion. Once upon a time this was Singapore’s big attraction. I remember getting some trinket souvenir from a friend (or maybe her dad) with the Merlion on it. On the evening we visited it was fabulously warm and the streets were busy with others strolling around. From the Merlion you get a fantastic view of the Marina Bay Sands complex, an impressive structure alongside the Flyer and the stunning art and science museum building in the shape of a lotus flower. Of course if you look to your right the business district skyline towers above you, each building declaring an affiliation to a multinational company.
On our second day we headed back out into the city and hit the shops and little India. One day I want to go to (big) India and I hope it looks and smells like it does here. The Piper was a bit intimidated by the sheer number of people but he soon got the hang of it and wandered around comfortably. There’s lots to see including colourful garlands, fresh fruit and veggies and interesting people. And if you like the idea of little India then you’ll love China Town. We headed here on our second day, still in search of an illusive fidget spinner. What a great place to wander around. We saw lots of fidget spinners, too many to choose from, many tacky SG souvenirs and some interesting traditional medicine. A feast for the senses.SG Flyer
I have been on the London Eye so I wanted to have a go at this ferris wheel as well. That’s no mean feat for me because I am scared of heights. I get the sensation that I may just decide to fall off. Or jump off. Irrationally. But I took a big gulp and paid the dollars and on we went. The site is geared to cope with crowds but unfortunately for the operators on that day it was quiet. We had a capsule to ourselves and the capsules before and after us were empty. Perhaps that’s because it was an overcast and showery day, but then that’s the case on many days in SG. We got lucky while we were in the air, with helicopters buzzing all around us as they practiced for the impending event in the bay. At one stage we were higher than the helicopters as they hovered in the air, before looping around and having another practice. The capsule also gets to the same level as the Marina Bay Sands building so you get a great view of the ship-like structure that straddles the buildings. In fact you get great views all round and if you look hard enough, you can spot the Merlion all the way down there.
All our jaunts around the city, for sightseeing, theme parks and food were possible thanks to the MRT. It’s a mass rapid transit system but for at least a day the Piper thought we said a “massive rabbit tunnel”. I kid you not. He was incredulous and we couldn’t work our why. He kept checking with us that we were sure that’s what MRT stood for. Of course we thought he heard it correctly so we kept assuring him it was. Finally we realised he heard something different to what we said and we all had a great laugh.
Anyway, it’s easy to use, you simply buy a pass, cash it up and away you go. Grab one of the folding maps, follow the colour coding and off you go. We went everywhere this way (and added a bus ride to the night zoo) without missing a beat. Even in peak times the MRT runs like clock work. And all without a driver!!! The Piper loved standing at the very front of the train and looking out the huge window into the tunnel as we raced through it. With no doors between carriages he also went for a very very very long walk down the deserted train on our way home from the zoo. The train winds around the bends to the point where you can’t see to the end. Amazing and a great rabbit mover 😉
The Solo Avocado 