I know I am incredibly behind with blogging about my trip, everything is just so exciting!
To start off, I am having the best time of my life. My hair is blonder, my skin has a nice tan and my bank account is on a diet.
SINGAPORE:
To be honest, I did not expect much of Singapore, because my friend's opinions on the city are quite diverse. I can only speak for myself, but I really liked it. If you belong to the wealthy half of Singapore, you can have an incredibly good time.
The City: Singapore developed incredibly fast and you can see that it was designed strategically. Everything works. Public transfer is incredible, the taxi prices are fix and affordable and the streets are clean. Buildings are mostly modern, some talented architects and designers have done their best.
Sightseeing: The city is wealthy, but also cultural diverse. Must Do's are Marina Bay, the Gardens by the Bay, Little India and Chinatown. I also enjoyed a walk through the Botanical Gardens. If you haven't realised that you left Europe while you are in the city, you will definitely see the difference in terms of plants and nature.
Food: There are tons of amazing cafes and restaurants all over the city. If you are looking for a local experience, I would recommend to pay a visit to one of many food courts. You have all kinds of food combined on one place and can have small bites as you like. In case you want to have a nice dinner out, there are a couple on Dempsey Hill. I went to PS Cafe, a cute place with healthy meals and a great selection of Gins. Potato Head Folk has great burgers, try to get a seat at the rooftop terrace. If you are a desert person like me, star chef Janice Wong opened a 2am:dessertbar where you might enjoy one of the best sweet bites you have ever had.
Cafes: My favourite Coffeeshop in Singapore was Common Man Coffee Roasters. Coffee lovers are having a hard time chosing between all kinds of slow brewed speciality drinks. Although slightly overpriced, I could also recommend a place called Curious Palette. They make delicious buttermilk Waffles with fruit and Greek Yoghurt.
Shopping: I haven't done much shopping because I needed to save money and space in my backpack, but if you want to blow money, you surely can. Orchard Road has the size of a Manhattan Avenue and I have seen a store of almost every brand I know. If you are more a boutique kind of person (I am) Haji Lane is your street! Here, you might even forget you are inbetween a skyscraper city.
OVERALL
What I liked most: I have been to many places on our beautiful earth, but I have never felt as safe as I felt in Singapore. It might be due to the unbelievable penalties (blow with a stick, death penalty, shortcut to years in yale), but if you are willing to behave, you will enjoy it.
What I did not like: The advantages of a strategically designed city kills the vibes of a developed city. It might be love at first sight for some people, but I prefer, grown, old, unperfect cities with a unique character.
I would go here again, but not in the near future! My next post is going to be about Bali, stay tuned :)
Love,
Johanna
