We got off our ship the Diamond Princess at 8:45AM at the port of Singapore. This is our disembarkation port for our cruise. We decided to try and take mass transit from the port to our hotel in the center of Singapore. It was quite easy. The subway was well marked and after we figured out how the tickets worked we were on our way. We only had to switch trains once to get to our destination and for $2.70 each, we made it from the port to our hotel. After we checked into our hotel our first stop was at the Hop On Hop Off Bus ticket window to purchase our 24 hour tickets to see the sights of Singapore. During our first bus ride we learned that Singapore handles 30% of the world’s cargo containers each year.
This is only a few of the hundreds of cranes and containers that you see all over the docks. Our ship was docked at one of the container ports and when we left on the bus all you could see was containers for miles and miles.
We also learned that in 1819 Sir Stamford Raffles claimed Singapore to be added to the British empire. Hence there are many things in Singapore named after him including the Raffles Hotel (where the Singapore Sling cocktail was created).
This is the oldest hotel in Singapore and one of the few hotels with only a few floors. Compare this to the new Marina Sands hotel and casino which opened in 2010 at a cost of 5.76 Billion - yes Billion - dollars to build.
As you can see it’s a wee bit bigger than the Raffles hotel! Cindy and I think the top floor looks like a ship or a sea serpent.
The above hotel was built in the 1920’s and the first hotel in Singapore to have lifts (elevators). The building now houses government offices. As you can see it is quite colorful. It would fit in well with some of the Caribbean Islands’ hotels.
We took a walking tour of the new Marina area of Singapore. This area has all been reclaimed from the sea by using sand brought in from other countries
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This is an example of some of the things that have been built on the reclaimed land near the Marina. The things on the right are to symbolize trees. Eventually they will be covered in real vines and they will look like trees. The largest one in the middle is going to have a restaurant at the top.
The second day in Singapore we still had time left on our Hop On Hop Off bus ticket. We took the bus to the Little India section of Singapore and took a walking tour of Little India.
As you can see above they have their own shopping centers and street names. Singapore is made up of 75% Chinese, 13% Malaysians, 10% Indian and 2% all other. They also have a Chinese section and a Malaysian section but we did not have time to take those walking tours. In Little India they have several Hindu temples and we stopped at one on our tour.
On the way to the temple all the shops around sell items that can be presented to the Hindu gods as offerings.
The first and third photos are flowers and fruits and the second photo is a bottle of cow urine that is sprinkled on each other like holy water (I guess in India they get pissed on and not pissed off).
After our tour we got back on the bus and went to the Singapore Botanic Garden. Admission into the garden is free but if you want to tour the Orchid Garden you have to pay $5 for adults and $1 for old people like me!
Looks like a little smiley face in the middle and little people in the middle of these.
Reminds me of my garden back home.
For dinner we went to a Hawkers Center (food court) where the locals have their meals. Each little stall has their own specialty. We got some suggestions of things to try from one of the employees at our hotel.
Above:Popiah Sayur Satay (beef, chicken & mutton) Braised duck kway teow
All three dishes were very tasty and filling. Total cost $16.60 in Singapore dollars about $13.80 U.S. Not bad for dinner for two.
As we sit here watching the sun set over Singapore, we’re remembering what a great trip we had, fantastic people we’ve met and places we’ve been able to check off our bucket lists. We look forward to our long journey home and the reunion with our family and friends.
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