The beauty about flying to Asia from Darwin is that it is so close! In less than the time it takes to fly from Brisbane to Perth or from Vancouver to Toronto we were in Singapore.
Clean & safe City/Island State.
English is the 'Lingua Franca', i.e.: the working language used in formal settings such as government, courts, schools and business, but Chinese, Malay & Tamil are also official languages as they represent the major ethnic groups present in Singapore.
As soon as we arrived in Singapore it was striking how clean and modern this city is. Even in the airport there is a giant glass dome containing a multi-level ceiling to floor waterfall and jungle biosphere. They call it 'The Jewel'.
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| The 'Singapore Experience' of modern art starts as soon as you arrive at the airport! |
Tall glassy skyscrapers, fantastic old and modern architecture, sculptures, parks & gardens, are everywhere. If you like walking, as we do, you can walk from the city centre / marina to any of the major ethnic districts, i.e.: Chinatown, Little India & Kampong Glam. If you get a little leg weary you can always jump onto the super efficient and affordable subway system.
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| Panorama of Singapore Marina. L-R Marina Bay Sands Hotel, Financial District Skyscrapers, & Merlion - the symbol of Singapore |
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| Lotus Flower and Marina Bay Sands Hotel on Singapore Marina |
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| Heather in front of Singapore's Merlion fountain |
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| Gardens by the Bay is a huge botanic gardens complex that should be visited twice - once in the day and then again at night after a free light & sound show at the Marina |
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| A free nightly light, sound and water show at the Marina is a must see before going to see Gardens by the Bay lit up at night |
Nestled at the base of the Financial district is Singapore's Chinatown district. This is a bustling part of the city that is loaded with Chinese food markets (and all of the sounds and smells that go with them), temples and hundreds of eateries.
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| Chinatown really comes to life as the sun goes down and the lights come on! |
Little India is another district of Singapore that can be reached on foot or via subway. So much colour, so much noise and so many stalls selling food and garments - be careful or you could end up being fitted for a suit or dress - that didn't happen but it easily could have!
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| Lots of colour and elephants can be found in Little India! |
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| Don't stop to look for too long or the very eager (aggressive?) stall attendants will have a tape measure on you before you know it! |
As well as there being plenty to see, there are enough food and dining options to ensure you would never eat at the same place twice even if you dined out everyday for a year!
As it turned out, we happened to be in Singapore on Heather’s birthday. To celebrate we had a lovely evening and meal at one of the many restaurants that line the Singapore River in the midst of the financial district.
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| Unexpected location for Heather's birthday but our spur of the moment trip to Singapore made it a memorable one! |
If shopping is what turns your crank while on holiday then the Orchard Road shopping precinct is the place for you. There is something for everyone!
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| We had a great time in Singapore! |
WTF? - Where are The Farrows? had a great time during our ‘whirlwind’ visit to Singapore where we walked our feet to within a hair of blistering! Luckily, the good folks that run Singapore airport know that this is a common occurrence amongst visitors to their city. To help out in this space there are numerous FREE massage chairs positioned throughout the airport where you can get some relief for your aching feet and legs prior to boarding your flight home!
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| We both took advantage of the free leg and foot massage chairs that can be found throughout the departure gates at the airport |
They seem to have thought of it all from start to finish.
In the next episode of WTF? - Where are The Farrows? we commence our journey south towards Adelaide. First stop is Kakadu National Park.
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