Three Wonderful Days in Singapore

After a couple of weeks of cold temperatures in Japan and Shanghai, it was a pleasure to land in Singapore on Tuesday night and immediately feel the warmth of 80-degree weather. Winter clothes were finally packed away for the remainder of our travels (or at least until we land in the US).

We started Wednesday morning with a relaxed breakfast at the hotel before heading out to explore the city. Taking the Metro to the City Hall area, one of our first stops was the Parliament Museum, which provided helpful context on the formation of modern Singapore.

In the afternoon, we joined our first walking tour, an exploration of Kampong Glam, the historic Muslim quarter. The tour offered fascinating insights into Singapore’s history, including the fact that roughly 80% of residents live in government-subsidized housing since the early 1970s.

We spent Thursday morning at the Gardens by the Bay. We visited the Cloud Forest, which currently features a Jurassic Park theme, and the Flower Dome, the world’s largest glass greenhouses, showcasing plants from around the globe. The highlight was the beautiful Chinese New Year display. Since we were nearby, we stopped by Marina Bay Sands.

Thursday afternoon was our second walking tour, this time through Little India, where we learned more about the cultural diversity that defines Singapore.

Friday morning’s walking tour took us through the financial district, where we heard more about Singapore’s remarkable transformation from a third-world country to a first-world economy in just one generation. Before heading back to our hotel we went to the iconic Raffles Hotel, although we passed on the $42 Singapore Sling.

Our second tour of the day explored Chinatown. Our guide shared personal stories of growing up in shophouses, two- or three-story buildings that combined residential and commercial spaces. Due to extreme overcrowding, these buildings were often subdivided into small, dark, poorly ventilated cubicles with 40 people from 4-6 families. He recalled the day his family received a government-subsidized apartment was the happiest of his life, as they no longer had to share a filthy kitchen and bathroom. We enjoyed a lovely dumpling meal at the Chinatown hawkers food stall.

With Chinese New Year beginning on February 17, the Chinatown market stalls were alive with preparations, decorated with lanterns and festive displays.

Our final stop of the evening was the Newton Food Centre, an open-air hawker center just an eight-minute walk from our hotel and made famous in “Crazy Rich Asians”.

Over our three days in Singapore, we averaged 17,500 steps per day, 20 miles total. The city is truly remarkable: incredibly clean, safe, diverse (with four official languages), and vibrant. That this transformation occurred within a single generation is nothing short of astonishing.

Today is a travel day, so we’re taking it easy. Jane enjoyed the gym, sauna, and steam room, while I wandered around Orchard Road, taking in the upscale shopping district. We’re en route for a short stop in Bangkok then heading to the southern Thai islands.