Had we ever thought that there will once come a time when travelling will be virtually “banned” for everyone? Or of an era when before getting to see our favorite waterfalls, monuments or gardens, we might end up in a hospital? Well, that’s the kind of horrors the pandemic is making us live through! Just that this is a fact or maybe because of it, I couldn’t find a better time to write about a destination that had long been on my check-off list, and fortunately managed to cover before being shoved away till the foreseeable future!
At the bird’s eye of 10,000 feet, it seemed like we were about to land up on the greener side of New York City, but as we started to descend and dotted the runway, a beach-full of translucent sand was what it looked like (that’s how much spotless the ramp is)! Having cleared all formalities and collected our baggage, we made our way straight to the hotel which was a good 27 kms from the airport! How much time as an Indian, living in a city with the worse of kind traffic woes, do you think I had presumed it might take? 2 hours perhaps? Might be 3 too? But, to our greatest astonishment (rather delight), we were at our destination in 21 mins! That too on a Thursday afternoon! So unprecedented! Yes, that’s how my mind got into a sybaritic awe of the city. The evening however, had more in store for us!
DAY 1
It was time for the first spot on our itinerary - the statue of Sir Stamford Raffles! There was a childlike ecstasy in me to see the sculpture of the founder of this ravenously sustainable city, and that was also partly because I had considered him to be a modern thinker who let the town flourish despite certain colonial aspects.
The statue was of course a fascinating one, made out of white marble, but, what caught my fancy was the vibe of the bay area. The beautifully lit up buildings and the penchant coolness of the breeze, at once put me at ease. How I wished I could hold onto this moment forever…but it was time to head to our second stop of the day – The Arts House at the Old Parliament. The most magnolious yet vintage architecture of Singapore! The best part of this visit? Getting to witness a display of opulent paintings for a second time in my life (first one being at The Raja Ravi Verma Art Gallery in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala). If you are an incandescent lover of things concerning fine craft, you should definitely not give this one a miss!
DAY 2
The next morning bought in sporadic showers, but that could certainly not dampen our spirits! We started the day with a visit to the Church of Saints Peter & Paul. Quaint, serene and rustic, this 150 year old architecture made for a worthwhile visit. The bouts of natural light streaming through the beautifully grotesque apertures, made the chancel look divine.
Next, we headed to the eclectic Google Office at The Mapletree Business City. Green, airy and certainly an edge above ordinary corporate buildings, this one was indeed like an all in one experience! And the food options! Though, currently meant for only Google employees, the spread right from breakfast to even supper is something to crave for! No wonder why they rank among the top organizations when it comes to workers’ welfare!
Well, a foodie like me was bound to be hungry after knowing about all this, so we headed back to our hotel, for lunch at New Ubin Zhongshan Park, our hotel’s most popular restaurant! We started off with the traditional chicken satay and luncheon meat fries coupled with some rejuvenating ginger ale. The satay was perhaps the most succulent one that I’ve ever had (though not a fan of the peanut sauce much) and the sambal mayo with the meat fries was literally something to die for! Next we tries the New Ubin-style fried Mee Sua and the classic Chili Crab sauce, and oh boy! It was absolutely incredible! Last and perhaps the most satiating, Chocolate Alexandra proved to be the ‘icing on the cake’. A final trip to the Suntec City Shopping Centre was what we needed after such a fulfilling day! Numerous stores – from haute to pocket friendly ones lined the complex. However, the main attraction was the beautiful flower arrangement right at the center of the mall that was eye-popping yet understated. And that’s how, day 2 (and the penultimate one too) came to a close!
DAY 3
It was our ultimate day in that beautiful city. We were certainly gloomy, but the most exciting part of the trip was yet to be covered. The rain gods too shewed us some mercy, and thereby a pale sunshine smiled through the grim clouds. We once again headed to Suntec City, but this time for something exclusive! The Fountain of Wealth. A giant bronze ring surrounded the main shower, and there were tiny round showers all over the place which was turned off at the moment for us to take a quick three-round tour of the base, praying for prosperity. Once the showers were turned on, it was a sight to behold! I wanted to get wet, but had to restrain myself since I was no longer that little. Nevertheless, we enjoyed by clicking some pictures and sipping onto some fresh pineapple juice that we were handed during the tour. Next, we head to the much-awaited Singapore Botanic Garden.
Well, I did not know that a hazy day too could make a place look enchanting! There is a small hut kind of to sit and enjoy the garden view which was perhaps the thing that caught my whim. Maybe this was where I was meant to be… amidst nature, without any forbearance.
The golden hour by the Oak tree was also a breathtaking watch, and a reminder that it was time for the lights and sounds show at Gardens by The Bay!
There we were – just in time for the show to begin! What we witnessed that evening indeed cannot be expressed in words, but can be cherished for a lifetime indeed!
DAY 4
Time to kiss the town an au revoir was near, and before that, heading to the Mint Museum of Toys, felt mandatory! After all, I was not really sure as to when I could get back my time with Tin-Tin!
Heading to the airport felt like a heartbreak. In the 72 hours I spent here, the city had managed to twine me in an emotional bondage with itself. A quick sneak and perhaps last glimpse at the ravishing Sunflower terrace at Changi was definitely a thing I longed for. A rush. A glance. A Touch. A dance.
Enough to cherish some everlasting memories!