Singapore felt like a mix of Bangkok and Chicago. It had that Asia energy, but felt very western at the same time. Everything was extremely clean, and with English being the main language it made it feel like home. It was strange! After living in Thailand for 4 months, visiting a country that spoke English felt like a big hug.

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First Impressions

The biggest thing I noticed right away was how clean everything was.
It felt organized, modern, and easy to navigate. Something that was rare to find in the places I had been to before in Asia. The streets were quiet, not a lot of people out and about. 

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What Stood Out

One of my favorite moments was being at a rooftop bar at night, looking out over the city. It felt really surreal. I had a Singapore Slinger, a classic Singapore cocktail, on top of the Marina Sands Bay. It was one of those moments where everything just felt calm and fun at the same time.

We went to Gardens by the Bay, which was pretty. Walking around during the day and then seeing everything lit up at night felt completely different but equally magical. Sometimes I wonder what makes a place a famous tourist spot? This spot consists of different domes to explore. One a flower dome, another cloud forest dome, and then the main attraction the Supertree grove. The Supertree grove are structures covered in lights that look like trees, every night there is a light show to music. All cool to see but so strange how much of a phenomenon it is. 

One thing that stood out to me was how even though it was a big city, nature still flourished. Which is what the Gardens by the Bay was promoting. The idea that nature does not have to be sacrificed, even in a big city. 

And of course, the waterfall inside the airport was insane. It didn’t even feel real—it looked like something out of a movie (because it is in multiple movies!). Iconic.

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The Trip Overall

The trip went really smoothly. We weren’t there for super long, but that almost made it better—no stress, just enjoying everything. It felt like a nice break from everything going on at home.

Having English spoken everywhere made a big difference. It made everything feel more relaxed and easier to connect with what was around us.

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Food + Spots

• Ayasofya Turkish Restaurant — such a good vibe, the baklava was warm and so good
• Arab Street — so many restaurants, we got hummus and pita and it was amazing
• Maxwell Hawker Center — I got chicken rice (what Singapore is known for), so good
• Boba — had to, and it did not disappoint
• Airport pizza — surprisingly really good

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Things To Do

• Marina Bay Sands — go to the top for the view
• Gardens by the Bay — especially the light show at night
• Cloud Dome + Flower Dome — felt like a fairytale, so pretty
• Walk around Arab Street — tons of shops and places to explore
• Haji Lane — small shops, really cute stuff

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Little Moments

A moment that stuck with me was visiting the Chinese temple. As we walked in, put on our covering wraps and took off our shoes, there were about 70 people chanting their prayer. This was moving, one of those moments that you feel a little awkward walking around them and watching them. Of course I never want to be disrespectful but everyone there wanted us there, they wanted us to experience this. People told us to sit and watch, participate in the way we could. The volume of which they were chanting was powerful.  

They were all reading the scriptures and I noticed how the writing was of course in Mandarin, and written vertical. This was a really cool moment for me to see because I remembered learning all about this in history class in high school. I love having these moments because it is a “wow I did it, I made it, the world is so amazing, I am so grateful”, moment.  

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