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Singapore is not boring

I have a problem with clean,perfectly ordered, civilized, “boring” countries: I LOVE THEM. This was my second time to visit Singapore, and I liked it even more. It would totally live there… although I would live pretty much in any country just for the experience… but you get my point…

They even have a cute sense of humor!

I stayed at the Quincy hotel, a new concept of all inclusive stylish boutique hotel, with an outstanding service and minutes away from the shopping mecca of Orchard road, not even Paris has that many Louis Vuitton stores so close to each other. And that would be an accurate quick description of Singapore… a city-sized mall. But don’t worry, you don’t have to sell a kidney to be able to afford shopping in Singapore, there is a wide range of options. Bugis Village is  a massive market like complex with really nice thing at happier prices.

However, the more time you spend in Singapore the more you realize there is more…  so much more.

Culture/History nerd type of person? Three clashing Asian cultures reside at the heart of the place, coated by the unavoidable influence of western civilization. Start with a stroll in little India. Sense the sounds, the smells, the colors. Don’t miss the Mustafa center, a astonishingly big shopping complex… not a mall, it is one store, with everything you can think of, but it may take a while for you to find it… I feel so sorry for the people who have to keep the inventory of that place. Eat at the well known Banana Leaf restaurant… all food is served on banana leaf “plates”/ mats, hence the name. Their specialty is fish head soup.... I think the curries are just as good.

Now enter the Arab Quarter. Notice the change. Visit the mosque. It is smaller than little India, so it will be a quick stroll.

Move on to China town for souvenirs and gifts.

For a trendier option visit the art galleries at the Gillman barracks (sorry, no pictures!)

More of a nature loving person? This is still the place. The botanical gardens are a most, with one of the most varied orchid gardens. The futuristic looking Gardens at the bay at the other end of the city are another option.

Looking for a more relaxing, beach kind of holiday? Yep, right here again. Connected to Singapore by a bridge, Sentosa island has nice beaches and excellent excursions to do some kayaking or explore other neighboring islands.

The weather in Singapore is usually hot and humid. Refresh along the way with a fresh fruit juice or a Taiwanese bubble tea. Have dinner at the river side and try the Singaporean speciality: Chilli crab. If you are going on your own, like me, prepare to be eating for a while, 1-1.5kg of crab is a big meal.

Sunset is the time to go up to the observation deck at the Marina Bay Hotel. Of course, stop on your way there to see the symbol of the city: The merlion… I still don’t get it… why?

Just don’t get overexcited about the Marina Bay, you will not be able to sit next to the impressive infinity pool, that is just for hotel guests… you can see a little bit of it from one of the corners of the observation deck, but believe me, it will only make you jealous. Make sure is a sunny day (mine wasn’t), or your pictures won’t impress anyone back at home (mine didn’t).

A trip to Singapore is not finished until you set a foot on the iconic Raffles hotel. The film Casablanca was filmed here, and it still conserves the posh colonial feel from the past. You can sit in the bar for a traditional taste of the tiny peanuts watered down with a Singapore Sling.

The only thing is that the bar is kind of outside the main building of the hotel, so you don’t really get to see much, and you cannot go in unless you are staying there. But you can do, what I did. Book a table at the restaurant (I had a lovely high tea) and then peep inside the hotel; it is like looking into the past.   Note that there is a dress code.

There is a last chance for you to do some shopping at the airport. Again, proper mall with planes. It is considered to be one of the best in the world, and I have to say it is truly efficient one. I bet they do it on purpose, so you have extra time to shop… again.

A day in Brunei

The island of Borneo is divided between three countries: Malaysia in the north, Indonesia in the south, and the tiny sultanate of Brunei nestled in the jungle, on the Malay part of the island. The Sultan has exclusive authority and control over the government’s assets. It is an oil rich nation and is considered a developed country, although you and I may disagree. It is also an Islamic country, and a very proud one, so do consider this when packing. I had absolutely no issues as a woman travelling along, I found people to be quite friendly and respectful

Darusalam, the capital city, is easy to see by foot. I Stayed at the Radisson blu, and highly recommend it. It has a lovely pool to relax and the service was faultless. Sure enough, there are some other options… not that many though.

Start at Regalia museum, pretty much a posh depot for the sultan to store his treasures and show them to the world. The main attraction is the, in which the current sultan was carried around the city when he was crowned. There are also gifts from other countries, and a wide range of pictures of the sultan in a variety of settings. I apologize for only being able to provide a picture of the outside of the museum, but cameras are not allowed into the museum, not even cell phones.

As mentioned before, Brunei is an Islamic state, and a very religious one. There are two main mosques: The new mosque and the old mosque 

New mosque

both mosques from the river 

Google Brunei and chances are that what are seeing is the old mosque with its sumptuous golden minarets. It is located in the heart of the city. You can visit in within certain times, it is not very big, but certainly beautiful.

Keep walking towards the sea side you will immediately have tenths of  water taxis offers to give you a tour to the water houses. The water houses are at the top of Brunei’s tourist attractions, and the government recently invested quite a big amount of money to start restoring them. Curiously enough, it is not only houses, you will see schools, fire stations, police and even mosques build on wood right over water with no other access than by boat.

If, like me, you are only in Brunei for a day or two as  a stop over, negotiate with the water taxi to take you a bit further into the jungle. You will see the current palace and the construction of the new palace

You will also leave the city behind and very likely encounter the strange proboscis monkey. I took a tour in Kota Kinabalu exclusively to see this monkeys and I saw some on the trees, but here, I was so lucky! They were only a few feet away. We were so close, that even the taxi driver took out his phone to take some pictures. They are really ugly, but that only makes them more interesting to observe…. and those big noses that we, at least I, find horrendous, apparently is the number one attraction for the female proboscis.  If, in the other hand,  you have a couple more days to spare, I would really encourage you to go to Ulu Tumpong National park and spend a night there.

Finish your day at the night market next to The Mall… that is the name of the city’s mall, just The Mall. The market is a great insight to the local culture. Do drink the traditional Air Batu Campur, aka ABC, a combination of  sago pearls, red beans, grass jelly, noodles and ice sweetened up with gula Melaka. Another most try is the traditional Ambuyat, a gooey thing made out of sago.

Don’t get excited about the mall is more like an indoor market, but you can find lovely fabrics at excellent prices. Would be a great option to have a dressed made and attend a Bruneian wedding. According to tradition, they have 9 ceremonies, from engagement to post wedding.