Singapore Day Two - Hop On Hop Off

To my amazement, I actually wake up early and complete several blog posts. It’s good to catch up so we can put Indonesia to rest. We loved it, but it is time to move on. Breakfast at the Y features BBQ pork buns, traditional porridge, chicken sausage, eggs, bread pudding, green salad, cereals and wonderful coffee and tea. People from all over the globe stay here, including some youth groups. They have a hostel here, but we’re staying in one of their deluxe rooms. Nicest bathroom ever and very quiet. After a leisurely start, we plan to take the hop on/hop off bus for an orientation to the city. There are several, but we select the Green line “ethnic” which stops at Little India and the Arab district. Little India was a feast for the senses with delicious spicy cooking aromas and the smell of incense, colorful shops and alleyways. We enjoyed the Arab Street area too, especially the big mosque. We missed our connection at Arab Street but it turned out to be fortuitous, since we caught another double-decker bus for a tour through Chinatown, by Raffles Hotel, and other awesome sights. Our driver suggested that we might enjoy the Botanical Gardens and it did not disappoint – it is hard to describe what we saw there. A truly world-class orchid garden, all manner of trees, specially decorated Christmas trees, bromeliads, lakes, and on and on. We missed our hop-on connection because it

was after 6 pm, but we didn’t care – we opted to take the MRT back to our hotel. This was a learning experience as we discovered how to pay and use the ticket – but once in the station, the train to the stop nearest our hotel arrived quickly. The trains are fast and quiet – and clean, of course. Once we alighted the train, we entered the bustling Singapura shopping center and experienced a cacophony of fast food restaurants and shops. We made our way back to Orchard Street and to our hotel where we enjoyed a quiet but good meal at the Y’s very good restaurant plus a hot cup of tea. We did not miss the beer at all. All in all a wonderful day full of discovery.