While I’ve had my share of #lonelylaura adventures (and there will be probably more to come in my future), one thing I’m super excited about for my final rotation here in Singapore is that I’ll have a friend in the program with me! Ethan is another associate in the same program with me and we have been buddies since day 1 of orientation, so it’s only fitting that we’re ending this two year experience together here in Singapore.
Let me first start by finishing my Saturday. That night my Singaporean friend Glenn took me to a restaurant in the Somerset Mall called Marche. It was such a fun place! We took the winding stairs down to a surprisingly HUGE restaurant filled with inspiration of the Swiss Alps. We were given our table then started to make our way around the market type restaurant to pick what we’d like for dinner. It felt a little bit like being in Berkshire Dining hall with various stations offering pizza, veggies, crepes, stir fry, and other goodies. Following my Polish roots, I opted for the potato pancake (legitimately a pan sized cake) and chicken sausage YUM! This is definitely a spot that you could go to many times and never get the same thing twice. It’s also a place that offers a change in the daily Singaporean cuisine which I don’t mind.
My dinner and a cow!
After dinner we went to Acid Bar close by. I enjoyed a ginger mojito after getting a real understanding of the prices of alcohol in Singapore. Seeing the menu made me appreciate the variety of alcoholic beverages we have in the US and for mostly reasonable prices too. My cocktail cost more than my large mojito I enjoyed with my friend Sam on the 96th floor lounge at the John Hancock Tower in Chicago! I also can’t get over the smaller options for beer in Singapore. It has definitely grown my appreciation for craft beer even more. Making all the more reason to buy some great apparel and accessories to support some of my favorite breweries, distilleries, and brewpubs from the one and only PubGearUSA.com!
Sunday had me up nice and early to take the MRT to Changi Airport. Ethan arrived in Singapore around 7am and of course I didn’t think to factor in the added time with someone going through customs AND having to wait very long for baggage claim when you take a plane that can hold a small village of people. But, I was happy to greet my friend and help get his Singapore rotation started on the right foot.
My plan for the day was to do anything to keep Ethan awake until Singapore bedtime to help get that jetlag out of the way. We started by checking out the area we both will be living in, the closest hawker center, grocery store, mall/restaurants. Then we headed to Chinatown. This little village is so vibrant and full of so many colors! Just walking around was fun to see the multi-colored houses and shops squished close together and the Chinese lanterns hanging overhead. It really is such a pretty little spot and I hope to visit again for a meal!
Views in Chinatown
Then came Little India and my quest to get a henna tattoo. When we exited the MRT station we walked straight into an open air market. On first glance it looked as if it was mostly fruit and vegetable stands, though there was a funky smell neither of us could pinpoint and neither of us really cared to enjoy. Well the universe has a way of answering our questions, even when we probably could have gone without the answer…insert authentic meat vendors with huge cleavers dissecting animals, the sound of band saws cutting through animals, and the smell that can only come from a mix of raw fish/poultry/beef. Oh my word, just writing this revives those memories I wish to never experience again. I held my breath and walked as fast as I could, dodging all the raw meat and vowed never to set foot in there again (silly Laura, how do you think you’ll get back to the MRT station)! Once we made it through the place which shall not be named, we walked around the packed sidewalks until I finally found a spot to get some real henna!
My henna and incredibly sweaty face, yea it's hot and humid here in case you forgot!
We then made our way to the Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple (I am not sure how to pronounce that, yet) and took in the sight of the colorful, ornate detail. Unfortunately it was a bit packed and we decided to skip going inside. But it was just as nice to admire it from the outside!
Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple, Little India
Our day ended with finding Lauderee (a Parisian macaron shop) and a long walk around Marina Bay. The bay is surrounded by such unique architecture that completely blows me away. Each building has its own design yet they all work together somehow. We're talking diverse designs as in one building has a huge ship on the top of it and another is in the shape of a durian! It all seems to work and makes for a beautiful view.
Macaron enjoyed with some Cartier jewelry.
Another macaron with Tiffany's, what can I say? I was feeling fancy!
Marina Bay
The symbol of Singapore, the Merlion
Just the start of our adventures! Ethan and Laura
If that sounded like a packed weekend let me confirm, IT WAS! Sunday Ethan and I walked somewhere around four miles throughout the day. The good news was that it helped kicked Ethan's jetlag before it could really set in. Plus he got to see a ton of the new country we belong to for now.
For today's funny: I was told by a Singaporean that when you have a bit too much to drink and you toss your cookies, its called being a Merlion. In a sentence "All those margaritas turned me into a merlion last night".
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