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| The Biyahero is backdropped by the Artscience Museum, Marina Bay Sands and Shoppes at Marina Bay |
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| The 88-storey and 452-meter high towering structure- the famous KLCC Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur. |
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| Meet-and-greet with Puss n Boots and the many characters in Universal Studios. |
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| The riverside area in the vicinity of the business district. |
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| Taking a break in the afternoon walking along the Fullertone walkway. |
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| Relaxing as the majestic Esplanade- Theatres on the Bay towers in the background |
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| Marina Bay Sands and the ArtScience Museum light up the evening sky. |
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| The iconic vibrant and world-class city of Singapore. |
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| The touchdown to Changi Airport- one of the most modern airports in the world. |
I still remember in full vivid details those days when I felt the heaven and touched the clouds. Like the fused mermaid and lion, as what is widely known as the “merlion”, Singapore never fails to mystify tourists, young and old alike.
After almost five hours in the air, Silkair MI588 which is bound from Davao eventually touched down in one of Asia’s most advanced and busiest airport–Changi International Airport. Then the feeling of physically stepping foot in Singapore finally sank in. The idea that this is one of my grandest vacation ever was so real. Certainly October 28 will always be me in my memory where I ventured overseas for leisure.
My cousin Kuya Tonton who arranged this trip is an IT engineer in Singapore since
2006. He is the one who invited me last year to visit his place since I needed
a well-deserved respite from my work.
I was immersed
in the flood of city lights in the Orchard Road where a line of commercial
buildings or what we call as malls and office buildings tower the skyline of
Singapore. I was enchanted to see the huge television panels and the LED lights
across the building façades. There I learned from the trees and grasses in the
sidewalk of Orchard Road that environment must not be left out just because of
urban development.
I proceeded to
Kuya Tonton’s home in Bishan St. 24 to rest because I have to be in Kuala
Lumpur, Malaysia the following day.
The StarMart
Express bus traversed through the West part of Malaysia on its way to the
capital Kuala Lumpur for five hours after it left Singapore station at 8:00
am. The countryside of Malaysia is a familiar sight because Malaysia’s surroundings
and climate are like here in our country.
After a long trip,
we alighted in Berjaya Times Square, which is just near the famous shopping
district of Bukit Bintang in downtown Kuala Lumpur, at 1:30 pm. Along with my
new acquaintances, who are also fellow Filipinos from Cabanatuan and who happen
to be with me in the bus from Singapore, I took the KL Monorail and the KL free
hop on-hop off bus going to Petronas Tower. We only had 2 hours to wander
around the city because the bus, after it arrived in 2 pm, was scheduled to
leave KL back to Singapore in 4:30 pm.
In the little
time in KL, I was able to photograph the iconic and tall Petronas Tower as well
as taste the delicacies in Malaysia. I was unable to visit the historic Padang
Square and the famous Batu Caves, maybe next time.
The third day
was the highlight of my vacation when I visited Universal Studios in Sentosa
during the morning and the Marina Bay in the afternoon.
On my way to
Sentosa from VivoCity, Harbourfront I grabbed the opportunity to take photos of
my surroundings riding Singapore’s famed cable car which is one of Asia’s most
historic. The cable car crosses a strait from mainland to its southernmost tip
of Sentosa, so I saw the passing ships and cruises beneath.
Their concept of
integrated resorts drives tourism arrivals up yearly. There I saw how they fuse
hotels, casinos, restaurants, arcades, theme parks and museums into one tourism
complex within one small island.
The famed
Universal Studios also added more Hollywood-ness in Singapore. Go there and you
will see Optimus Prime so real. Who would have thought that the doomed animal park and
the laboratory for dinosaurs only existed in the movie Jurassic Park? Or the
castle of Shrek only existed in the paper? You add the thrilling rides and realistic
3D. You’re teleported to the scenes of movies you admired the most when you
were younger!
In the
afternoon, Kuya Tonton have accompanied me in strolling the area from Raffles where
Asia’s commercially important persons (CIP) hold offices, to Fullerton where
statesmen, diplomats, ambassadors and world leaders stay, to Esplanade where
literary and music luminaries perform, until we reached the “Shoppes at Marina
Bay” and “Marina Bay Sands” where wealthy tourists, celebrities and tycoons
from across America, Europe and Asia enjoy seeing and be seen.
Months after my
vacation, I still remember in full vivid details those days when I felt the
heaven and touched the clouds. Like the fused mermaid and lion, as what is
widely known as the “merlion”, Singapore never fails to mystify tourists, young
and old alike.
Next week I will post my budget itinerary and the breakdown of estimated expenses, so you too can have your own budget-friendly vacation in Singapore.
