Keep Left and Carry On
Perfect trip was perfect. Sure, it hurt at first knowing I would be spending my own money for this trip, but visiting my siblings was worth it and so much more. From having no seatmates on the airplane going and coming home to not having to check in my humongous backpack after all the shopping to just seeing Singapore again, that trip was marvelous.
Now I want to go back. It'll have to wait for post-London 2012. That is if I have any money left after the Olympics. But I digress. More photos here and here. There were too many to pick from.
One
My sister took me to her favorite places in Chinatown. I'm sort of in love with Ang Siang Hill now. With the most precious bookstore run by a hipster couple of course. Then Bugis Market to meet up with my officemates who were also in Singapore on vacation.
It was F1 weekend when I was in Singapore but of course tickets were too pricey to actually watch, so instead I was at the sidelines waiting to hear the cars whiz by. I did. That felt good.
And then dinner with my brother and cousin and her boyfriend at the best Chicken Rice place ever. Can't wait till it gets to Manila. Dessert with the yummiest ice cream I've had in a while.
Two
After mass, we have a Filipino lunch (like I don't have this often enough) since my siblings miss home cooking. Then it's off to the non-massive but still huge Ikea. Bo was I glad I didn't have a larger suitcase otherwise I'd be broke from all the things I don't need that I wanted. Even their meatballs and chicken wings were awesome.
Then it was more shopping at Anchorpoint mall where the outlet stores were. I controlled myself and didn't go too wild on the clothes. There is a reason behind this: I wanted more books than I could carry. It's not funny.
And because my sister wanted to show me some nature, we headed to Kentridge Park (my brother knew his way around) right before sunset and had the hardest time finding a cab out of there (it was F1 weekend). Then it was dinner at VivoCity and a dropped by Page One (bookstore of course).
Three
I was alone for the morning so I ended up walking through Raffles City and the malls around it (say hello to six floors of techy goodness at the Funan Digital Life Mall) before meeting up with my sister for lunch at a nice cafeteria style restaurant near SMU.
I have to mention how pretty the MRT station was in this Circle Line stop. Very hotel like. Then it was off to a very brief overview of Orchard's newer malls so I would know what to go back for on my last day and then dinner at this super good Chinese restaurant in 313
It's a miracle we made it to our 8:30 pm schedule at the Singapore Flyer. It's such a tourist-y thing to do, but it looks like the London Eye but larger and I am a tourist anyway, so we all trooped there and our jaws dropped at the sight. Awesomesauce.
Four
Finally it was my last full day in Singapore and I shockingly had money still. But first I trekked to find the post office to send some mail. That was an adventure. After, I jaunt down Orchard Road trying to justify purchases I really want and can't find in Manila -- a couple more books for me, cause I just can't have enough.
Then it's lunch with my sister at Hand Burger with really fancy burgers that were pretty damn great and then a little bit of rest with a screening of Wall Street 2: Money Never Sleeps just because the posters are everywhere and my sister wanted to watch it with me.
Finally my last dinner in Singapore was spent with my siblings in this really popular Japanese ramen place called Epudo where the lines on a weekday are still damn long. It was worth it though. Food was awesome. Then it was back to the house to do my packing of the 9 books and gifts for my siblings and the other stuff I bought. Sad times, but I'll be back. For sure.
Keep Left: it took me a while to get used to
the keeping left instead of right
on the road and while walking
and just the left-iness of everything.
Carry On: I'm pretty proud of my packing skills.
One backpack when I arrived in Singapore.
One backpack when I left (still as carry on).
Though waaaaay heavier now