Edyta had was curious to visit a modern Asian city before we concluded our travels in Asia. Seoul and Tokyo were brought up, but we shied away from the relatively cold weather up there and we decided on Singapore to ring in the New Year. I had been there in 2012 for work, but didn't get to see much of the country because of jet lag and work commitments. My cousin Vanessa, who came with me on that trip, saw much more of Singapore so I hit her up for some advice. 

 

On December 30, 2014, we flew Singapore Airlines from Hanoi to the Lion City. Singapore Airlines and Changi airport are probably my favourite in the world because of their top notch service and amenities. Friendly, sharply dressed staff, a welcome hot towel, ample leg room, delicious meal options, and free beer & wine are a few reasons why they have repeatedly been ranked amongst the best in the world. 

 

We got back to our Airbnb roots by renting a room with great views of the city and The National Stadium. Our first night was relatively uneventful as we simply grabbed local food on Old Airport Road, about a 15 minute walk away and went to bed early to be rested and ready to explore the city during our short stay here. 

 

On our first full day, we did the touristy thing and headed to the area around the iconic Marina Bay Sand hotel. For those unfamiliar, this five star hotel looks like 3 decks of cards standing upright with a giant surfboard looking platform laid across the top. Almost 60 floors up on this 'surfboard' there is a bar, observation deck and infinity pool (unfortunately only open to hotel guests) with great views of the city and harbour. To get to the hotel area, we had to cross the modern Helix Bridge, which is modeled after the double helix structure of DNA. Nerd fact: the letters A, C, G, & T are periodically lit up on the bridge to represent the four nucleobases that make up our DNA - adenine, cytosine, guanine and thymine. 

 

We also checked out Gardens by the Bay, a green space along the water that contains, among other things: 2 greenhouses, koi ponds, a giant 7 ton baby statue, and what can only be described as futuristic trees. These part concrete and steel, part plant structures collect solar energy and mimic the ecological properties of real trees. In the evening they light up and there is even a music show. 

 

After returning home for a few hours to rest, we headed back to the city to reserve a spot to watch the fireworks. While it was busy, it was nice that it wasn't over crowded.  We got a prime spot along the water to take in the fireworks. As midnight hit, the show was beautiful, set against the backdrop of the city. However, it was a little disappointing that it lasted literally only 5 min. 

 

The next day, we had lunch at Clark Quay, an area with along the canal lined with shops and restaurants. For dessert we indulged ourselves in a local favourite: ice cream sandwiches. It was literally ice cream in a slice of bread. While it may not sound appealing to some, trust me, it was delicious, especially with flavours like taro and red bean to choose from. We then headed to the observation deck to check out the city views from 60 floors up. From here we saw great views of the harbour, business district, suburbs and maybe even Malaysia. At less than 300 square miles, it's easy to see most, if not all, of the country at once. 

 

Along the harbour, we stumbled upon an open air stage where Nadi Singspura, a local band, was performing. This percussion band entertained the crowd with a high energy mix of drumming and dance. It was a nice treat to end our short stay in Singapore. 

 

Happy New Year everyone! Hope you all had a memorable 2014 and all the best in 2015.