Our First Last Day in Singapore

There's that Marina Bay Sands, again!

Today we have an evening flight and a late checkout, so we're able to see a couple of things we haven't gotten around to yet. We start off with the river cruise along the bay and quays of downtown Singapore. 

Photo fun while waiting for our boat to arrive.

Nice view of downtown.

We wave to our friend's office building, but he gets the message too late to look out his window and see us.

the bumboat arriving for our trip

I'm glad we wait until Monday morning - there's only about 8 other people on our traditional looking bumboat (over the weekend we had glimpses of the packed boats). It's fun to see the buildings from the water.  Unfortunately, our evenings were always booked, so we don't get to ride the boats at night - the lights on the water are supposed to be very pretty.

I'm finally close to the merlion statue!

The durian theaters - lots of unique architecture in downtown Singapore.

my favorite buildings

Cute statue - this represents the kids that used to jump and play in the water.

Um, Steve, your head looks a little funny.

We then visit the Gardens by the Bay at Marina Bay Sands. We decide it's not worth it to go up to the walkway in the SuperGrove. We were going to try to see the evening light show from there, but again, our nights end up being too busy to make it over. 

Pretty flowers lining the walkway...but the sign says it's
protected by an electric fence...so if I touch a flower I'm going to be
shocked?  Is that legal?  I don't test it out.

Our latest compulsion - must take selfies with orchids!

You're greeted by the world's largest indoor waterfall - 115 ft high.

We do visit the Cloud Forest. It's an 8-story high, man-made mountain that displays the plants and flowers that grow along a mountainside - and it's located inside a giant greenhouse dome.  It's also great on a hot day, because it's well air conditioned.  In addition, every two hours they release a mist onto the plants, lowering the temperature even more. It's beautiful, and fun to walk both inside and outside the mountain.

Pretty flowers, but I don't know their name.
Unfortunately, there are few signs identifying the
plants you see.

We arrive at the top as the misting starts.

Do you often find arches on mountains?

My camera is able to catch a shot of the water falling.

I thought this would make a better picture - the opening
framing the mountain vegetation.  It didn't come out
the way I expected, though.

Looking up at some of the walkways on the higher levels.

entering inside the mountain

It's easy to walk around because you start by taking an elevator to the top.  Then you have escalators bringing you down to each floor.  There's no "legal" way to go back up, though!  I may have taken the "for handicapped only" elevator to go up one story so I could try and take a better picture through the view holes...but the photo didn't work out the way I wanted.

At the bottom they have scenic water features.

I have no idea why this doorway is here - it's in the middle of a hallway and you can walk around it.  I make Steve stand in it to take a picture, though.

Maxwell Hawker Center

By now we're hungry for lunch, so we try another hawker center, Maxwell. After strolling around the 100 or so stalls, I choose the Hainense chicken and Steve picks mee rebus (noodles in a curry like gravy).  We both drink lime juice, our favorite discovery  in Singapore.

My lunch plate (I may have nibbled on it before I remembered to take a picture).

After going back to the hotel to shower and pack, we take Uber to the airport. We're a bit early, and based on the display boards we think we have to wait an hour before the desks open for our flight. But after wandering around the departures hall for thirty minutes we realize we can go ahead and check in.  Instead of looking at the big informational tv screens, go to one of the smaller touchscreens on the sides of the lobby to determine the counter you're supposed to use for check in.  Once you have your boarding pass you can enter the main area of the airport.  We're in the duty free section, but we haven't gone through security yet - they do that at the gate. Amsterdam airport was similar when I went through it years ago, but I don't know if it's still set up that way.

Singapore Slings in Singapore!

We stop at a bar to finally try a Singapore Sling. It's a fruity drink, not too sweet, but not something I'd search out in the future. (Though on our flight with Singapore Airlines, I'm impressed that it's listed as a cocktail available in coach - so I do order it again!)

Because we're early I'm able to spend some time wandering around.  Singapore Changi Airport is supposed to be the best airport in the world, and I do see some unique features - free movie theaters, individual tv booths with video games, massage chairs, lots of shopping and an outdoor sunflower garden (the other terminal has a butterfly garden).

The sunflower garden - with a big sign, so you don't mistake it for the Butterfly Garden.

My little lost corkscrew (sob!)

When it's time to enter the waiting area for our gate, my little travel corkscrew is confiscated at security. It's been all around the world, on every flight. What's really disappointing is that we had to check our suitcases, so if I'd known I could have put it there and we'd still have it.  

To me the set up is strange - once you're through security, you have to wait in a walled off room with no bathrooms (the side facing the terminal is glass, so you don't feel claustrophobic).  There are water fountains, so I'm able to take my empty water bottle and fill it so I have it for the flight (Steve has to drink his bottle at security because he forgot to drink/empty it earlier).

Coach selfie!

While we're in the waiting area, my name is called out to go to the desk. I'm hopeful that I've been randomly picked for an upgrade.  We've been lucky to fly around the world mostly in business class, but Singapore Airlines isn't a Delta partner, so we have to use actual money to buy our tickets - so we're in coach.  Regrettably, it's not an upgrade; they just want to know if I'm willing to change seats so another couple can fly together. Steve and I are seated separately because he wants the extra leg room, so we paid $50 for him to have a preferred seat.  I tell them I'm willing to change.  Then they work some magic and end up giving me the seat by Steve, so we do get to ride together. 

We're off to the Maldives! While filling out the immigration form I see an interesting list of prohibited items. I knew you couldn't bring alcohol (it's allowed on the private and resort islands, but you can't bring it with you through customs) but I didn't know about pork or dogs!

I stealthily took this photo, in case you're not allowed to take pictures of official documents.