Going the DISHtance: Singapore: 11/10-11/11/15 & Adrift Restaurant

After about 24 hours of travel, we arrived at Naumi Hotel in downtown Singapore. It is a boutique luxury hotel that has a very modern, trendy design and feel. A few interesting notes about the room we had - the bathroom was essentially half of the room, with the sink and vanity area in the center island. The toilet and shower were each separated by a glass door, but this isn't just any glass. It's magic glass. Meaning, there is a light option that changes this glass from opaque to completely clear. The switch for this is on the outside wall, so that became a funny game at inopportune times. Additionally, the hotel provided several useful and complimentary amenities and snack options which we appreciated. So, we immediately passed out upon arrival to be fresh for our first real day in Singapore.

We woke up on Wednesday morning ready to explore the dynamic city. We first tackled the transportation system. First of all, coming from a seasoned New Yorker who is well versed on public transportation, this system is immaculate. The stations are so clean, not overcrowded, and designed in such a smart way. The platforms have lines, arrows, and lights to denote when and where to stand and enter the train. The platform also has a vestibule of sorts protecting the area where the train comes in- so no way to drop anything or fall onto the tracks. It's also way more visually appealing and so clean! Not a single piece of garbage, rodent, or homeless person- throughout the entire city for that matter. We bought a visitor pass for 2 days for S$26 each, however you can return the card at the end and receive the S$10 deposit back. Well worth it for convenience alone, but considering each ride would be around S$3, we were able to hop all over the city. To get in, you tap your card to enter AND exit, because the cost will depend on how far you are going (if you were to pay per ride).

So, we first took the subway over to what looked like the business district. We went solely to try one of Singapore's famous food markets that Jeremy was super excited about. There are different markets around the city, and this one - Amoy Street Food Centre- catered to the Asian young professionals on their lunch breaks. It's essentially a food court with 3 floors and close to 100 food stalls with all sorts of Asian style food from protein and noodle or rice dishes, to wonton soup, to blended fruit drinks. I didn't see a single dish over S$4.50, and this is for a full hot meal. We noticed the most interesting behavior while there. People flow in and grab their seats first, using a packet of tissues or single business card to mark their territory. What was so amazing to us was that everyone just respected this and did not move or ignore someone else's seat saving. Also, I thought it was odd how many people happen to carry around personal packs of tissues, but instantly realized that not a single vendor offers napkins or paper goods so it's bring your own. They actually charge slightly more for takeaway containers. There are a few staff people that help clear trays and I guess clean the bowls and utensils. So, the food. It was hard to choose what to get and where to go because there were so many options that were varying degrees of the same thing. I got a delicious smoothie with avocado, milk, and mango for S$2.50 and a wah kee noodle dish with roasted pork that came with wonton soup for S$4. Jeremy got homemade dumpling and noodle soup for S$3. Everything was authentic, flavorful, and felt like the real deal.

It down poured while we ate, which worked out well since this was the only time we were inside all day. This time of year in Singapore has rain basically every single day for brief bursts. Everyone has an umbrella at all times. It didn't rain the rest of the day which was helpful since our next activity was to check out the famous Gardens by the Bay. We took the subway down to the Marina Bay Area, which houses many of the tourist attractions including the Marina Bay Sands hotel. The Gardens are acres of beautifully manicured and maintained grounds with pockets of special flower or sculpture areas and astounding architectural design. The visual most people recognize are the Supertrees since they stick out from the rest of the gardens with a unique cage-like sculpture around it that is lit up at night. We explored much of the gardens and took some good pictures. They have a few attractions within the gardens and we decided to check out one- the Cloud Forest (partly for air conditioning). This is a dome housing hundreds, if not thousands, different types of tropical flowers and plants. It also features one of the world's tallest indoor waterfalls (35 meters), and allows you to walk around to the top and experience what a real cloud forest is like.

After going back to the hotel to nap and relax, we went back to the Marina Bay Sands hotel for dinner at Adrift. This hotel is a wonder in itself with a casino, shops, restaurants, and 3 towers all connected by a roof deck with an infinity pool overlooking the entire city. The view is truly breathtaking. We went up there after dinner just to see it, but we're only allowed access to the bar area since the pool area is for guests only.