Monday, February 06, 2012

Singapore Travel Kwento Day 3

DAY 3:

On day 3, our half day city tour is scheduled. Kasama ito sa package namin. We were picked up by the coach at 840am, late siya ng 10 minutes. Senior citizen na yung driver and we were wondering if siya ang magtu-tour sa amin, eh hindi naman nagsasalita. Nasanay kasi kami sa Hongkong at Thailand na machika ang mga sumusundo sa amin, que dirver pa siya o tour guide. Tapos, nadapa pa si Aliya. Hindi man lang niya kami tinulungan magfold at magbuhat ng stroller, nakita na nga niya na nagpapakarga si Aliya, hmm. Sa loob ng coach, he wasn’t even talking. So I asked him where he’ll bring us, I mean, what are the inclusions in the city tour. He just said he’s just driving and he’ll bring us to our tour group. Whew! Para kaming nabunutan ng tinik kasi kung siya ang kasama namin sa tour, parang wala kaming matututunan. Eh diba one of the nice things about having a tour guide is yung mga trivia na makukuha mo about that country?

So, hinatid niya kami sa Marina Bay. We were met by the group and the tour guide sa foot ng Marina Bay Skyride. Medyo bad mood si Aliya kasi may gasgas yung knee niya. Ayaw naman niya magpalagay ng band aid. We rode bus number 9, puro Indian families ang kasama namin. Romy said this is our first tour na wala kaming nakilalang Pinoy. The tour guide, whose name I forgot na, first brought us to Merlion Park. Super looking forward kami kasi diba, this is where all tourists go, haha! But since we were only given 15 minutes there, bitin ang pictorial namin. And because there were so many tourists, Sali-saliwa ang nagpapapicture. Daming tao!

Because we were so bait, kami pa ang nauna bumalik sa bus. And because everyone wasn’t there yet, nakapag-restroom pa ako. Next stop was a temple near Chinatown. I forgot the name of the temple, pero ok lang siya. There are more interesting temples in Thailand. Bale ang ginawa lang namin talaga dito, nag-CR. After 15 minutes, off we went to Singapore Gems and Metals Inc. Super ako naaliw dito, precious stones and jewelry making always interests me. Maybe because my own dad used to make jewelries as a hobby. And he had a wide collection of precious stones when I was a child. The workers there remind me of papa’s craft. Makes me miss him all the more, and makes me resent the fact that I wasn’t able to bring him to these places. After a few minutes of picture taking, saka ko lang na-realize that there are earrings, pendants made of precious stones for sale… at 12SGD and above! I so wanted to buy sana pero time’s up na! Downside of being in an organized tour, limitado ang oras sa bawat lugar.

Off we went to the Botanical and to the National Orchid Garden. Super nag-enjoy si Romy because he’s got a green thumb and he likes orchids. Pictorial uli dito, then balik sa bus. Last stop was Little India. Since napagod kami sa paghabol ng oras, and this is the last stop na, and I know through my research that this is just near our hotel, we told the tour guide not to wait for us na. We took our time, though hindi naman wonderful ang makikita dito. Interesting, yes, because of the sights and smell and ambience of being around Indians and their culture, pero wala ako pinamili dito. Pumasok kami sa isang mall, and had lunch there. Romy and I always find different cultures and emerging ourselves in them quite an experience, kaya we opted to stay here for a while and eat here. Though hindi naman extraordinary ang kinain namin. I was always kasi taking into consideration what Aliya will eat, kaya yun ang ino-order ko. So hindi ako umoorder ng maanghang, may toyo at may toge.

Lunch is over and we walked back to our hotel. Medyo long walk kasi may construction sa Bencoleen Street kaya iniwasan namin mga crane at may mga harang kasi sa tawiran. Pagdating sa hotel, my hubby and daughter so wanted to swim. Kaya ayun, nag-swim sila sa pool ng Parc Sovereign, while I grabbed the opportunity to go back to Bugis Street to shop. Ay, super enjoy ako shopping alone! I bought more bags, keychains, a blouse and Merlion Chocolates. Ang cute ng Merlion chocolates, yung may almonds, 6.50SGD lang! I should’ve bought more! As pasalubong to my mag-ama, I bought langka, 5SGD lang!

Pagbalik ko sa hotel, hala, they’re still in the pool! My daughter was having the time of her life swimming! Ang yabang na nga, sarili niya mina-maniobra ang salbabida. I thought to myself, swimming lang pala katapat nito, umalis pa kami ng Pilipinas, haha!

They showered and dressed up, and we ate the langka. Then off we went to Sentosa. We took a cab to Vivo City, picture picture as usual, then went to Level 3 of Vivo City to buy tickets for the Songs of the Sea. 10SGD for adults and kids (same rate) and yung roundtrip monorial to and from Sentosa to Vivo City is around 3SGD yata, not sure anymore. This whole time, tulog na si Aliya, napagod sa swimming. We just let her, para ma-recharge. Wala siyang kamalay-malay, when she woke up nasa giant Merlion na kami sa Sentosa, which is in Waterfront Station. We enjoyed our stay here, taking note of the fact that next time we visit Singapore, we’ll have to spend one whole day in Sentosa so we can avail of more attractions.

Since I so wanted to see a beach, hehe, we proceeded na to Beach Station. Nice! Aliya played with the sand, which is a first because she used to be so diri with sand. Kung may pampalit lang sana kami ng damit, nag-swim muna kami dun! It was already 630pm (at ang liwanag pa!) so we grabbed a quick dinner in McDo. Dinner kami picnic style sa grass outside McDo. Aliya enjoyed this simple joy of eating while sitting on the grass, nagmamadali nga lang kami kasi we have to line up for Songs of the Sea, which will start at 7:40pm. Eh ang tagal ng apple pie which I ordered sa McDo, so we had to hurry up with our dinner.

Medyo gilid na kami sa benches sa Songs of the Sea. We all enjoyed the show, a first for us. Kasi wala namang ganito sa Pilipinas. I love the effects and the water works. Medyo may pagka-80’s nga lang ang acting ng mga actors. The show lasted around 20 minutes I think. We were so hyper and love the feeling na nasa beach pa kami at this hour, hehe. Ambabaw ba?

Konting ikot pa kami sa Beach Station, pictorial uli, then pila na kami to ride the monorial back to Vivo City. One of the nice things about marrying my husband is that, we’re so the same with regards to travelling. We’re both willing to explore, make mistakes, and find interesting stuff about the places we visit. Monorail kami to Vivo City, then cab back to Parc Sovereign. Andun na kami around 845pm.

By 9pm, dumating na yung friend and godson ni hubby na taga-doon na. Kwentuhan sila. Bumaba ako sandali to chat with them, pero sinimulan ko na ang pag-eempake since check out na kami the next day. Pinagkakasya ko mga pinamili namin, to think we have an extra luggage with us. At 12midnight, umakyat na rin sa room sa wakas si Romy and Aliya, announcing we have to check out the next day at 830am because Bimbo and his family will bring us to Marina Bay Sands the next day.

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