While staying in JB, Teresa and I went into Singapore one day so she could show me around. I was amazed as soon as we crossed the border. Everything felt really clean and super Western. It was a bit like being back in America again...
Doing what we do best, Teresa and I tackled the malls on Orchard Rd. Shopping is a shared favorite pasttime of ours.Only problem was I kept having to remind myself the prices were in Singapore dollars, not ringgit. The exchange rate there is really similar to the USD, so I kept having to remind myself that the costs add up really, really quickly. I didn't actually change any money for SingDollars either, so thank you my dear debit card and my dear daddy for funding me!
We ate lunch at a place called Skinny Pizza, which sounded promising but was kind of a letdown. The pizza was served on a cracker thin crust (hence the skinny) and covered with green. More salad than pizza. The sweet potato fries were way too sweet as well, but at least they had authentic A&W and real cheese.
After lunch, we headed over to the touristy area, Marina Bay. Neither of us felt like paying to go to the top and we couldn't figure a way sneak up there, so we hung around the hotel for a while and had some New Zealand cold slab ice cream (basically Coldstone! Miss that goodness.)
Finally, we decided to finish the day by going to Chinatown. After a bargaining battle, I bought my cheongsam for a 20% reduced price.
After doing the touristy thing, we had steamboat at a friend's house. Steamboat is a pot of boiling soup that you can cook meat, vegetables, and other small things in. It's really delicious and filling.
Singapore had this weird surrealistic feel to it. Everything was clean and sparkly, but you can tell that it's that way due to the strict fines. Apartments are stacked upon each other and crammed into already overcrowded city blocks. It's a country that's dreams are too big for it's area! Already many people are living in JB and working in Singapore. I liked visiting it as a tourist. The escalators move faster than the ones in Malaysia. Public toilets are cleaner. There's toilet paper. People tip. But I wouldn't want to live there. Everyone seems stressed and there's no room to breathe. Of course there are people who love that lifestyle, but not me. I loved the experience, but long term couldn't tahan. Strange how one day in Singapore made me homesick for Malaysia!
I'd take quality roti canai over a clean bathroom any day....

Disappointing salad pizza

Marina Bay

Doing the touristy thing

Really pretty building

Steamboat with crabstick, fishball, and some veggies