It is almost a month since I’m back from **what-my-friends-call** a South East Asian trip and I haven’t blogged about it (what a shame especially when one of the reasons to travel is to blog (read brag) about it) And so what if the entire neighborhood and their pets have already been there and done, did I mention that I’m not someone to be so easily discouraged.
A friend of mine in Singapore has been inviting me home for the last couple of years, without having a clue of the danger she is beckoning and so I decided to surprise her (perhaps, she got a shock!)
Well actually I could go ahead and dedicate the entire post to my friend’s posh 7th floor sea-facing apartment and her cutesy set of fraternal twins but I refrain lest it becomes a Sooraj Barjatiya film.
Singapore was an even bigger surprise than Minehaha falls. If you have a sudden urge for chewing gum, feeding birds or throwing papers at random then avoid landing in the Changi airport(which by the way has free internet, there I told you there are incentives) and banish any thoughts of basking in the glory of the sky-scrappers and the lush-green streets of Singapore.
I hadn't planned to do any sight-seeing in Singapore so that I could catch up with my friend , unfortunately the gossip session had to wait until the kids grow up.
So I headed where the tourists in Singapore head to - downtown,Esplanade, Sentosa and Night Safari.
Below are some of my favorite picks out of the album of this trip.
(Painting seen on an elevator) 
(Fullerton hotel in Singapore)
Don’t miss the Chinatown where you have salesmen declaring that they eat live lizards (and not as a joke, mind you).(I tried to capture it on camera)
Thailand – the messiah for all those men-in-50s-seeking-a-companion (you know what I mean) must have been guilty about the women tourists which explains why it is a shopper’s paradise.Don't forget to take your shades lest you are hit with the garnish colors , that is Thailand.
Photos below are testimony to the above statement:
(entrance of grand palace)
(golden figurine, bonsai adorns Grand Palace)
(huge poster of Harry potter in Thai in the metro station)
For a country where Buddha is found at every street corner, the Thai cuisine has only non-vegetarian fare but one could still find at some corner(if you are a relentless searcher like me) a veggie version of Pad Thai.
(one of those Bhuddha temples)
Ok, I’m not complaining about India being dirty or it being the only country where men urinate in public, neither am I complaining about broken-door-ambassador taxis unlike the Toyota Corollas which come at the cost of an auto, I’m also not complaining about not getting sexy lingerie at throw-away prices, Neither is it about not having the sky-train or the metro, but yes, why can’t we get alcohol at the prices that are in Thailand? Aren't vacations all about drinking binges?
(You can find more colorful photographs here)
15 comments:
been thinking since a long time, of surprising my friend in singapore as well.. :)
BTW babe.. we DO have a full fledged, swanky metro.. come to the capital city lady :p :)
Ain't they 'wats' all the same in thailand ??? I got tired of the standing, sitting, reclining, sleeping Buddhas...
Also remember the 'fresh n never used' 'company' on offer in Phuket. And oh, if you're a beer person, Singha rocked. :D
Singapore was nice but it failed to impress me for the lack of much architectural heritage.
please tell me you tasted the lizards!
Oooh I'm complaining baout all those things in India! You're way more accomodating!
@twilight fairy
Sing'pore is a lovely place,do visit.
i have been in the metro in Cal n delhi.while the Cal one is dirty, i think the delhi one is still reeling under it's newness.
@seashells
but i loved any 'wat'.though i'm not a beer person, i did taste Singha - must say was a strong beer.
but then so does US of A - lack of heritage i mean.
@deppe
yuck! i hate the sight of any reptiles.
@iz
of course that was the intention, to bring to notice all those things about india and pretend not to be bothered :)
fundoo trip looks like. I have yet to see asia..mmm i want to taste snake blood too. You dont feature in the pics. Would have added to the color mania ;)
Your Majesty !
would you please allow me to wear
the lingerie in your darbaar ?? i can no longer afford to buy jeans and t shirts. first of all i need a job as a jester in your court.
How wonderful it would be to drink free alcohol from the fountain you erected for your dear subjects who are sloshed always.
@w.magpie,
i wud then prefer Singha to snake blood :)
i did not want any distractions on these fotos :)
@rauf
free alcohol fountain?? now u r giving me ideas...
Wow so pretty and colorful. How do you get to travel so much, I am envious!
@sines
guess it is a matter of the grass being greener on the other side.i nvy u staying in NYC.
well, my consulting job involves travel n i do love to explore places on vacation.
Nice pics.That sounded like a fun vacation. Shudder...Live lizards? Is it part of the cuisine, like sushi?
Still exhausted from the rigours of the trip?
Or off on another one?
I love the elevator door! Very striking!
I remember telling this about Singapore to my friend:
"It's like marrying Aishwarya Rai, its beautiful to look at etc. After a while, the plasticky unreal nature of the city comes through!"
Don't get me wrong, its a nice place but can't stay there longer than a week
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