Penang to Singapore
Another early departure to the airport. The advantages of leaving early are missing the traffic jams and avoiding the long queues of Chinese tourists at passport control.
We arrived early in Singapore with the flight taking just over an hour. The airport is so nice. We had spent 4 hours here in April on our way to Australia. It is a holiday in itself. Complete with swimming pool, movie theatre, butterfly and numerous other gardens, and a huge shopping mall.
The subway in Singapore, like in all cities, makes it so easy to get around. We had a half hour ride to our hostel. Being only 1 degree north of the equator, it feels so much hotter here. I was near melting.
Hawker stalls abound in our neighborhood, so it was easy to find a lunch to suit everyone. The amount of oil put into all the Asian cooking is astounding. How do they stand it??? Levi had commented how he would have loved eating some of these foods at home, but now all he wants is a salad. Clean, non-greasy feeling food.
Singapore is celebrating its 52nd birthday on August 9th. In preparation for the annual holiday, the show they will put on on the 9th is rehearsed every Saturday night in July (and a few more nights to total 7), just to make sure nothing goes wrong. After seeing how the Singaporeans celebrate a random birthday like 52, the boys all agreed that Canada Day sucks. Even 150, they didn't think could measure up to a 52nd Singapore. They know how to celebrate!
Down at the marina, we were awed by the fighter jets (no mistake when they buzz over; deafening), cannons being shot, coast guard firing machine guns at seadoers, helicopters dropping divers, and later a trio hoisting the Singaporean flag. And this was just the dress rehearsal!
The mall itself is overboard with a river running through it.
