The Dandygram: Three Unforgettable Nights in Singapore, Part 2!

Our final day in Singapore was easily one of the best days I've had on my trip so far. With friends like Elliott and Ruben, it's not hard to have fun just sitting around playing cards, but we knew that wasn't an option for our last full day in Singapore--especially since Christa and Eric were going to join us later that day. We decided, therefore, to get an early start to the day and venture off to some of the amazing parts of downtown Singapore.

At this point in our three day/three night trip to Singapore, we had easily gone over our budgets because we did not factor in the expenses to everything that is Singapore. Regardless, we were content on getting some exercise (free), sightseeing (also free), and finding an inexpensive lunch as well as a few beers after our few hours walking in the sun.

Surprisingly, the rain that had been forecasted throughout the day was quite mild, and it actually wound up being a bit hot. As we walked out of the MRT in the heart of downtown, we made tentative plans to get a ride in the ferris wheel at sunset in order to capture pictures of Singapore from above. We later changed our minds when we thought about how much further the $30 per person/ride would take us into the night, so instead, we just wandered around, taking random pictures, and enjoying the skyscrapers that filled the sky from below:

You might recognize this weird creature; it is known as a Merlion--something very unique to Singapore's culture and history. There are only a few Merlions on the island, but this one is by far the coolest one--not just because it's spewing water but because it's placed right in the Esplanade area on a river with amazing buildings surrounding it. As well, you can't help but get a picture of one of your friends posing for an hysterical photo . . .

What really captivated our attention in downtown Singapore that day was the new hotel getting its finishing touches. Since it was incredibly hot during our walking around, this gave us 104 reasons to wander inside the lobby, cool off in the cold air conditioning, and see what their hotel was all about; from the outside, the Marina Bay Sands Hotel was a magnificent sight:

Once inside the lobby of the hotel, we were blown away: first by the Air Conditioning and then by the attention to detail. There was something there for everyone (shops, casino, restaurants, bars, lounges, jazz, spas), but this place will truly cater to the rich and wealthy--especially after looking up their room prices.

We inquired about going up to the boat-looking feature sitting on top of the three hotel buildings, but a lady at reception said that it was not finished and how it was probably not going to be accessible for visitors wanting to take in the view or get pictures. What a bummer! It wasn't surprising though; I could only imagine what they would have on their plate if an accident happened up there--and without the proper safety mechanisms yet in place. I just really wanted to see Singapore from up there!

Well, at this point, we were getting a bit thirsty and very hungry, so we stopped for a Happy Hour special--buy one and get one free--and enjoyed two ICE COLD Stella Artois drafts. Then, already on a tight budget and spending more than necessary on beer, we settled on a hearty McDonalds meal for dinner. I got the Big Mac meal--the first time in at least 8 years.

At this point in our day, we were dog tired from all the walking and sight-seeing, but it was only 5pm. We wanted to get back to our hostel in order to meet up with Christa and Eric for some libations at the Pump Room and do a little dancing with the band that played the other night.

To get this post up and to get one with things, I leave you with a few pictures and a video send-off from Singapore of me, Eric, Ruben, Elliott, and Christa singing and dancing to "It's Raining Men!" Enjoy.