Wow!
That was the first word that came out of my mouth when I saw the night lights at Changi Airport in Singapore when my friend Tita (real name hidden to protect identity ^_*) and I arrived past twelve that Saturday dawn, January 25, 2014. Why were we in Singapore, by the way? It was part of our plans to go sightseeing out of the country, and Singapore was our first out-of-country destination.
Changi Airport is extremely organized. Despite the extensive land area, there are signs placed strategically for tourists to go around with ease. In fact, it is very organized all around Singapore. There are signs here and there to give one the right directions. I am one for an organized setup because I tend to get lost so easily. And an efficient setup like Singapore suits me a lot.
We went to the information counter to inquire about the MRT, but because we arrived past midnight and the station was closed for the night, we had to wait for it to open in the morning. We stayed and half-slept a bit in the airport for almost six hours. Next was getting the standard ticket (it is a card). Because we don't have that mode of payment from where we live (we simply pay money for fare), we struggled with the ticket machine. Good thing, it was easy to use, and there was instruction provided for. The coolest thing about this standard ticket is that it can be used six times. You just have to pay money via the automated ticket booth and use the ticket until your sixth time is utilized. Tita also acquired a map at the airport. The map was very handy when traveling around.
To make the long story short, from Changi Airport MRT, we got down at Tanah Merah and boarded on a train to Joo Koon. Why? Because that train will pass by Lavender MRT. When we got there, we had to ask for directions to our destination, the Green Kiwi Backpacker Hostel. It was a long walk, but we were able to get there, thanks to citizens who answered our questions and gave us directions.
When we arrived there, Tita confirmed the reservation, and I can remember well it was Miss Suki who welcomed us at the reception counter. Meanwhile, a lovely older woman, Ma'am Doris, was the one going to and fro preparing breakfast consisting of two slices of dragon fruit, two slices of orange, two slices of watermelon, and two pieces of toast. Miss Suki informed us of the regulations in the hostel. Check-in would be at two o'clock in the afternoon (so we cannot use the bedrooms yet, and no breakfast yet), but we can already utilize some of the facilities such as the restrooms, the computers, free internet, the seats in the reception area, the free WiFi, and the rooftop.
Because we did not have breakfast yet, it was best to survey the area. The location of Green Kiwi Backpacker Hostel at Lavender Street is very strategic for it has a food court nearby. Meanwhile, at the food court, we searched for familiar food and settled for rice porridge. I forgot the price, maybe it was $3, and I forgot the exact name. All I remembered was that it had meat, peanuts, and chopped scallion. The peanuts in it were really tasty and fresh, and it reminded me of boiled peanuts sold in public markets here in our own country. Now, I'm not going to stop writing this just because I am looking for boiled peanuts.
After breakfast, we went to the rooftop to rest. I don't care what other people say about the rooftop in reviews in TripAdvisor, but I like the comfort and the hospitality of the rooftop. It was like Lee Gak-wangjanim finding solace in Park Ha's rooftop house in the Korean drama "Rooftop Prince." We stayed there until almost twelve. And finally, at twelve, we killed time by surfing the net at the reception area while waiting for two in the afternoon. And it was only on this day that I got to read about the mauling incident that happened to Ferdinand Hipolito Navarro, popularly known as Vhong Navarro. Hmmm... And it was also during this time that Miss Carol, one of the staff at the hostel, asked us in Tagalog what on earth the gossip was about, and we learned that she is Filipino. ^_^
Finally, at two, we checked in and were given keys to Room 3. We refreshed ourselves and slept, promising to go out and roam around when we wake up. But damn! I woke up at almost eight at night, and it was too late to go sightseeing. The only thing I could do was to head out of the room to eat. I went to the food court and tried to purchase something to eat that was worth only a dollar, and all I got was sponge cake. The Scrooge is taking over me, as usual. Nevertheless, it was still all right because digestion slows down at night, and it is not good to eat a heavy meal before bedtime. Sponge cake plus two glasses of water was more than just fine. It was satisfying. Tita, meanwhile, woke up later than I did, and headed out to look for food. It took her some expedition to find out that there is a convenient store nearby. "Cheers" to that!
****
Day 2 was a Sunday, and according to my research, there was the Cathedral of the Good Shepherd where we can hear mass at 8:30 AM. In the counter, we met another staff, Nesty by name (we got to know she's Filipino when we darted out of the door and she bid us goodbye in our dialect). Tita and I finally had our first breakfast, and when Ma'am Doris asked me whether I like coffee or tea, I settled for tea. I had to find a store where I can buy Yakult, but because it was out of reach just yet, a healthy drink like tea was all I needed. We asked for directions by bus, but I totally had forgotten to ask them regarding the fare, so the realization hit me when the bus actually stopped in front of us. Can you spell "bloopers?" Anyway, it was a very embarrassing moment for us because I forgot where we should take off, and good thing, Tita remembered "City Hall." Despite the miscommunication, the bus driver assisted us and told us that the fare to City Hall from Lavender Street was $1.30.
 |
| Tourist map we got at Changi Airport |
To make the long story short, from Changi Airport MRT, we got down at Tanah Merah and boarded on a train to Joo Koon. Why? Because that train will pass by Lavender MRT. When we got there, we had to ask for directions to our destination, the Green Kiwi Backpacker Hostel. It was a long walk, but we were able to get there, thanks to citizens who answered our questions and gave us directions.
When we arrived there, Tita confirmed the reservation, and I can remember well it was Miss Suki who welcomed us at the reception counter. Meanwhile, a lovely older woman, Ma'am Doris, was the one going to and fro preparing breakfast consisting of two slices of dragon fruit, two slices of orange, two slices of watermelon, and two pieces of toast. Miss Suki informed us of the regulations in the hostel. Check-in would be at two o'clock in the afternoon (so we cannot use the bedrooms yet, and no breakfast yet), but we can already utilize some of the facilities such as the restrooms, the computers, free internet, the seats in the reception area, the free WiFi, and the rooftop.
Because we did not have breakfast yet, it was best to survey the area. The location of Green Kiwi Backpacker Hostel at Lavender Street is very strategic for it has a food court nearby. Meanwhile, at the food court, we searched for familiar food and settled for rice porridge. I forgot the price, maybe it was $3, and I forgot the exact name. All I remembered was that it had meat, peanuts, and chopped scallion. The peanuts in it were really tasty and fresh, and it reminded me of boiled peanuts sold in public markets here in our own country. Now, I'm not going to stop writing this just because I am looking for boiled peanuts.
After breakfast, we went to the rooftop to rest. I don't care what other people say about the rooftop in reviews in TripAdvisor, but I like the comfort and the hospitality of the rooftop. It was like Lee Gak-wangjanim finding solace in Park Ha's rooftop house in the Korean drama "Rooftop Prince." We stayed there until almost twelve. And finally, at twelve, we killed time by surfing the net at the reception area while waiting for two in the afternoon. And it was only on this day that I got to read about the mauling incident that happened to Ferdinand Hipolito Navarro, popularly known as Vhong Navarro. Hmmm... And it was also during this time that Miss Carol, one of the staff at the hostel, asked us in Tagalog what on earth the gossip was about, and we learned that she is Filipino. ^_^
Finally, at two, we checked in and were given keys to Room 3. We refreshed ourselves and slept, promising to go out and roam around when we wake up. But damn! I woke up at almost eight at night, and it was too late to go sightseeing. The only thing I could do was to head out of the room to eat. I went to the food court and tried to purchase something to eat that was worth only a dollar, and all I got was sponge cake. The Scrooge is taking over me, as usual. Nevertheless, it was still all right because digestion slows down at night, and it is not good to eat a heavy meal before bedtime. Sponge cake plus two glasses of water was more than just fine. It was satisfying. Tita, meanwhile, woke up later than I did, and headed out to look for food. It took her some expedition to find out that there is a convenient store nearby. "Cheers" to that!
****
Day 2 was a Sunday, and according to my research, there was the Cathedral of the Good Shepherd where we can hear mass at 8:30 AM. In the counter, we met another staff, Nesty by name (we got to know she's Filipino when we darted out of the door and she bid us goodbye in our dialect). Tita and I finally had our first breakfast, and when Ma'am Doris asked me whether I like coffee or tea, I settled for tea. I had to find a store where I can buy Yakult, but because it was out of reach just yet, a healthy drink like tea was all I needed. We asked for directions by bus, but I totally had forgotten to ask them regarding the fare, so the realization hit me when the bus actually stopped in front of us. Can you spell "bloopers?" Anyway, it was a very embarrassing moment for us because I forgot where we should take off, and good thing, Tita remembered "City Hall." Despite the miscommunication, the bus driver assisted us and told us that the fare to City Hall from Lavender Street was $1.30.
Finally, on to our destination. We walked to Victoria Street, thinking that the edifice with the cross on top was already the church. It turned out, it is CHIJMES. I will not elaborate what the building is because I am not Wikipedia. Anyway, using the GPS in Tita's phone, we walked around trying to find the Cathedral of the Good Shepherd, only to find out it was undergoing major restoration. We walked on to find the Church of Saints Peter and Paul. By the time we got there, the mass was already in the middle and it was in Chinese. We found a list of schedule and saw that an English mass would be at eleven in the morning. A kindhearted Singaporean approached us and informed us that along Victoria Street, there is the Saint Joseph's Church, with the mass at 10:30 AM. Maybe she took pity on us after seeing our confused facial expressions. And off we went.
Inside Saint Joseph's Church, we were 45 minutes early for the next mass, and we listened to the choir practicing English songs with Chinese tunes. It turned out that the choir was from the renovated Cathedral, and that Saint Joseph's Church had taken the Cathedral under its wings for the meantime. The choir was practicing the songs that they will be singing for the nine o'clock morning mass on Chinese New Year. After minutes of waiting, we were finally able to attend our first out-of-the-country mass.
After the mass, Tita and I walked trying to look for food because it was already lunch time. Finally, we reached Bugis+, a stylish mall with an architecture design that took my breath away. Who designed the building? It is totally daebak ^_^ ! Anyway, we went to their food court and bought our lunch. After lunch, we strolled around, admiring all the cute stuff such as Rilakkuma and Hello Kitty, gaping in wonder at the stylish clothes, getting ourselves mesmerized at the books and the mangas, and me squealing in fangirling mode to see a magazine with CN Blue in front! "외톨이야, 외톨이야, daradirdaradu~~~~"
After our Bugis+ escapade, we went back to the hostel to refresh ourselves and to recharge our cellphone batteries before heading out for Little India. We forgot about the Boon Keng MRT, so we walked from Lavender Street all the way to Little India. Hey, I'm definitely not complaining because of the beautiful view and the friendly weather. On the way to Little India, we passed by Serangoon Road, and hey, Serangoon Road is not just a title of a movie. Little India is definitely a cool place to be, with colorful establishments and stores to purchase good deals. Filipinos are fond of pasalubongs, so, why not? Let me just keep to myself what I bought for my parents and for my relatives. Anyhow, we spent most of the afternoon around Little India, even going to two of their malls there.
Next stop was Orchard. If my memory served me right, there's this place in Orchard Road where Filipinos linger, according to a news magazine program on the television. I have to know where it is, I thought. When we got out of the Orchard MRT, we exited a dome-like structure in the ION Orchard. ION Orchard is a ritzy shopping mall that houses some of the world's famous brands. You name it: Prada, Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Cartier, Dolce & Gabbana, and Dior. The place was really high-end and sparkling! I saw Shaw House across the street and Marriott Hotel on the other side. It was almost six, but it was still bright, so I caught a glimpse of people who looked like Filipinos. My feet were killing me, so I went to where these people sat and took a rest. Of course, the people were talking in Tagalog, so when the one sitting beside me finished her talk with the one at the back, I began to ask her if she's Pinay, and she affirmed. How happy I was! Anyway, to make the long story short, Tita and I got to know the Pinay that we call Ate Mira. I will not divulge what her work is because I did not ask permission, and I think it is not my right to tell it here. We were talking about home and jobs and current events that occurred in the country the past year, such as the infamous typhoon Yolanda. Later on, when I asked about the Pinoys who loitered around Orchard Road, she told us about Lucky Plaza. She told us how Filipinos spent their Sunday afternoons in Singapore. When I asked about Jollibee, she told us that it can also be found at Lucky Plaza. Hmmm, if my fave girl group 2NE1 should visit Singapore (again), Sandara Park should go eat at Jollibee and make her Filipino fans happy with her krung-krung ways. Anyway, we exchanged Facebook profiles, and Ate Mira also offered to take our pictures. She's so kind! She made our stay in Singapore very memorable. If I will be going back to Singapore, I will definitely meet up with her again.
Tita and I, the hungry walking diaries, walked along Orchard Road trying to find a way to cross the street, for Lucky Plaza was some distance away across ION Orchard. When we saw the edifice of Lucky Plaza, I was thrilled! I saw my favorite bank (Philippine National Bank) and some other Filipino stores. While trying to find a way to cross the street properly, we met several different and interesting people. There was this cool Asian street performer with dreadlocks, and he was balancing a crystal ball while dancing to some cool music. A few meters away were Indians dancing to some Latin beat. And going further, there were Filipinos with matching t-shirts dancing to some ballroom music. Because there was no way to go across, we retraced our steps, got back inside ION, and found the underpass going to Tang Plaza. Thank goodness we made it! Our tired feet sacrificed happily for us, until we finally stepped inside Lucky Plaza. I found a Globe Telecom store, and another one for Smart. There were many other Filipino stores that we were not able to go and visit. Anyway, inside the elevator, I heard some kids talking about Mang Inasal. I didn't know it was also there because the only thing I knew was Jollibee. Anyhow, we were out of luck when we reached the floor to Jollibee, for the store was closed for the night, and the staff were just waiting for the customers to finish. 헐~~~ 짜증나! The only thing I was able to do was to take a shot of the happy bee mascot. Anyway, there's lots of Jollibee here in the country... The other only thing we got to do was to eat at McDonald's, for the store is open for 24 hours. After our late dinner, Tita continued to buy more pasalubongs, consisting mostly of Merlion-shaped chocolates.
After our trip, we went back to our home sweet home, Green Kiwi Backpacker Hostel. After all our walk, walk, walk, the hostel always waited for us with warm and open arms. A good night's rest awaited us, and good days ahead in our Singapore vacation were also waiting to be explored.
Anyway, please stay tuned for Days 3 and 4 in the next entry.
좋은 하루 되세요!
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