[Super & Singapore] One City, One Country

📍 Singapore · 👁 1710 reads · ❤️ 3 likes

Marina Bay Light Show

Maxwell Food Centre

Marina Bay Sands Shopping Mall

Morning flight, arrived in Singapore in the afternoon.

Immigration was simple, just self-service clearance, basically didn't take much time.

Singapore Airport has very good indoor greenery.

Slightly different from other airports, the arrival and departure corridors are the same, meaning on the way to immigration, there are restaurants and duty-free shops on both sides.

Originally Plan A was to eat at VivoCity and then take the Mount Faber cable car to Sentosa; but after a 6+ hour flight, both adults and kids were tired, so we didn't linger and went with Plan B: from the 4th floor of VivoCity (yes, the fourth floor), take the Sentosa Express monorail directly to the hotel.

The monorail crosses the sea to Sentosa Island, about 10 minutes. On both sides of the monorail are views of the southern bay, mainly cargo shipping. Below the monorail you can see the Sentosa Boardwalk, which is fully sheltered from sun and rain. If you have energy, walking to Sentosa Island would also be a good option.

The hotel was better than expected, facing the sea. The indoor space was also acceptable.

The best part was the infinity pool on the 4th floor, right facing the sea, perfect for watching the sunset.

It's a bit far from the core area, but it doesn't really matter—just the difference between 5 minutes and 15 minutes.

Around the hotel, you can see peacocks strolling leisurely (according to Singapore law, feeding is prohibited).

Set off to the core area of Sentosa (around Universal Studios) for dinner.

Went to the area near the entrance of Universal Studios Sentosa for dinner and settled on "Putien". Michelin-starred, made a reservation and queued for a table (about 20 minutes).

While waiting for a seat, we had time to look around.

Actually, there weren't many tourists that day, so dining options were quite abundant.

Took the kid to the nearby candy store. Not necessarily very distinctive, but the lively and bustling layout was attractive enough for children.

Text and photos in Singapore are mainly in English and Chinese, Malay is also common, and Japanese and Korean characters are rare. English is the common language, and many Malay and Arab faces can't understand Chinese.

The Michelin taste was pretty good. Value for money? Haha, haha.

But the service was really good. The staff were cheerful and energetic throughout, making you feel they enjoyed interacting with you.

(Experienced the same vibe at Tokyo Disneyland; as for the highly praised Jumbo Seafood we went to later, the staff's spirit? Hmm.)

Before 10 PM, most shops were closed, not like the typical impression of a resort.

The island was very quiet.

Woke up early in the morning. From the balcony, you could see cargo ships in the port south of Singapore.

The pool I had been longing for—the water temperature in the morning was unexpectedly mild, not as cold as expected.

Played in the water for a while. Since there was still a long time before Universal Studios opened at 11 AM, we headed to the coast for a stroll.

Singapore's road design isn't particularly exquisite, but it generally considers shelter from sun and rain; umbrellas are indeed not very necessary.

The 7-Eleven on the beach was full of tropical vibes, colorful under the sunlight.

The beach in the early morning had no tourists yet.

At the end of the coast, there is a very small island very close to the beach, connected by a suspension bridge.

Across the bridge, you reach the southernmost point of the Asian continental plate. Further south is Indonesia, which, though still part of Asia, belongs to island land in terms of continental plates.

The seawater under the suspension bridge didn't look blue or green, but clear and refreshing.

On Sentosa Island, distances between places are short. When we arrived at Universal Studios, it hadn't opened yet.

Not wanting to queue, we strolled around the shops.

The queue wasn't long, so we entered the park quickly (you can exit midway; just get a stamp from the staff to re-enter).

The park has seven themed zones. The entrance theme is Hollywood.

Going counterclockwise:

Sci-Fi City (Transformers)

Ancient Egypt (The Mummy)

The Lost World (Jurassic Park, Water World)

Far Far Away (DreamWorks' Shrek)

Madagascar (DreamWorks' Madagascar) – under renovation.

The kid clearly stated they didn't intend to try the big thrilling rides.

As for the parade, it was a bit underwhelming, not comparable to other parks.

For queue-based attractions, the kid preferred shopping and wandering around.

Overall, Universal Studios Singapore is very, very small, and there's no Harry Potter castle.

Ever since the kid experienced the Skyline Luge at Queenstown, New Zealand, they've been longing for it.

We left Universal Studios early and headed to the beach for the Skyline Luge.

The luge has no engine; it relies entirely on gravity to slide down. A cable car takes riders to the top of the hill, then they slide down to the beach.

We had a lot of fun, not leaving until the lights came on, feeling satisfied.

Went back to the area near Universal Studios for dinner. The crowd dispersed early, with few tourists. The lighting wasn't very bright either.

Malaysian Food Street.

In the morning, went back from Sentosa Island to downtown Singapore.

First had breakfast at VivoCity.

In just two days, it felt like the holiday was approaching, and there were noticeably more tourists heading into Sentosa.

On the MRT, some locals were playing mahjong (why locals? Besides appearance, the main thing was the mahjong mobile game was in English—English!!).

The hotel and Raffles City Shopping Centre are connected, making shopping quite convenient.

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After resting at the hotel, went to the Botanical Garden in the afternoon.

It was bigger than expected; we walked for a long time.

At the beginning, there were mostly large lawns.

The kid's favorite were the pigeons and chickens they chased, jokingly calling them "free-range chickens."

Interestingly, there is a children's playground in the botanical garden, where the kid played for a long time like in a soft play area.

Deeper into the botanical garden, the plants gradually became taller.

Got hungry and had a meal in the botanical garden.

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Tired and didn't feel like going to the Night Safari, so we changed plans and went shopping on Orchard Road.

Orchard Road is similar to the commercial pedestrian streets in various cities in China.

Didn't think the ice cream on the street was particularly outstanding; it just followed the trend of internet-famous spots.

Little Blue Cup (Luckin Coffee) has probably overcome its difficulties and become a healthy commercial brand.

Orchard Road was bustling with people.

At 10 PM, the malls closed on time. So much for 24-hour operation?

On the way back to the hotel, we hit the evening rush hour; the MRT crowd was completely different from when we arrived.

Slept in. In the morning, first went to the landmark "Merlion" to take photos.

Along the way, we passed some attractions marked on the map, like the City Hall and the Art Museum, but didn't stop much.

The Merlion is located at Merlion Park, near Marina Bay. You can see it after walking under a bridge.

The Merlion is a mythical creature with a lion's head and a fish's body, used as a tourism mascot and the national embodiment of Singapore.

It wasn't a holiday probably, so there weren't many tourists. After taking photos, we planned to wander around Chinatown.

First went to Lau Pa Sat for breakfast (opens at 10 AM). It's a Victorian cast-iron architecture building.

How was the taste? Just average.

Next plan was to walk from Lau Pa Sat through Ann Siang Hill to the Singapore City Gallery.

"Ann Siang Hill, a famous hill in Singapore, near Chinatown. Club Street there is renowned among bar enthusiasts worldwide." (Tao Lixia, Traveling Apart)

The street name is "Club," a transliteration.

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We intentionally visited a niche place, the "Singapore City Gallery," to experience how a small fishing village became a modern developed country.

At the entrance of the gallery, we started to get into the mood.

Honestly, the kid has no talent in piano at all; musical aptitude is below average. It's been a struggle to persist until now.

Playing the piano keys on the street, for once, they seemed to enjoy it.

The kid prefers drawing. In the gallery, they appreciated various hand-drawn drafts and architectural blueprints.

It felt like here, they understood the difference between detailed drawings and sketches. After returning to China, we bought two books for learning; we'll see how it goes.

Before, when drawing, they focused on fine details but still ended up with childish cartoons. Here, they exclaimed, "So this is how you draw to make it look so nice."

We spent a long time exploring the gallery.

The interactive displays were highly engaging; even a 10-year-old could immerse themselves.

To summarize, the gallery is quite niche. Our family basically treated it like a beautifully made PowerPoint to appreciate and understand.

Different people have different tastes.

1. Design the city, not just buildings; focus on space usage. Compared to buildings themselves, pay more attention to the relationship between buildings and public spaces. Emphasize micro-circulation in districts and systematic design of underground spaces.

2. A quality urban walking system, where life and local vibrancy are the city's vitality. Complete ground-level walking corridors and underground pedestrian networks.

3. The city's vitality comes from people; its development depends on people. Let citizens step out of their homes and out of their cars, which adds the warmth of everyday life to the city.

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Maxwell Food Centre was nearby. The most famous there is "Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice," along with some other recommended foods.

The taste felt better than Lau Pa Sat (maybe not really; probably just the environment).

It seems that dining places need a strong sense of everyday life to be more essential than seasonings.

As a developed country, there's no doubt about Singapore's living standards and social welfare.

But one interesting thing: I always feel that Singaporeans have a kind of overall blue-collar vibe. Stalls are messy, clothes are shabby, and locals do the dirty and hard work. Quite interesting and worth thinking about.

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From the map, the distance to the hotel was manageable, so we didn't need the MRT; we could walk.

Chinatown is roughly in a Chinese style, with arcade-style buildings common in southern cities—shops below, residences above, with awnings forming walkways for shade and rain protection.

On both sides of the street, there are Buddhist and Hindu buildings, which didn't feel out of place.

Crossing the Singapore River, the architecture became more modern, and we could see the vertical greenery buildings often featured in introductions to Singapore.

Along the way, there were also photo-stop buildings like Parliament House, but we didn't stop much.

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Tired, we rested in the hotel in the afternoon. From the balcony, seeing few pool guests, we went downstairs to swim.

The sky was overcast, with light rain and wind. Under the clouds, we could see the Peace Monument below the balcony, and in the distance, the Marina Bay Sands and the Singapore Flyer.

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In the evening, took the MRT to Marina Bay Sands shopping mall.

The hotel imitates The Venetian with an indoor river, ending at a waterfall.

We made a reservation for luxury brand entry time. During the wait, we went to the observation deck.

From the observation deck, we could see the Marina Bay light show.

Had dinner at the Marina Bay Sands Food Court.

By the time we returned to the hotel, it was very late, with few MRT passengers.

Had breakfast at Raffles City.

The morning itinerary was to explore Marina Bay.

After carefully researching bike-sharing options, we decided to download the local bike-sharing app "WHEEL" (green bikes). Compared to Hello Bike (which requires ID binding and payment), we could directly pay via WeChat QR code, which was much more convenient.

From the hotel, we walked toward the direction of the "Durian" (Esplanade Theatres). Later we found bike-sharing stations around Raffles City. In the distance, we could see the Marina Bay Sands.

"Haidilao" hotpot restaurants on both sides of the street felt very familiar.

Cycling route: B --> K

This route around Marina Bay is very bike-friendly, both in terms of road smoothness and the scenery on both sides.

Let the pictures speak; no need for many words.

Note that in areas with many tourists or near hotels and attractions, there are signs indicating to walk the bike, not ride.

Tired, we bought an ice cream and rested by Marina Bay. The slightly cloudy weather was comfortable.

On the road, we occasionally saw a lizard about 1 meter long, acting as if no one was around.

Walked the bike over the Helix Bridge and returned it at a docking station near Marina Bay Sands.

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Actually, the cycling route around Marina Bay overlaps with the Singapore F1 circuit.

The Singapore Grand Prix is the first night race in F1 history, one of the most glamorous events of the season, and a track all drivers aspire to conquer.

It's like cycling along a Formula 1 route.

Raffles City, where the hotel is, is a corner of the circuit.

Going counterclockwise from here is the route we took yesterday from the hotel to the Merlion.

The area where we scanned the shared bike near the Durian is also where the F1 circuit turns into the riverside.

Reaching the Marina Bay section of the circuit, there are grandstands and a floating stage on both sides, where many F1 spectators buy tickets to watch the race.

Busting a bike on the track.

Further ahead, turn near the Singapore Flyer.

The circuit is 5.067 km long, with 61 laps, total race distance 309.087 km. There are 23 corners. From the layout, it's a medium-low speed track. After the start, a long straight leads to Turn 1 at 7th gear 290 km/h, the second highest speed point on the track. Turns 1, 2, and 3 are three consecutive deceleration corners; exiting Turn 3, speed drops to 2nd gear 90 km/h.

Then a short straight. Turn 4 is a wide-open sweeper; drivers can go full throttle, speed rising to 4th gear 200 km/h, but Turn 5 is nearly a 90° right-hander, dropping to 3rd gear 135 km/h. Then a longer straight. Turn 6, like Turn 4, is a wide-angle corner, taken at 7th gear 280 km/h, and before Turn 7, speed reaches 7th gear 298 km/h, the track's highest speed point.

Turns 7, 8, and 9 are three consecutive 90° corners, speed from 3rd gear 110 km/h down to 2nd gear 94 km/h, accelerating to 3rd gear 126 km/h exiting Turn 9, then a straight reaching 5th gear 240 km/h, but then heavy braking to 3rd gear 135 km/h for Turn 10. Turns 11 and 12 are a short accelerating section, speed around 4th gear 180 km/h, then Turn 13 drops to 1st gear 80 km/h.

Then a longer straight, max speed 7th gear 280 km/h, then 2nd gear 85 km/h through Turn 14 (right-angle). Turn 15 at about 5th gear 230 km/h, but Turns 16 and 17 are two deceleration corners, exit speed 3rd gear 126 km/h, then Turn 18 is even slower, 2nd gear 80 km/h. Turns 19 and 20 are two consecutive right-handers, slight acceleration, exiting Turn 21 (left) at 3rd gear 126 km/h.

Then a short straight, leaving Turns 22 and 23, two accelerating left-handers, speed quickly from 3rd gear 150 km/h to about 4th gear 200 km/h, then drivers sprint to the finish line.

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After parking the shared bike on the west side of Marina Bay Sands, cross through the mall to reach the ArtScience Museum shaped like a lotus.

Quickly sketched birds, planes, butterflies... scanned and projected onto a large screen behind, soaring freely in another dimension.

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From the fourth floor of Marina Bay Sands, you can cross a bridge directly to Gardens by the Bay.

Steel Supertrees.

Originally planned to come back at night to see the colorful lights and visit the Flower Dome.

But, however, after dinner we got lazy...

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For dinner, we went to Jumbo Seafood at Clarke Quay for crab.

Clarke Quay is part of the Singapore River waterfront.

Walking along the Singapore River traces back to the 19th century, when trade brought vitality to this seaside town. From the dirty, crowded shantytowns of the past to today's numerous lively restaurants, it's also a place for locals to gather.

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After dinner, we strolled back to the hotel along Clarke Quay.

Similar to China, the riverside is full of bars and entertainment facilities.

Passed the Old Hill Street Police Station, the famous rainbow-colored windows photo spot.

When I was researching Singapore's smart city initiatives, I came across an article mentioning "Funan Mall," so we made a point to visit it.

It's similar to malls in China, mainly with restaurants and educational institutions. But the bike lane leading directly from the road into the mall impressed me.

Returned to the hotel; it was already dark.

From the balcony, the hotel's pool and tennis courts looked like a palette.

In the early morning, went cycling towards the sunrise.

Few pedestrians on the road. The morning sun bathed the distant Marina Bay Sands and Singapore Flyer in gold.

Not many cars either, so cycling was smooth.

First, we toured Gardens by the Bay, where many people were exercising.

Midway, I swapped the shared bike to reset the single-use time (24-hour cycling package, unlimited rides, but each ride incurs extra fee after 1 hour).

Returned the shared bike. Compared to China, the process had an extra step: after locking, you need to scan the QR code on the ground. This seems effective in preventing random parking.

Singapore's cycling rules are the same as for motor vehicles: ride on the left near the sidewalk.

Cycled a bit farther to the trendy spots (Haji Lane and the mosque). Online search for photo guides always features this place.

Haji Lane is adjacent to Kampong Glam, which belongs to the Malays, the original inhabitants of Singapore.

Taking advantage of the sparse tourists, we cycled and filmed freely.

Compared to the internet-famous photos in photography guides, seeing the whole picture? I can only say hmm, hmm, so-so, so-so, so-so, so-so...

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On the way back to the hotel, there were still few pedestrians.

Just in time to eat at "Ya Kun." We had been once before but queued too long and gave up.

"A taste of old times. As dawn broke, continuing the nostalgic mood, I went to the 60-year-old heritage brand 'Ya Kun' for the famous kaya toast. Toasted bread seems simple—city people toast a few slices almost every morning—but Ya Kun's toast is spread with a secret-recipe kaya sweet jam, crispy on the outside, even if the appearance is messy, it gave my taste buds a happy satisfaction." (Tao Lixia, Traveling Apart)

The queue wasn't actually that long, but it took ages, ages...

When I got to the front, I understood why. It wasn't due to complicated preparation or too many people, but purely because of process flaws and staff shortcomings.

Four staff: the first sat taking bread from the oven, cutting horizontally, adding filling, unhurried and slow; the second occasionally cleared plates, otherwise sat idle; the third was in charge of coffee; the fourth, slightly older, handled eggs, mixed milk tea, took orders, confirmed orders, and collected payment... About 5 minutes per customer.

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In the morning, after swimming and resting, checked out and went to the airport.

Singapore Airport's facilities, like the famous slide and Jewel Changi, are all before security.

The airport's layout and atmosphere feel more like a shopping mall.

In the hall with the famous slide, there were several groups of local students rehearsing street dance, much like what you see in plazas and streets back in China.

Terminals are T1, T2, T3, T4; T4 is quite far. Jewel Changi, also called "the Gem," is located in the middle of the three terminals, accessible via walkways.

It's like an entertainment center, designed as a rainforest with a waterfall cascading from the top.

The top floor has children's activities like trampolines and a mirror maze.

Played from afternoon into the evening. Jewel's lights came on, warm and colorful.

After security, we gave the remaining change to the kid to buy their own souvenirs.

A midnight red-eye flight. Woke up to a red sun outside the window.

Travelogue Directory

1. Singapore Check-in: Conan "The Fist of Blue Sapphire"

2. Singapore Check-in: F1 City Circuit

3. D01 - Singapore, Sentosa

4. D02 - Sentosa, Universal Studios, Skyline

5. D3: Botanical Garden & Orchard Road

6. D4: Merlion, Chinatown & Marina Bay Sands