Da Doll Descends on Singapore!!!
Sunday, Bloody Sunday...
I'd been invited to give another workshop, along with Melvin Ho from Circlesong, Hekko from Indonesia, who's a member of Indonesian a capella group Jamaica Cafe and Angie Choo and Hui Min of NANU fame...
Ironically, the weather during the two days we were cooped up in workshops were pleasant, sight-seeing-worthy days. When I'd gone to pick Da Doll up from the Orchard Road MRT station by the end of the second day of workshops, I didn't have any fore-warning that our outings from then on were going to be severely hampered by tetchy weather.
Since the Christmas lights had been lit, and the Whimsical Christmas theme was something close to my only offspring's (Barbie-doll aligned) heart, I decided to walk with her to check out the deco. Turns out this was a good decision, as we didn't have an opportunity to re-visit Orchard Rd again after that.
Da Doll in front of a revolving cabinet of life-sized ballerinas (of Nutcracker fame)... this display was directly in front of Whee Lock.
That tartan paper bag in her hand contained my new bag from CK Jeans. I'd sent my laptop bag along with my dad, which also meant I didn't have anything to carry my wallet and our passports in.
It's really a cheap brand, but was water-proof, which I reckoned would help a lot, as we were going to be visiting the pink dolphins, and there was a further discount of 30% off the second item. Small wonder I went for it :)
I mean, how many Le Sport Sac bags can a girl get before it gets old? I'm all for practical bags, not fashionable names. Not many handbags can keep the rain off, and getting a passport wet is not the wisest thing to do, no matter how much a brand-bitch a person can get.
Okay lah, I was also on a budget :) But it sufficed! And I like it. So there :p
That tartan paper bag in her hand contained my new bag from CK Jeans. I'd sent my laptop bag along with my dad, which also meant I didn't have anything to carry my wallet and our passports in.
It's really a cheap brand, but was water-proof, which I reckoned would help a lot, as we were going to be visiting the pink dolphins, and there was a further discount of 30% off the second item. Small wonder I went for it :)
I mean, how many Le Sport Sac bags can a girl get before it gets old? I'm all for practical bags, not fashionable names. Not many handbags can keep the rain off, and getting a passport wet is not the wisest thing to do, no matter how much a brand-bitch a person can get.
Okay lah, I was also on a budget :) But it sufficed! And I like it. So there :p
Monday, Goodbyes to Hekko and Mia, Hello Shopping!
In order: Hekko, Mia and Da Doll...after we'd cashed in our cheques at UOB. Mia and Da Doll got along like a house on fire! :)
The infamous Merlion, in front of the equally infamous Fullerton Hotel. Snapped this from the Wacky Duck... an amphibious tour bus/boat that splashed cheerfully into the marina before taking us on a half hour tour of the bay in front of the Esplanade, the Eye of Singapore, and of course the Merlion... fairly decent tour, this. After splashing around, we took a quick tour of the Padang area, which included a church that had been struck by lightning not just once, nor twice, but three times. Disturbing :)
The floating stadium. Apparently, the first F1 street race to be held at night (which will coincidentally run through most of Singapore) will pass this area. I tried looking at the strip of road between the bleachers and the floating arena.. I don't know how they're going to do it, as it looks barely large enough to accomodate a lorry, much less recklessly racing drivers. Hmm....
The Singaporean Eye. Apparently fully booked for the first 3 months since it's officially opening sometime next year, each individual "compartment" holds 30 people (I may have this figure wrong, actually), and has been reserved from events like weddings, to corporate functions. There's just not much you can say to that :)
The Duck, wading out of the water, and onto dry land. Da Doll enjoyed this tour a lot, especially since she made a new friend from Australia. Children always amaze me at how easily they make friends with each other.
Since we had the apartment until Monday before we had to move out, we moved into the Siloso Beach Resort on Sentosa Island on Monday afternoon. The room we were given was just nice, with a flat screen TV and a variety of channels from different countries. It was cozy, and due to being a new resort, the plaster on the walls and the general lay-out was tidy. I think the only unsightly thing on the premises was the huge garbage disposal unit, located at the far end of the grounds. It was visible, even though the free-form pool is 95m long, as the unit was located at the far end of said pool.
We were lucky to get twin beds. House-keeping was friendly and prompt, and I especially enjoyed the breakfast buffet. It wasn't a large spread, but the noodles were especially good, and they served Korean rice with kimchi... possibly the only kimchi I have ever enjoyed, and ever will. Simple food, but well prepared. Bliss :)
The infamous Merlion, in front of the equally infamous Fullerton Hotel. Snapped this from the Wacky Duck... an amphibious tour bus/boat that splashed cheerfully into the marina before taking us on a half hour tour of the bay in front of the Esplanade, the Eye of Singapore, and of course the Merlion... fairly decent tour, this. After splashing around, we took a quick tour of the Padang area, which included a church that had been struck by lightning not just once, nor twice, but three times. Disturbing :)
The floating stadium. Apparently, the first F1 street race to be held at night (which will coincidentally run through most of Singapore) will pass this area. I tried looking at the strip of road between the bleachers and the floating arena.. I don't know how they're going to do it, as it looks barely large enough to accomodate a lorry, much less recklessly racing drivers. Hmm....
The Singaporean Eye. Apparently fully booked for the first 3 months since it's officially opening sometime next year, each individual "compartment" holds 30 people (I may have this figure wrong, actually), and has been reserved from events like weddings, to corporate functions. There's just not much you can say to that :)
The Duck, wading out of the water, and onto dry land. Da Doll enjoyed this tour a lot, especially since she made a new friend from Australia. Children always amaze me at how easily they make friends with each other.
Since we had the apartment until Monday before we had to move out, we moved into the Siloso Beach Resort on Sentosa Island on Monday afternoon. The room we were given was just nice, with a flat screen TV and a variety of channels from different countries. It was cozy, and due to being a new resort, the plaster on the walls and the general lay-out was tidy. I think the only unsightly thing on the premises was the huge garbage disposal unit, located at the far end of the grounds. It was visible, even though the free-form pool is 95m long, as the unit was located at the far end of said pool.
We were lucky to get twin beds. House-keeping was friendly and prompt, and I especially enjoyed the breakfast buffet. It wasn't a large spread, but the noodles were especially good, and they served Korean rice with kimchi... possibly the only kimchi I have ever enjoyed, and ever will. Simple food, but well prepared. Bliss :)
Tuesday, Where the Fun REALLY Begins :p
Some landscaper's idea of art. As you can see, Da Doll quickly clambered up on the letter "L". This piece of "art" was located towards the end of Siloso beach. Our hotel has 2 entrances. One from the main road (and is quite a walk to the bus station, coincidentally the one located in front of Sentosa's Underwater World), and the other is in front of the beach.
The beach entrance is also the restaurant entrance, with al fresco dining, and a beach tram station directly in front of it. The beach tram goes all the way to the Beach Station, the new express linking VivoCity to Sentosa Island. As you can see, traveling to our hotel is technically no hassle. Never mind the fact that the beach tram is a slow mode of transportation :)
Also, hotel guests are provided passes for the duration of their stay, so the express, buses, entry at the gateway into Sentosa (which means the taxi entry rate is waived) are all free.
On our first morning on the island, we decided to walk along the beach road from our hotel to the Underwater World. Apparently, peacocks are free-ranging, and problematic. A sign in the car park warning car owners that peacock damage to their vehicles were at the unfortunate victims' risk, led me to believe it was a good decision not to drive down :)
You'll note that there are not a lot of pictures taken on Tuesday, as the weather was especially bad then.
Deciding to cover as much ground as possible, Tuesday morning was spent watching the fishies, and Tuesday afternoon was spent watching the birdies. The people-friendly Australian Lorikeets, obviously used to lots of free eats from silly tourists (like myself), were overjoyed when we purchased two cuppies, and proceeded to land on us, going so far as to climb on our shoulders, heads, hands, and cups.
Fights quickly ensued amongst the feather-brains, and Da Doll's grin turned to fear. The birds were hungry and impatient, and were starting to dig their sharp little claws into our hands. Being of thicker skin, I endured stoically. Da Doll, however, fled from the feathered fiends, taking shelter in the gift shop at the entrance to the Lorikeet aviary.
The weather that day was quite foul, but luckily, since we'd spent our first day shopping like demons, and one of the first items I'd purchased were umbrellas from GAP, the rain bothered us not at all.
We managed to cover most points of interest in Jurong Bird Park, which included the penguin enclosure, the night birds, the birds of prey, the lorikeets, as well as the man-made waterfall.
We also came across Hekko and Mia, although they had sought refuge out of the rain at one of the train stations. I told Da Doll that only humans were bothered by rain, and in fact, a lot of birds were taking the opportunity to bathe and enjoy the shower.
We visited the pelicans and the swans. A crazy black swan pecked my hand, but since said hand was already numb from holding up five bickering lorikeets at a time, the pain barely registered. Da Doll didn't really enjoy Jurong as much as I'd hoped. I doubt that child can get a tattoo, if she can't handle a few little birds clinging to her hand :)
The beach entrance is also the restaurant entrance, with al fresco dining, and a beach tram station directly in front of it. The beach tram goes all the way to the Beach Station, the new express linking VivoCity to Sentosa Island. As you can see, traveling to our hotel is technically no hassle. Never mind the fact that the beach tram is a slow mode of transportation :)
Also, hotel guests are provided passes for the duration of their stay, so the express, buses, entry at the gateway into Sentosa (which means the taxi entry rate is waived) are all free.
On our first morning on the island, we decided to walk along the beach road from our hotel to the Underwater World. Apparently, peacocks are free-ranging, and problematic. A sign in the car park warning car owners that peacock damage to their vehicles were at the unfortunate victims' risk, led me to believe it was a good decision not to drive down :)
You'll note that there are not a lot of pictures taken on Tuesday, as the weather was especially bad then.
Deciding to cover as much ground as possible, Tuesday morning was spent watching the fishies, and Tuesday afternoon was spent watching the birdies. The people-friendly Australian Lorikeets, obviously used to lots of free eats from silly tourists (like myself), were overjoyed when we purchased two cuppies, and proceeded to land on us, going so far as to climb on our shoulders, heads, hands, and cups.
Fights quickly ensued amongst the feather-brains, and Da Doll's grin turned to fear. The birds were hungry and impatient, and were starting to dig their sharp little claws into our hands. Being of thicker skin, I endured stoically. Da Doll, however, fled from the feathered fiends, taking shelter in the gift shop at the entrance to the Lorikeet aviary.
The weather that day was quite foul, but luckily, since we'd spent our first day shopping like demons, and one of the first items I'd purchased were umbrellas from GAP, the rain bothered us not at all.
We managed to cover most points of interest in Jurong Bird Park, which included the penguin enclosure, the night birds, the birds of prey, the lorikeets, as well as the man-made waterfall.
We also came across Hekko and Mia, although they had sought refuge out of the rain at one of the train stations. I told Da Doll that only humans were bothered by rain, and in fact, a lot of birds were taking the opportunity to bathe and enjoy the shower.
We visited the pelicans and the swans. A crazy black swan pecked my hand, but since said hand was already numb from holding up five bickering lorikeets at a time, the pain barely registered. Da Doll didn't really enjoy Jurong as much as I'd hoped. I doubt that child can get a tattoo, if she can't handle a few little birds clinging to her hand :)
Wednesday, Feeling Crappy but Determined!
We were lucky on Wednesday. I'd managed to catch a cold on Sunday, but worsened it with our little rainy day jaunt at the birdpark the day before. Was feeling crappy, but had already splurged on a Park-Hopper ticket for each of us. Not wanting the $$ to go to waste, I hauled my exhausted body out of bed, dosed myself with all sorts of medicine, and dragged Da Doll off to the beach station, and on to the zoo.
I mentioned our good luck on Wednesday, because we'd managed to arrive in time for most of the animal feeding times. We caught the giraffes' feeding time. A trio of sweet giraffes were fed carrots not 2 feet away from where we stood, at an elevated wooden hut.
From the giraffes, we dashed over to catch the jaguar feeding. I love cats, and watching them feed was so exciting. The jaguars, one black (female) and one tan (male) chased happily after pieces of meat flung into the enclosure by their trainer.
It was so cute, watching these dangerous animals bound after the meat, going so far as to swim underwater for the food. The male was less averse to the water than the female, but I reckon she was just finicky, and had no real objection to getting wet, save vanity.
Eventually, she dived in to collect her food, fastidiously shaking herself dry after the ordeal was over. They are both sleek, well-fed cats, and absolutely beautiful. I loved them!
We also managed to catch the polar bear feeding time, and Da Doll fell in love with Inuka, the park-born male. No pictures were taken, save the ones stored in our heads :)
Seeing as this was Da Doll's first trip out of the country, and I wanted to savor her experiences as much as she was, we had lots of those obligatory touristy scam-photos taken. She has one taken while petting the pink dolphin, and the key-chain with said picture was hung proudly on her newly acquired Adidas bag :)
Other pictures purchased was a handshake with Carlos, the sea-lion, a charismatic black seal with a diva complex, as well as one with her skimming past the checkered line on the Sentosa Luge :)
Since I'd taken these satisfactorily, I saved myself some $$ and let her enjoy the ride instead :) One thing I have to say about Singapore. They're quite good at ultra-quick modifications.
The last time I visited the zoo with hubby, certain displays had changed, animals had been added, and the layout is constantly being tweaked. This is true of all the parks, and it keeps things fresh.
Da Doll enjoyed the ride a lot, and surprisingly enjoyed the zoo, as well as the Night Safari show. She didn't like the tour on the tram at the Night Safari as much because it was a little creepy, and I'd made her sit on the outer edge of the seat.
I mentioned our good luck on Wednesday, because we'd managed to arrive in time for most of the animal feeding times. We caught the giraffes' feeding time. A trio of sweet giraffes were fed carrots not 2 feet away from where we stood, at an elevated wooden hut.
From the giraffes, we dashed over to catch the jaguar feeding. I love cats, and watching them feed was so exciting. The jaguars, one black (female) and one tan (male) chased happily after pieces of meat flung into the enclosure by their trainer.
It was so cute, watching these dangerous animals bound after the meat, going so far as to swim underwater for the food. The male was less averse to the water than the female, but I reckon she was just finicky, and had no real objection to getting wet, save vanity.
Eventually, she dived in to collect her food, fastidiously shaking herself dry after the ordeal was over. They are both sleek, well-fed cats, and absolutely beautiful. I loved them!
We also managed to catch the polar bear feeding time, and Da Doll fell in love with Inuka, the park-born male. No pictures were taken, save the ones stored in our heads :)
Seeing as this was Da Doll's first trip out of the country, and I wanted to savor her experiences as much as she was, we had lots of those obligatory touristy scam-photos taken. She has one taken while petting the pink dolphin, and the key-chain with said picture was hung proudly on her newly acquired Adidas bag :)
Other pictures purchased was a handshake with Carlos, the sea-lion, a charismatic black seal with a diva complex, as well as one with her skimming past the checkered line on the Sentosa Luge :)
Since I'd taken these satisfactorily, I saved myself some $$ and let her enjoy the ride instead :) One thing I have to say about Singapore. They're quite good at ultra-quick modifications.
The last time I visited the zoo with hubby, certain displays had changed, animals had been added, and the layout is constantly being tweaked. This is true of all the parks, and it keeps things fresh.
Da Doll enjoyed the ride a lot, and surprisingly enjoyed the zoo, as well as the Night Safari show. She didn't like the tour on the tram at the Night Safari as much because it was a little creepy, and I'd made her sit on the outer edge of the seat.
Surprisingly, despite little head-on squabbles on shopping (I'd forbidden her to go beyond her budget, and to not demand for anything) and endless complaints about the amount of walking we had to do, we managed to have a great time.
My cold knocked me out during the bus journey back, but a quick visit to the doctor this morning ensured that I would have enough drugs to get me back on my feet quickly. Bronchitis is no laughing matter, and being able to breathe is sort of a bonus for me :)
Nevertheless, the important thing is, as we left Singapore, Da Doll lamented that we couldn't stay longer. A sure sign that she enjoyed herself. I take it as a personal triumph that we managed not to kill each other, and by allowing her 2 sessions in the huge pool at our hotel (where she managed to make yet another friend before we left), I'd conned her into believing she was having a great time.
Now how about that? ;)
