⚲ Singapore

(Apologies – this is a long one! Although I think we all know I’m more of a short story long kinda gal!)

It suddenly dawned on me that I only had one more day in Singapore, and there was still so much I wanted to do. However, being the indecisive human that I am, I couldn’t choose just one thing. So I opted for the most logical option: a bike tour of everything! Well, almost everything…

The bike tour was supposed to be a four-hour tour, hitting most of the main spots and learning about the history of Singapore as we cycled around. It was just me and two Americans on the tour, and the three of us, along with our tour guide Aaron, quickly built up a good sense of banter and camaraderie – so much so that even after an hour, we were already running behind schedule! Aaron didn’t seem to mind too much and eventually asked us if we had plans later, as he had no tours that afternoon. As none of us did, it turned into a six-hour tour, plus a stop under a bridge to hide from the torrential rain!

Another fun little part of the tour was when we asked Aaron about the metro announcement that happens when pulling into each station that we all agreed sounded like “Happy Happy!” It turns out the Malay version of “Mind the Gap” is “Berhati-hati di ruang platform”, which sounds a lot like Happy Happy! This soon became a running bit, with us sporadically saying “Happy Happy” at random intervals to reassure Aaron we were OK and not too tired from all the cycling!

We started off riding along the esplanade to arrive at a scenic view of Marina Bay, taking in iconic views of the Merlion and Marina Bay Sands (including the iconic hotel!). The Merlion is Singapore’s mythical mascot and represents its original name, “Singapura”, translated as “Lion City”. The fish’s tail represents Singapore’s beginnings as a fishing village, whilst the lion part references a Malay legend. It is said that a Srivijayan* prince landed at Temasek (old Singapore) around the 14th century, saw a strange, majestic creature, and was told by his minister it was a “singa”, meaning “lion”, leading him to name the island “Singapura”, or “Lion City”. We were also told that, in hindsight, it would have been very unlikely that a lion would have been there and that it was more likely to have been a tiger. However, some people say the minister didn’t know the Malay word for tiger and so stuck with lion. I personally think Lion City sounds better and don’t think “Mertiger” rolls off the tongue quite as easily!

We rode through historic neighbourhoods like Kampong Glam (the Muslim quarter) and Chinatown. Some highlights included seeing the oldest Chinese temple and learning about how to enter and exit properly. There are three doors at the entrance and, traditionally, you should enter through the left and exit through the right, saving the middle doorway for the gods. The temple itself was beautiful and ornate, and the way its upkeep is maintained was highly impressive. It also had a wishing well in the centre, where you can ring a bell for a specific blessing, which I thought was really beautiful.

I also really enjoyed learning more about the street art I had seen the day before. There is one specific artist, Yip Yew Chong, who likes to illustrate what old buildings or areas may have looked like. He also always includes an interactive element, such as an empty chair, so passers-by can become part of the mural. Oh, and he loves cats, so there is always a cat hiding somewhere!

In Kampong Glam, we saw the mosque and learned that when it was originally built, the community was asked to donate to help fund or decorate the building. Some gave silver, some gave gold, but those who could not afford either gave glass bottles. The bases of the bottles were then removed and used as tiling around the outside to show that every contribution is important and valuable within a community. When we were first told this, we were too far away to see it properly, but seeing it up close moments later was very special. It was also a good reminder that sometimes it’s the simple things in life that mean the most. Whether it’s a message checking in on a friend that takes two seconds to write, smiling at someone as you walk past them, donating a glass bottle, or accepting and celebrating a glass bottle donation – it can make a world of difference!

Chatting happily whilst cycling, we also rode through the more colonial section and learned about Stamford Raffles, a British colonial official who established a free port in Singapore and turned what was a small Malay fishing village into a thriving, multicultural economic port. Whilst this was not without some classic problematic British colonialism, it essentially paved the way for what Singapore is today. There are multiple things and places named after him around Singapore, most notably the Raffles Hotel, which is the home of the Singapore Sling cocktail (more on this later!).

One of the most interesting things we learned was that a lot of Singapore is made up of “reclaimed land”, meaning sand (and lots of it!) is added to raise the existing land level above sea level, creating more usable space to build on. It was also fascinating learning about how housing works in Singapore, particularly how public housing and allocations are organised. We also passed a school that had a poster saying it uses “the rogue method” which, as a teacher, fascinated me. Definitely need to look into that!

Towards the end of the tour, we were suddenly hit with a torrential rainstorm and took refuge under a bridge for about 40 minutes to wait it out. Whilst slightly inconvenient, the rain was very impressive, and it was quite cool seeing the visibility go from poor to brilliant as the storm passed over us. We then cycled on the F1 track (or at least a very small section of it, as most was cordoned off for the marathon) before heading back to base. Because of the rain, it felt like we were cycling through rivers, with water coming up to our shins at certain points!

After bidding goodbye to Aaron, my new American friends and I headed off to find some food… and a Singapore Sling! I had been told by my Auntie Karen that I had to have one on her behalf, and I always like to follow through on a promise! The experience was also enhanced by the great views.

Once we were fully fed and hydrated, we headed down to Gardens by the Bay and explored both glass domes. It was wonderful. We saw beautiful flowers and plants, a magnificent waterfall, and they even had a Christmas train – well, several trains – and the whole setup was highly impressive, and even included miniature versions of the Supertrees!

I then stayed behind to watch the light show they do every night where the Supertrees are. As my new friends had gone the night before, they showed me where to stand so I could get a good view and not have to pay! Not only was it great to get a free viewing, but it also meant I was at eye level with the Supertrees and could stand on a wall to watch. This meant I didn’t have to worry about someone tall blocking my view, which tends to be a regular issue for me. The show itself was spectacular and the perfect way to spend my last night in Singapore!

I then went back to the hostel (via a lit up Marina Bay Sands Hotel!) and packed – excited to be flying to New Zealand the next day!

Much Love,
Sara  💛

*Part of the Malay Empire

Song of the day: This is Me, Keala Settle (The Greatest Showman). As we were leaving the bike tour, we passed a public performance stage and saw a group of kids from a local music school doing a sound check and they were singing this. It’s a beautiful and inspiring song about being brave and accepting who you are, even when others don’t. But the moment felt more special as when my former head teacher at Swiss Cottage left the school, we made a music video for her to this song, signing the lyrics with the kids in makaton, and it was truly beautiful. So seeing the song being performed live was a very lovely and uplifting moment.