Friday, July 25, 2014

From Marina Bay Sands

I meant to post last night, but I guess that just didn't end up happening. Anyways, hi! I'm writing from Marina Bay Sands.

The hotel is pretty different from others I've been too. It's a little more public than most other hotels of this class, and I'm not sure if that's a good thing or not. We're facing the city (which is the view to have), and it's beautiful. I can see the Mandarin Orchard Hotel, Takashimaya, ION, and the Singtel building... so close to where I used to live!

Today I went to the Sky at 57 for breakfast, which was really something else. For quite a sum of money you can get access to a huge buffet plus two generous menu items. It was something else! I had ramen and Eggs Benedict. Both were generous portions and it was quite lovely.

After that, we finally went to the River Safari. I'd been wanting to go since I saw the adverts months and months ago. It was a pretty great experience! We went on the very short little boat ride thing, saw manatees and jaguars, and even cute little crocodiles. Though I must saw I think my order-of-liking of the zoo park things is Jurong Bird Park, Zoo, River Safari and Night Safari, all are worth doing. But if you only have time for one, go for Jurong Bird Park. There's a cool tram thing that lets you see basically everything, and it's not very expensive. Also, my family likes birds, and I'm bias towards it.


So many things have changed in the past three years. I thought about how my food preferences had changed while walking to Gong Cha today.

I'm not reaching for Starbucks, I'm reaching for Gong Cha.
I don't eat chicken noodle soup when I'm feeling down, I get chicken congee.
A quick treat isn't a candy bar, it's a macaroon from TWG or a mochi from Mochi Sweets.
Froyo isn't really a thing here, but it's growing quickly with Yoguru and Yogurberry.


I was really disappointed that the Gong Cha in MBS was closed. I walked over there after getting back from closing up the apartment, and the darn thing was boarded up all pretty-like. The floor was too shiny and the people too loud. Singapore is home, but MBS is weirdly like a cruise, or a resort. You could spend a while here without ever really leaving the complex. Live in a bubble within a bubble of a bubble. That's MBS, in downtown, in Singapore. It's suspended in luxury, and a most marvellous, if fragile, work of art.

I'm going to miss Singapore. I've been saying that for a while now, but today confirmed it. As I walked around in the apartment in my shoes and stood in the rooms that we once called home, I realised that for right now, I don't have a home. I have places I want to call home, but I'm quickly leaving this place, will not spend much time in New Jersey where my parents will live, and have to wait for Boston. Right now, I don't know where my home is. I'm suspended, like Marina Bay Sands.


Check out my new blog: www.natillie.com

No comments:

Post a Comment