The land of the Tiger

---

It's amazing how you can get used to situations that you thought impossible to handle before. Was like this with the dirt in India, after our third month we couldn't almost even see it anymore, becomes part of you. This is broken only when you change situation. And what a change!! From a country with piles of garbage and sewage everywhere to a country that bubble gum is forbidden because the street cleaners had a hard time to clean it. Even the visa regulations state that individuals "hippie looking" are not allowed into Singapore. (The airline didn't want us to board the plane without a visa, so they checked for us the requirements for Brazilians and that's what came out... hehehe).

Singapore was a nice change. A clean, organized and quite place. The immigration in the airport was the best ever. Instead of lines, you have a lounge with sofas and free internet. But as rule says, everything has it's price. Life there is expensive. The cheapest place for accommodation and food was, for our surprise, little India.

All the hostels where full when we arrived but, lucky enough, when we came back to the place we wanted to stay, they just had made a mistake with some reservations and they had rooms for us starting that day. To complement our luck we found soon enough why everywhere was so full. The Chinese new year's was to be in two day's time and Singapore would have big celebrations with free shows, fireworks and parties all around town.

How nice was to be in a backpackers hostel again. We had hot shower, clean sheets, breakfast, even air con in the room!!! And best of all, the entrance is a pub. Ok, beers were very expensive, but we met many cool people. Whom with we venture into the many nights of the Chinese new year's celebration. Running around town to arrive on time for fireworks, of course not forgetting to stop on the way to try to see if everyone can fit in a phone box at the same time or setting up races in witch subway line you can get quicker back to the hostel.

Years before we watched tv shows broadcasting Chinese acrobats spinning 12 plates at the time jumping around the stage, fantasy lions jumping on top of thin poles and the most different performances. To our most pleasant surprise all this shows were being performed life and for free in stages build around the marina. Ahh, we love Asia!

Well Singapore isn't big, even spending time watching the Chinese new year's celebrations so you can run through the main attractions in a few days. Orchard road, compared to any other place in the world has the biggest concentration of shopping centers ever. Every building in the street is a huge mall with at least 6 floors of stores. NY, Paris, Dubai, London don't even get close to this concentration. As we couldn't stay away from the shopping fever that happens over there we bought ourself a little present. What is it? Soon you will see in our pictures (we hope)! After shopping was time for museums, the selection is enormous and they were all for free during the new year. After the museums our friends went to the Singapore Zoo. It's famous and very well praised, but after being in Africa... (No night safaris in Zoos will ever compare to our nights Kenya, with Hippos walking around our tent or in Etocha, watching wild rhinos, lions, giraffes and zebras come to drink water in the near by poodle.)

Our Singapore farewell lunch was in a amazing Japanese restaurant. After have run all around town to find the best place to buy our camera we discovered some precious addresses. Including a fair priced and very good Japanese restaurant. With full stomachs, we said good by, took the subway and walked to the border of Malaysia. Thanks everybody for the great time!

Summary
Arrival: 03/02/2008
Length of Stay: 7 Days
Visited: Singapore City
Pros: Clean, Organized, Lots to see and exotic
Cons: Expensive
Transport: Good, you can get anywhere in the country with the subway.
Budget pp p/day: US$27,20
Budget breaker: Beer Pints

---

Photos

Temple
Beautiful temple connecting the ancient and the modern

Modern City
if nothing comes to your mind when talking about Singapore, start thinking about a perfect city

Chinese new year
70% of the pop in Singapore is Chinese, so let's commemorate Chinese new year!!
P.S.: look how many cameras there are around!

Let's call home!!
6 in a phone box!!

Fireworks
for the new year

Prince of Wales hostel
Nice place, great people!

Claudio and Fernando
just about to leave