Our first day in Singapore was marred by miserable weather. Around midday, it started to rain heavily. We managed to get to one of the many shopping centers relatively dry. Hoping the rain would soon stop, we first looked for somewhere to have lunch.
Fast food at Carl's Jr.
In Marina Square we discovered a Carl's Jr. I already knew the fast-food chain from the USA and I think they have one of the best there. Burgers of the World (Of course, besides In-N-Out, Shake Shack, etc.). We went a little overboard with the meal deal when we opted for the "Large" option. After a huge portion of fries and what felt like two liters of Coke, we were feeling a bit sick. But it was delicious!
Anime convention
Unfortunately, even though we had finished eating, the weather didn't improve. Up until now, our experience in the tropics had been that rain usually passed within half an hour. This wasn't the case in Singapore, at least not today. So we embarked on a journey into Singapore's underground shopping district. The individual malls around Marina Bay are all connected by tunnels. We spent our time underground with hundreds of thousands of other tourists and locals. It's also worth mentioning that we stumbled right into an anime convention. We were already surprised when we encountered the first Asian person dressed as a robot on the escalator. At the convention center, we then found a host of other elaborately costumed anime heroes.
Around 5 p.m., the rain finally stopped, and we were able to return to the daylight. Singapore's skyline offers a good mix of old and new architecture. In the foreground is the traditional Fullerton Hotel, and behind it rise the skyscrapers. One of the tallest buildings is UOB Plaza One at 280 meters. Near the Fullerton building is the Merlion statue. Erected in 1960 by Singapore's tourism authority, this water-spouting mythical creature has become a symbol of the city.
Marina Bay Sands Hotel and Singapore at night
On the opposite bank is the Marina Bay Sands Casino and Resort. The building, which opened in 2010, consists of three towers, each with 55 floors, connected by a roof terrace. The structure reminded us of a ship or a zeppelin.
Light & laser show „Wonderful“
At 8 p.m., we watched the free, approximately 15-minute light and water show at Marina Bay. Weather permitting, it's put on every evening by the Marina Bay Sands Hotel. We really enjoyed the combination of lasers, film sequences projected onto water vapor walls, and music. The spectacle is clearly visible from all sides of the bay, but the best sound is only found directly in front of the hotel. Personally, though, I find the show at the Bellagio in Las Vegas even more impressive.
Esplanade Park
Before we take the subway (MRT) back to the hotel After driving, we made a detour to Esplanade Park. Live bands perform there almost every evening. As part of the currently ongoing Indian Festival, the band Parikrama played tonight. The group consists of eight members and their music falls somewhere between rock and hard rock. They also use instruments unusual for rock bands, such as keyboards, bongos, and violin. The quite good instrumental solos are, however, somewhat balanced out by the vocals.
