Newbie Chronicles #5: Singapore in Seven days

Kamakailan ay nagpunta ako ng SG for free. Ang saya! Libre! Pero nandun kami hindi para maglamyerda. Ano bang nangyari? Nag-shooting kami. Naglabada ako na backdrop ang Singapore. It was tough yet juicy. Tough not because of the city (which is another story) but because of things that came up expectedly and unexpectedly so. Juicy since i was squeezed out of energy, sleep, time, patience, willpower and everything else in between ultimo ganda ko naipiga na.  So it was a test of character for me. I am humbled, bruised yet greatful for it. And i am moving on and moving about.

So on to things in Singapore. Unang-una sa hotel. Nag-stay kami sa Ramada Hotel in Zhongshan Park. It's a  new hotel according to all the taxi drivers i hopped on to. It is situated in the Novena area. Very clean lines and compact rooms. It's nice that there's a park situated in the area so it feels like the sun can shine on your life pag may time.

Room view from the top

Zhongshan Park right outside the Hotel

The bottom pic pretty much sums up the view of SG--steel and greens. Industry and nature. Buildings and trees. Very ideal set up for a city with a chock full of concrete that i wish would be implemented in EDSA and Manila. Ewan ko ba dito sa Pilipinas. Walang pagpapahalaga sa mga puno at ang dating eh parang perwisyo pa sila. It doesn't take a rocket science to know that trees and greens ang nakakabawas sa polusyon at nakaka-baba ng heat. They are the lungs of the city! 

Anyway, paglabas ng hotel dederecho kami sa mga exterior location shoots. And the purpose of the shoot is also for the scenes to be identified with the city. So ito ang mga napuntahan namin.

Clark Quay

From top Left to bottom left-- Clark Quay, Gardens by the Bay,
HDB Building, Singapore Flyer.

Wala ang usual Merlion na naka-nganga sakto sa labasan ng tubig. Pleazze. Nasa hotel room naman ako nung nasa Sentosa sila kaya nga nga ako. Yung Gardens by the Bay hindi ko na napasok pero nag-shoot din kami diyan. And speaking of shoots, here are some of the Maghihintay Pa Rin artists and crew.

The food was a treat. I have always loved Hainanese Chicken Rice and ate it every other day there. I also tried to like the Kopi Toast but i can't eat the egg on it's own.

Kopi Toast and Chicken rice

Pero ang pinakamabenta para sa 'kin ay yung pagkain sa Lau Pa Sat Festival Market. Notably the grilled hipon, the tom yum soup and this milk tea drink sold by some Indian guy.

Lau Pa Sat Festival Market

By the way, this is the first place in SG i found charming. You see, I'm having a detached time with the country amidst all its perfection. It's a good place to visit since it's safe, very organized and clean but I find it too distant for me, nice without flavor. It's good to look at but not to hold and I don't know why I've come up with that description of the city. The place is ideal but i'm looking for something else... something to put my heart out ya 'know? Some flavor. Some ugly good side. And this is where i put it out first--here in the Lau Pa Sat area. I felt a vibe beating. Must be because the place is so untypical of SG? 

We had a free day in that seven days. So on that free day i went on a commute alone and boy, I just love getting lost and found. I spent the free day in Orchard area buying the bilins then hopped the train heading to Ikea in Alexandra. I love Ikea! It's where domestic dreams are made of! It's a blackhole of all things that could make you picture your life in a different way! Haha. At love na love ko ang Swedish meatballs!!

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So that's how i get a mish mash of good and trying times in Singapore. I am hoping to come back minus the stress and everything else. I'm taking the kids with me so that would mean another level of stress. Ha. But i say bring it on. One thing I've learned is that detachment is beneficial to one's health. Detachment is good especially when unfortunate events latch on to you like a newborn. You just hold and detach it like velcro.

PS. I would like to thank my generous  predecessor (naks)--Buds. Who kept things at bay especially in the food and taxi department. haha.