The Shopping Mecca

All we knew about Singapore before we got there was that it was a developed country with strict rules regarding pollution, drugs, and gum chewing.  We arrived on time and immediately got in a cab headed to our hotel.  The city's skyline and cleanliness had us enthralled and we couldn't wait to start our city tour, but first we had to take care of business.  We got to the Sheraton Towers at around 11:00 AM and the first thing we do when we enter our room is fall flat on the bed.  After traveling for about two months our bodies were telling us they needed a little more rest.  Even though we only had two short days in Singapore the rest was needed before we ventured out.

The nap felt great, but now what? We decided that we would take a stroll around the area.  The concierge told us that Oxford Street was a ten minute walk and that we would have plenty to look at.  In our short walk to Oxford we got to see first hand the opulence that surrounds this country.  In no more than 10 minutes we see two Bentleys, two Rolls Royce Phantoms, two Ferraris,  and one Lambo.   Oxford was more than just a place to look at, it was the equivalent of Courtney's heaven and my hell.  There were shops everywhere!!! Every imaginable luxury designer had at least one store here. Luxury stores here are like Starbucks in New York.  You didn't even have to cross the street to go to Louis Vuitton, since they have a store on each side of the street.  How was I going to escape Singapore without a major budget bleed? We spend a few hours around the area, but fortunate for us things are just too expensive.  Window shopping is fine with me! I survive day 1 with no purchases.

Since we took it easy our first day in Singapore our second day was packed.  We put together a plan to visit the city's top sites in just one day.  We hop on the city bus tour early in the morning.  What is so interesting about Singapore are the multiple cultures that coexist peacefully in such an advanced and modern society.  The bus drops us off in Little India.  We walk the area for about an hour and admire all the stalls selling everything you can imagine that is Indian.  I felt like we were in Mumbai, but the Disneyland version of it because everything was clean and very organized.  However, the smells, the food, the clothing, the people made you feel like you were just transported to another country.  Once again, there was shopping everywhere.  We then walk all the way to the Arab Quarter. We read that there was great food here and also some great boutiques on Haji Lane.  I had been craving Middle Eastern food for a while and couldn't wait.  Unfortunately, what we weren't told was that everything in this area is pretty much closed on Sunday.  It was a desert town, no work on Sunday? That sounds like an innovative idea!

the Arab Quarter

Haji Lane...No work on Sundays, the way it should be

Not sure what to do next we decide to try something called the Singapore Sling.  It is a cocktail concocted by a bartender at Long Bar in Raffles Hotel.  This guy came up with it almost a hundred years ago and it has been a hit ever since.  We read in our 1000 Ultimate Experiences book that it is something you need to do when visiting Singapore.  So here we go, we hop on our bus and head to the Raffles Hotel.   This hotel is pretty nice and it exudes all the elegance, history and exuberance of the city.  I couldn't imagine how much a night in this hotel would cost and for that matter how much was this drink going to cost us?  Long Bar was on the second floor.  It was pristine just like the hotel.  We grab the menu and I my eyes almost popped out.  The Singapore Sling was $25!!! a pitcher of Tiger beer which sells for $5 anywhere else was $56! Did we just enter a warp zone? where were we? I look around the bar and all the patrons are tourist.  Many of them are smiling and holding this pink looking cocktail while their friends take a picture of them.  This does not make sense to me, how could a $25 cocktail make anybody happy? or could it? All I could think was that this was the king of tourist traps. Reluctantly, Court and I still decide to buy the Singapore Sling and take the picture just like everyone else did.  Thirty minutes and thirty dollars later we decide it was our first and last Singapore Sling. We leave the bar and swear to ourselves we would not fall for these traps ever again.  We start heading towards our next stop the Singapore Flyer, which is a thirty minute walk from Raffles Hotel.  The Singapore Flyer is similar to the London eye. Little did we know that we would never make it there.

Singapore Sling...not worth it!

During our walk we realize that we are surrounded by shopping centers. No matter where you look it is store central.  Twenty minutes into our walk we are starving and enter a mall in search of a food court.  The mall is lined up with amazing boutique shops.  Courtney's eyes pop wide open and she now looked like a lioness on the prowl.  She sensed that it was here where she would get the black dress she had wanted for so long.  And then there it was, Courtney had found her prey.  "Babe, can we just check this store out for a second"Before I could mutter out an answer Courtney was in the store chatting it up with the sales associate. Courtney is fascinated with everything in the store. She tries on the jewelry, examines the shoes, but quickly gets down to business.  There is only one of these dresses on the rack and yes it happens to be her size.  After she tries it on, not only was she sold on it, but so was I.  So far on the trip we had not indulged on any shopping.  I think it was written and it was our destiny.  Singapore was where we would shop.  We buy the dress and soon after that we walk by one of my favorite stores, Massimo Dutti. Should we go in? Why not? Thirty minutes later we walk out with a new pair of suede loafers.  In a matter of ninety minutes we blew through our entertainment budget allocated for Singapore.  We finally find our lunch and decide to view the Singapore Flyer from the ground.  We spend the rest of the afternoon visiting the Marina, the Helix bridge, China Town and the Botanical Gardens.  Singapore was quick, but fun.

Singapore skyline

The Marina

Helix Bridge

Botanical Gardens

The black dress and high heels

my new shoes

And then there were three

Miguel and I arrived in Bangkok, Thailand on the morning of February 28th and were SO excited to get to our hotel.  We had a very handsome Colombian waiting for us! Luis Tobon, Miguel’s father had flown 32 hours from Colombia to meet us on our adventure. Luckily, entry into Thailand was fast and painless. Within 30 minutes of arriving we had made it through customs, found a public metered taxi, hit the streets of bustling Bangkok, and headed to the President Palace (our hotel).

The weather was warm and very humid and surprisingly the city is a cement metropolis.  Countless buildings fill the large skyline and the city seemed to go on forever. The pace is so fast! Cars, semi-trucks, and scooters race to a non-existent finish line. Our taxi driver was a speed racer and wanted to come in first place. The ride was thrilling and set the scene for a wonderful couple of weeks ahead.

Our first night in Bangkok was spent exploring the streets outside of our hotel. Many of the streets came alive at night with loads of locals and outdoor street vendors. The typical night vendors are sidewalk restaurants that serve a variety of local dishes.  This type of cuisine is cheap and many families take advantage of its convenience.  We also took the subway to one of the newest mega malls in the city, Siam Paragon. Two words….Freaking Amazing! The mall stands multiple levels high full of high-end stores and the most amazing fresh food court we have ever seen. You could honestly feed any craving with the amount of food offered at this first floor market. The prices are cheap and the food was delicious.  Communication was a little hard in the beginning, but we quickly adapted and enjoyed a few meals here. We ate traditional noodle bowls (similar to the Vietnamese Pho) filled with fresh fish and chicken. We also ate traditional Japanese food with sides of sushi. As I said before, the variety of food is unreal and if you’re craving a taste from home Krispy Kreme and McDonalds is also available.

Luis and Miguel waiting for the train

one of hundreds of food options

As many of you know, there are many things to see and do in Bangkok, but one of the highlights is the Grand Palace. On our second day we headed down river on a crowded river taxi, through an open-air market, to the walls of the temple. Inside the walls you will find a monstrous temple and many government buildings. The amazing thing is that this site is found close to the city center. Once inside you would never believe the hustle and bustle that is found outside the walls. The dress code is strict. Shoulders and the majority of the leg must be covered. No legging pants, no tank tops, and no short skirts. The temple provides clothing to those who do not meet the dress code standards.  The scene is amazing and many local practicing Buddhist actively pray while travelers watch in awe. It’s hard to describe the incredible intricacy of the temple.  Every single square inch of the buildings are adorned with things that sparkle. The attention to detail is impeccable. Even the gardens are perfectly manicured. It is absolutely breathtaking and incredibly special.

Boat taxi ride to the Grand Palace 

Temple entrance

Incense and Lotus flower...just what the gods love

Tuk Tuk!

After a short time in Bangkok we headed south to the gulf of Thailand. To a beautiful little paradise called Koh Samui. We all immediately fell in love! The airport is stunning full of tropical gardens, ample varieties of orchids, and lotus flowers. Our hotel was a small boutique hotel with an infinity pool overlooking the ocean. We were greeted with orchid bracelets and lead to our charming rooms. Without any hesitation we changed into our bathing suits and headed directly to the pool.  We are true professionals when comes to lounging by the pool, especially Luis! We could be found here the remainder of our days. Happy Hour (2 for 1) began at 2pm and we enjoyed the local lager, Singha, for only $3. Needless to say, we really enjoyed the beer, the view and each other.

hotel lobby

our room

view to our hotel from the beach

The incredible thing about this hotel is that it is beachfront, but with no sandy beach. The tide comes in so high that the water meets the steps of the hotel. The ocean is clear, warm and shallow. We could walk out 100 yards without the water going over our heads. We enjoyed many hours in the ocean with fish and white crab surrounding us. Glorious!

Infinity pool at the hotel

Luis and Courtney hard at work

time for a break

The small resort town is full of restaurants. We found the cuisine to be delicious! We loved every meal! We even were lucky enough to enjoy live traditional entertainment at one of the restaurants and this is where the first of many Asian men fell in love with my husband. Luis and I couldn’t stop laughing, but one male dancer in particular never took his attention off Miguel. He batted his eyes, smiled, twirled and spun with flare…hoping to capture Miguel’s attention. Needless to say we got a good show and a great laugh!  Hilarious!

Great seafood in Thailand!

Amazing Italian restaurant in Koh Samui

Thailand was beautiful, full of great culture, delicious food, amazing weather and great times. I would recommend this country to anyone. It is truly a must see. We were sad to leave, but really intrigued with the adventures that lie ahead.  Thank you Thailand and Hello Vietnam!