Travel Tuesday :: Singapore

I ❤️ Singapore!

I've been twice, and I would absolutely recommend it to any and all travelers. It is a clean, well-situated island city-state located just south of mainland Malaysia; separated by the Straits of Johor. Due to it's location only 1.3000° north of the equator, it is hot-hot-hot all year round. There are so many things that make Singapore a phenomenal place to visit no matter what your preferred style of travel: luxury tourism, culture craver, beach bum, or city slicker : something for everyone! 

Marina Bay Sands Hotel

If you have money (or a large group willing to split it a million ways), try to stay here. It's probably the most luxurious place I've ever stepped foot into. If it's out of your budget (it was totally out of mine, I stayed at City Backpackers), check out the 56th floor observation deck. You only have access to a small portion of the deck, but the views are great and you can even catch a glimpse of the infinity pool.

The Singapore Flyer

When I took my ride on the Singapore Flyer in February 2014, it was the tallest ferris wheel in the world (March 2014, it was beat out by Vegas' High Roller Ferris Wheel). It was a cool ride and the view was fantastic. The wheel tops out at 165m (541ft), and it was neat to see the city from that height... we were even able to see a bit into Malaysia! Tickets can be purchased as a package deal, so we also took a duck boat tour- something that it cool if you have time to kill, but otherwise nothing spectacular.

The Merlion

It is exactly what it sounds like: a mermaid lion and it spits water. See it in the day and at night. Absolutely majestic.

Chinatown

This is a great place to just wander around. There are lots of different trinket shops and food stalls and things to look at. In the middle of Chinatown in this spectacular Hindu temple that is absolutely worth a look. While I didn't go inside, I heard good things about the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum; it's a beautiful building and you would almost have to try to miss it.

Clarke Quay

This area is really fun any time of the day. It is a cool spot on the Singapore River and is absolutely packed with restaurants and bars. If you like people watching, this is the place for you. If you're looking to kill time, but not be super-active, grab something to eat and just chill here. At night, its really cool to see with all the lights, and you can even catch a glimpse of the Marina Bay Sands all lit up!

Laser show!

If you're headed to check out the Merlion after dark, you might as well time it to see the Wonder Full laser show. On its on, it its nothing fantastic- but if you bundle it with an after-dark Merlion visit, it makes it much more worth it. Bonus- its a quick, nice walk down to Clarke Quay if you need a little excitement after the show.

1-Altitude

If you can swing it, I recommend budgeting an extra few dollars to check out the highest rooftop bar in Singapore. 1-Altitude is 63 floors up (yup, that makes it taller than the Sands!) and really expensive. In addition to the views, it's neat to see how the richer-half live... and drink. I considered it a cool treat since I had been living out of a backpack and staying in hostels; so this was a fancy gift for myself. Like I said, if you can swing it, it's worth a thought!

Sentosa Island

So much to do here! This is a more family-oriented area, so if you are traveling with kids (or are a big kid!) its a good place to wander. Sentosa is home to Universal Studios Singapore and has a handful of attractions related to that. Because of budgets, I never took in any of those attractions- but did spend some money in the Hershey's store. If you walk from the tram and basically walk straight back, you'll pass through Universal, some of the hotels (and another Merlion), and wind up on the beach. There are a handful of beach in Singapore, but if Sentosa is on your itinerary anyway; Siloso Beach, Palawan Beach, or Tanjong Beach might be your most convenient options.

The Sultan Mosque

I went on a really cool tour a the Sultan Mosque during Ramadan in 2012. We took in a quick presentation by a 20-something guy from Canada who was in the process of converting to Islam. The tour was led by a white, female, European, convert; and it was a really interesting to hear her perspective, She was asked some really tough questions about her beliefs and if she felt repressed, and she answered them in a graceful, matter-of-fact kinda way. At the end of the tour, we were allowed to "break the Ramadan fast" and were able to sample the same foods that the rest of the worshiping crowd (I wanted to say congregation, but I feel that term isn't right... does anyone know the proper terminology ?) breaking their fast. If you want a cultural awakening, and a peek into the world of Islam- and what it was meant to be- definitely take a tour there. Be sure to have a sarong and something to cover shoulders, I'm not sure it is absolutely necessary, but its always a nice step to be mindful and respectful of more conservative practices.

Laksa

I understand that this is a general term for a varied dish. However, my first experience with this dish was absolutely insanely delicious. Literally salivating right now just writing about it. My friend Sarah had tried it on her last trip, and brought me to a place she knew. If you're not one to get hung up on whether or not a place has an authentic feel, then you'll be glad to know that the place we went is conveniently located in the basement of The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands on the Canal Level. Just keep your eyes open for Rasapura Masters (hawker/local type foods). We did a "build-your-own" type bowl at Hakka Yong Tau Foo. Highly recommend checking this out towards the beginning of your trip, because I have a feeling you're gong to like it!

Walking around

I stayed near Hong Lim Park and walked almost everywhere. You'll definitely be missing out if you don't spend some quality time roaming around... even if it's only walking between destinations!

If you've been, what was your absolute favorite part of your Singapore experience?

My Top 5 Friendship Songs

I recently returned from an awesome road trip to Canada to do another round of visits with my friends just over the border. As I was driving, I had my iPod on shuffle and it ordered a few songs in a row after which I thought, "Wow, those have some pretty good lines about friendship."

Of the top 5 I came up with, 3 are actually about friends and 2 have lines I consider pretty powerful ideas about what friendship means to me. So here we go!

(5) We Get On :: Kate Nash

The song is about a girl who really likes this guy and he just has no idea she even exists. She then sees him kissing another girl and has a meltdown. This is what her friends did for her:

And my friends were like whatever

You'll find someone better

His eyes were way too close together

And we never even liked him from the start

And now he's with that tart

And I heard she done some really nasty stuff

Down in the park with Michael

He said she's easy

And if your guy's with someone that's sleazy

Then he ain't worth your time
'Cause you deserve a real nice guy

If you're female, at some point in your life you've been talked off that ledge, so you know how valuable that chat can be.

(4) La La Lie :: Jack's Mannequin

I think I picked this song less because of the lyrics and more because of the memories and feelings it conjures. I first encountered it in university when I was a part of a few really tight-knit groups. Regardless, the few lines about friends, do pretty much hit the nail on the head:

I've got friends who

La La Lie

Will help me pull through

La La Lie

To the point, needs no explanation.

(3) Cher Lloyd & Becky G :: Oath

This song is just plain adorable. It's basically about trouble-making best friends. Not sure why Cher Lloyd decided to go the sexy route with the costuming, but whatever... its an up-beat song about girl friends.

I know I drive you crazy, mm, sometimes

I know I call you lazy, and that's most times

But you complete me, and that's no lie
You are my tuxedo, and I'm your bow tie

In my opinion, real friends can argue and call each other out.... thanks for pointing that out, Becky G.

(2) Song For a Friend :: Jason Mraz

Jason Mraz is brilliant and covers a wide spectrum of topics with his music. I particularly like this song because its like a love song, but for a friend. It can be argued that the song is really about loving yourself, which I think makes it an even stronger addition to the list. You can't really be a good friend until you learn how to love yourself. So, I think it works regardless.

As long as you got me

And I got you

You know we'll got a lot to go around

I'll be your friend

Your other brother

Another love to come and comfort you

And I'll keep reminding

If it's the only thing I ever do

I will always love
I will always love you

See, doesn't that give you the warm'n'fuzzies?!

(1) Fall Back Down :: Rancid

Not the most soothing of songs, but definitely lovey if you actually listen to the words. Its basically about a guy going through a tough time and knowing that he has his friends- and knows that even when biddies come and go- friends will remain a constant.

I'm very lucky to have my crew

They stood by me when she flew

I've been knocked out, beat down, black and blue

She's not the one coming back for you

She's not the one coming back for you

If I fall back down, you're gonna help me back up again

If I fall back down, you're gonna be my friend

I think the reason this tops my list because he says he knows he is lucky to have his friends. It's one thing to know that they'll be there... or to tell them that you love them.... but there is a real maturity in knowing that on top of all that-- that you're lucky to have them.

Very Honorable Mention =  Africa :: Toto

This one has a little less to do with the words and a lot more to do with the company kept while listening to/preforming this little diddy.

It's gonna take a lot to drag me away from you

Powerful words right there. I hope their new album has gems like this. Yes, you read that right.... a brand new Toto album!! I... can't even.

Infected Memories: Photos with former friends

I'm about to get deep.

The other day, I was looking through some pictures I had stashed in a box in my room. It was a mixture of really old pictures from as far back as high school all the way up through some I had printed at Emart in Yeosu in 2013.

I felt nostalgic.
I felt happy.
I felt.... irritated?

I came across a picture of myself with someone who I am no longer friends with. It got me thinking. Why was this picture conjuring negative feelings? That was a fantastic day! I realize that the metaphorical "bad taste in my mouth," in regards t this person, had not yet subsided.

This got me thinking: Why am I allowing the negative feelings to creep in? Why has a good memory turned bad? 

This particular picture was from a party in 2007. It was a great party. We all had a great time. Of the four other people in the photo,: 1 faded away, 1 I keep up with via social media, but 2 of them.... It's hard to look at pictures with them and feel anything but annoyed. I had my feelings hurt in a major way by both of them- at the same time. However I felt about them while things were souring, and however I feel about them now... I shouldn't allow those feelings to infect the great memories we made together. It's not fair to me and its not fair to them.

I suppose that no matter how hard any relationship crashes and burns, you owe it to yourself and to the other person to remember the positive. (Granted, sometimes we end relationships with people because there is absolutely nothing positive about them-- and you owe them nothing.) It is NOT doing you any good to think back on good times with the "well, we had fun that day..... but that bitch spread nasty rumors.... so I need to tear up this picture."

I'm not advocating for blanket forgiveness- that is a far more personal process. I'm just making the conscious decision to never let myself to think back on fun times and feel anything but glad/lucky/happy for the memory. That twinge of sadness over the failed friendship will always exist- but I'll never again allow it to go any further than that before I refocus and remember the great day we had.

City

A quick recap of the trip before I jump into the photo highlights. We all arrived on Monday evening and walked around Times Square, then hopped over to Hell's Kitchen to grab a drink. Tuesday day we grabbed our 3-day hop on/off bus tour ticket and took the Upper Mahattan loop all the way uptown and then back down and did a few hours at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Thankfully, the rain let up a bit and we went out for dinner and drinks. Wednesday was spent doing the Lower Manhattan bus route, and we hopped off to see the 9/11 Memorial, financial district, and then we caught the ferry to the Statue of Liberty. The day wrapped up with seeing Newsical the Musical and a super-fun, tequila-fueled real night out. Thursday was a meandering kinda day, but the weather was really nice! We did the Top of the Rock and liked it so much that we decided to go back up and get the night view. Friday morning was spent grabbing breakfast and hanging out until I had to leave :(

We stopped by the Met because it was so rainy outside. It was really interesting to spend a portion of the day with every other saturated tourist in NYC!

Visited the 9/11 Memorial after a quick tour of Lower Manhattan. Very interesting and powerful.

Financial District! Apparently its good luck to grab the bull's balls... so I did!

Took the ferry out to the Statue of Liberty! The weather wasn't so nice, but I'm really glad we did it. The seagull did not get the memo that he is not a goose.

We found Korean! I got mandu soup and it even came with all the sides!! We ate a pretty incredible amount of kimchi.... I think they were impressed.

Some Christmassy decorations around the city!

The tree and Rockefeller Center! On the first night, we saw a proposal on the rink!

It took me the entire trip (ok, 4 visits to Rockefeller Center) to find the 30 Rock sign.

Look at me in NYC!

I miss Jerry Orbach / Detective Lennie Briscoe / Lumiere

As you can see, I'm in NYC; which means that I did not get the job. When my phone rang, I nearly threw up. Though the news was not good, I think it is extremely classy that they called me to notify. I'll keep an eye on the job site to see if the other option in the aforementioned "best case scenarios" happens. In the meantime, I'll keep looking and see if I can find other good fits. I'm also going to look into going back to Korea... just in case... I need a backup.

Anywayyyy... I'm in NYC with 2 very good friends. I'll do a recap when I get home!

On the hop-on, hop-off bus en route to the MET!

Whats this..... another trip? (maybe)

So....


It's been about 10 business days since the interview. I'm getting a little nervous, but I know I gave it my all. I'm hoping the news is good, but if its not, I have a cushion to fall back on: friends.

Sarah and Kim are heading to NYC for a few days and if I don't get the job, I'm going to join them. I feel like I'll probably spend a whole lot of money, but I doubt I'll care given that if I'm going to NYC it would be because I had just received bad job news.

So in 2 weeks I'll either have a brand new job or be in NYC with my chingus.

Seattle

Pike Place Market

Seattle was really cool. I hate arriving in a new place after dark because I feel like it always ends up feeling creepier than it actually is. I arrived sometime around dark, checked-in, and immediately went in search of food. There were a lot of homeless and seemingly intoxicated people in the area around the hostel, so I encountered a bit of leering and a few crude comments as I passed.

The first fill day was pretty rainy, but I decided to go on foot anyway. I wandered down towards Pike Place Market. I did the super-touristy thing and got a coffee from the original Starbucks, after which I literally meandered for maybe 2 hours between the market and the downtown shopping area. I got lunch in the market, and then continued wandering. Around 2:30, I sat myself in the Pike Brewing Company with the sample beer rack. I met 2 interesting guys to chat with for a while, and was absolutely floored when I went to pay the bill and one had paid for me. It was so nice!

After a day of walking and all that beer, I was pretty tired so I went to bed super early. 

Chihuly Garden and Glass piece

Day two was rainier than day one. Went on foot anyway. I went over to the Chihuly Garden and Glass exhibit, and was tempted to go up into the Space Needle. The weather was so crap that I decided to skip it for the day, and instead I went back to the Pike Place. I really liked it there. I ended up going back there later that night, too, with my friend Maggie. She is another one of my Korea friends. I was really excited to be able to see her and grateful to have a local friend to show me a couple of cool spots.

Lake Union from the Space Needle

Day three had great weather!! I booked it over to the Space Needle while the weather was still nice, and managed to get a pretty decent view. While up there, I mapped out a course to Lake Union to check out the boats and some seaplanes (ok, and I also wanted to be able to say that I was on the lake that is home to the Sleepless in Seattle houseboat). After all that walking, I was tired pretty early. I managed to find some Cambodian takeout, and after I scarfed that down, I packed and passed out.

Maggie and I striking a Korea-inspired pose.

PDX

I once did the Buzzfeed "What city should you actually live in?" quiz. I got Portland. I have a havdful of friends from Portland, or who have visited, and they've all said great things. It's also on a few of those "Best of..." lists (cities, places to raise children, food, etc...).

I figured it was high-time I checked it out. I must say, I now get the hype. Portland is a great small city, that feels a lot like Providence but a lot more well laid out. The public transit was awesome and the city felt pretty safe (save a few homeless people who yelled at me).

I arrived at the HI Portland Northwest hostel pretty late in the evening, so all I really had time to do was jump over to the Trader Joe's.... which was only like 5 minutes away(!!). I figured since I was staying for 3 nights and almost 3 full days, that I wanted to be able to cook a little bit.

Voodoo maple bacon

Riverfront walkway

The first day was quite rainy, but I braved the weather and grabbed coffee at a really tiny place a few blocks from the hostel. I walked down towards the main downtown area and just kind of looked around for a little while until I was starting to get hungry. I made a beeline to Voodoo Doughnuts and got a maple bacon donut. So.... GOOD! It was like a dream in the shape of a fluffy donut. I took my prize down a few blocks and munched on it (ok, devoured it) while I walked along the riverfront. I cut a few blocks in when it started to rain a little harder and took refuge in a Forever21. Happy accident, I swear. It ended up being the best Forever 21 I had ever been in. The stock was great (probably because the demographic they cater to in Portland is a lot more in line with my style than the demographic in RI or MA) and the staff was super friendly.

I crossed the river and ate lunch a Pok Pok, a Thai place recommended to my by my cousin Andy. He knows food, so I trusted the suggestion implicitly. The meal was fantastic, and I opted for a cocktail over dessert-- which was also great.

Later that day, I ended up hanging with my friend Nick from my time in Korea. Something about my friends from Korea, I feel like its as if time never really passes and resuming friendships is really easy. We walked around a bit and he introduced me to Powell's Books and we went to a really cool Vietnamese place for dinner. 

Lunch

Day 2 was spent doing more walking, eating, and exploring; but this time on the east side of the city (across the river from where I was staying and had spent all the first day). I browsed a thrift ship, ate at a small taco place, and got a really yummy juice (figured by this point in the trip, I was in need of some vitamins). Hostelling International has 2 hostels in Portland, and I had heard that the hostel on the east side was particularly "green." I had noticed it on the bus ride over, so on my way back, I stopped by. It was a seriously cool place. There were signs outside that described the green initiative and talked about how rain water was used and recycled by the hostel.

I had woken up to an email from a job I had applied for asking for a phone-interview, so I was in an obnoxiously good mood for the whole day. I finished off the day by heading over to Nick's for dinner where two more Korea-time friends stopped over! Justin and Jenny had lived across the hall from me for 2 years, so it was nice to be able to catch up with them a bit.

Nick, me, Jenny, and Justin... the red plaid thing wasn't planned!

Next and final stop: Seattle!

Oh, Canada!

Welcomed with a hat, a caesar,
and a hokey stick.
Now I'm officially Canadian

I recently returned from a fantastic trip to Canada. Kaylyn had a birthday and I hadn't seen her or Megan in a long time, so I figured I needed a trip to the true north. The trip took just about 7 hours-- but would've been faster had I not needed to stop to go to the bathroom so many times. I'm a very well hydrated individual. I was pumped to see my friends and be able to finally check out this magical place I've heard of so often: Brockville. Its a really nice area and I felt at ease pretty quickly. It probably had something to do with me knowing multiple people in the area. I got to check out the area, I got to see Ottawa, and we drove out a lake house to do a come camping for Kaylyn's birthday. After a great few days with my MacFriends, I headed down to visit Lisa and Haydn right outside Toronto. Had my first official Tim Hortons experience, and now I totally get the hype. Lisa and I went into Toronto for a day-- got a pair of Lulu Lemon leggings! We also headed into Toronto again to catch a Jays vs. Sox game. It was a total massacre.

It was one of those trips that was so fun that words fail-- so here are some picture highlights!

Kaylyn and I outside the Parliament building in Ottawa

Checked out a small brewery after kayaking. Maaaybe I should have eaten a little more beforehand...

Clancy and I totally nailing the badminton thing. Sorta.

Someone likes to cuddle!

First order of business: selfie.

I couldn't stop laughing.... even the buses are polite!

Korean food!

Jays - Sox game! Tough loss to take