A Journey to a New World: Singapore

It’s almost a year since I’ve set foot here in the Land of the Maple Leaf but my journey to this New World still vividly comes to mind. I could still remember the weather was a bit dreary when I with my cousin and her family left for Singapore for a visit to their home. The tears came down like rain that afternoon as my mom and I said our goodbyes at the airport. It was a bittersweet ambiance. My heart ached, my chest felt stuffy. But there was a tinge of excitement and triumph. It’s a feeling that’s always been embedded in the deepest recess of my soul – an alcove not a one has ever understood. It was that kind of feeling which emitted such a powerful antidote to the already weary soul. It’s a gloomily blissful feeling – the kind that emboldens oneself to strive to live with and capitalize on the present for a better if not an opulent future. And that memory has never left me ever since that day I left.

It was a three-night-two-day stay in the Garden City of South East Asia but it felt like just an hour of great adventures. The minutes went by too fast as they became hours and then the hours turned to days. I wanted this feeling of warmth in my heart to last for a while and it did – for months until now.

A week before my flight and I was still finishing up some office work and trying to beat a deadline as well as create more deadlines and extend some others. That was the one week that stayed in my memories for months up to now. It was a week I never wanted but surprisingly these days, I miss it. All the office stuff – those one-of-a-kind Monday and Tuesday sessions jotting down deliberations on the what-nots and what-ifs for the welfare of the municipality; those demanding Wednesdays; those bland, not-so-hectic Thursdays; those Fridays when we get so high-spirited ‘coz I get to sleep in tomorrow; and, those Saturdays and sometimes Sundays that we strenuously and half-heartedly put in some extra hours. But that’s another story to tell. For now, I’d just want to share a certain part of my life in my sojourn into a foreign land.

The night before my travel to the city, I was still trying to clear out the office. Time was so constrained that saying goodbye to everything and everyone that I loved for the past few months has been such an emotional journey for me. I couldn’t even take my lawyer friend out for a decent meal, even my own family and friends for that matter.

But knowing the fact that despite unsaid farewells everything and everyone will still be there to cherish and treasure made my burden lighter. I was thankful for if it had been a pound or two more, the plane would have not flown!

The fact that knowing that everyone you left is cheering you on has made my baggage light. It was emotional turmoil when I left in such a hurry for a cliché – ‘in search of greener pastures’.

Being on an airplane for the first time has kept me up during the entire night flight. I was with family so the flight has been a terrific encounter. I was with Mng. Apple, her husband Mng. Raj, and my two delightfully charming and striking cousins, Sumer and Shankar. We left for Singapore on a three-hour flight. It was my first flight and I had an splendid experience. Now that I look back, it was a funny experience as well. The whole flight, I was deviously finding ways to take a proper picture of myself (selfie) without the other passengers noticing, more importantly, the flight attendants. It was already night time so the lights were off. I took a couple of photos but the flash came on automatically. The photos didn’t look good. They didn’t look good in the dark either. Oh, well. I might be able to take a good photo on the plane bound for Canada.

Singapore was a sight to behold at night. From the plane window, I could see the lights of the city as we approached Singapore’s Changi Airport. It was breathtaking. The closer we flew down, the lower the altitude, the more I couldn’t explain how I felt. I wanted to go back home to the Philippines but at the same time, I wanted to set foot in another land and experience what it had to offer. I knew it would be a pleasure visiting with family. And I was right. The moment we got off the plane, I had a distinct feeling that I would be coming back. When? I didn’t have the slightest idea but I have learned a long time ago to always trust my gut. The airport was a beauty in itself. The prominent watch tower was so colorful, such that an artist just swished his paint brush onto the tower and mysteriously, a hue of colors had just blended into place. It was the first thing that caught my attention in-flight. And it was the last thing I saw as we left the airport. Impressive!

I still hadn’t gotten over my first plane ride, rushing to the passenger gates, etc. when another matter slapped me right on the face. I knew Singapore follows right-hand driving but to experience it first-hand has been quite a shock. And the taxis in Singapore didn’t look like any other taxi in the Philippines. It was limousine style except for the lack of luxury food and drinks. It was my first limousine ride. Hah! Maybe I could now stop dreaming of ever riding a limousine someday ‘cause this felt like I was riding one. Ohh, it would be cool to ride a real one but this taxi could be enough to stave off that craving temporarily. Even the mere fact that I had to gaze outside its windows was a great experience. I had a clear view of Singapore’s night life – well maybe not all of it, but at least part of it. It was nearing midnight and the city was still buzzing with cars and people all about. And the neon lights! Whew! Every building was having a contested display with their aesthetic show of twinkling, dazzling lights. The kaleidoscope of colors brought me just to one thought, ‘I am definitely coming back.’ I can’t afford not to. I had not spent an hour in this marvelous country and here I was loving it as every second ticked by. I was excited for the days – and nights, I would be spending in this little Asian country I now could call home. Yes, it’s another home away from home. Wherever or whatever dwelling my family finds shelter in, I could call it my home. Mi casa, su casa. Or for that matter, ‘Su casa, mi casa.’ Ah! Family. I love them all.

I couldn’t sleep well that night. I couldn’t believe I was in Singapore. I just couldn’t believe what was unfolding before my eyes. I remember that as I was writing this in a journal I always keep with me, sleep couldn’t yet overcome me. Maybe the sleep fairies came late that night. Oh, I just can’t wait for the sun to rise. That’s a first since I always wanted the nights not to be over so I wouldn’t have to wake up early. But with a lot of excitement I had in just over 24 hours, I could say I could live with it for once. And then just as seasons were bound to change, the sun rose charmingly that morning. The rays of the sun tried at best to peek through the blinds from the window signifying a good day ahead. My eyes were open but my brain was still trying to wake from its lethargic state. Something warm beside me registered. It was something good and something I could get used to. It turned out to be Beethoven, my niece’s and nephew’s cute tuxedo cat cuddled up beside me. Sooooo cute! I stretched out careful not to wake the peacefully, sleeping cat. I sat up and something by the bedside table caught my eye. Oh. It’s Katy Purry – a cute tabby, just sitting on the tabletop glancing at me and the window as if telling me that the sun is up and I had to move my butt. Blaster, another tabby (a mackerel one, I think) was on the floor, walking circles, curious about what was in my luggage. What a way to start the day – with warmth and in high spirits. The day is delightfully unfolding into a marvelous one.

My niece and nephew were still in bed. I was so excited to find out how my day really turns out. Mng. Apple, barely up and about, was probably slaying me in her thoughts for waking up too early. We slept past midnight although dead-tired from our travel to the airport and our flight. But I had a full day ahead of me and I wanted to watch the sunrise. Unfortunately for me, I didn’t catch the sun rising. And that made me all the more excited to witness the sun dipping, commanding half the world into nightfall. I really couldn’t recall anything else about the day since I was in cloud nine the whole time. All I could recall was the kindness and hospitality my cousins and her family showed me. I was so touched I blinked back the tears of happiness and sadness. Happy, because I’ve had a great adventure with my cousins and nephews. Sad, because I already miss my mom, sisters and brother. It would have been great if we took this vacation together. But then I thought to myself, ‘Oh, well. Maybe in the near future.’

I’ve had a lot of reservations when it came to travelling out of the country but now that I gained an experience, it was a refreshing adventure. This little Asian country has astounded me in more ways than I could imagine. The people, the sights, the experience of it all. My three-night-two-day stay has been a rush of events. It felt like it was just a two-minute preview of my life unravelling before my eyes. The days were jam-packed with fun-filled activities and lolly-gagging. I’ve had the time of my life though I was a bit uncomfortable since I had to impose on the kindness of my cousin and her family.

The next day was full of excitement since I had the chance to go to the beach! And my! Was it a sight! I could see the airplanes lining up along the horizon towards Changi Airport. The docks were filling up with large cargo vessels. The sea was so serene and the air was so fresh with that musty scent the seaweeds and marine life has emitted.

The first time I’ve been to a body of water was to fish with my dad at the lake just a 30-minute walk from our residence. Well, that’s beside the fact that we had this large bath tub installed at the main bedroom's T&B where we learned to somehow breathe underwater and sometimes to take a dive to the chagrin of my dad and mom. But I loved going fishing and having a picnic by the lake, although I could not recall if we ever caught one. But I always wanted to capture that moment and take it to heart. I’ve loved the water since then.

Our visit to East Coast Beach was a bit regretful since I didn’t have with me a set of clothes to change in. I would have loved to feel the waves cascade over my body and feel those ripples massage my weary soul. I satisfied myself just by taking off my shoes and feeling the water rush over my sand-covered feet. It was so fun playing with my cousin, niece and nephew, taking time to capture those moments of happiness. It was a lovely feeling to share these moments with someone you love and not being a stranger in foreign land. We stayed till dusk and it was awesome to see the sun setting as my cousin and I sat on the sand, talked about this and that while watching the sun set. The horizon quickly changed from a hue of black and blue into a bright yellow-orange reddish color. The airplanes could now be seen more vaguely as they lined up the sky. The cargo vessels had their lights turned on as well. The sea sparkled from the rays of the sun. The park has turned on the lamps. The earth and the heavens became a stage in just a matter of minutes as the sun quickly concealed itself and a display of sparkling lights came on. I had a connection with the earth and the heavens that day.

The darkness came so fast that I regretted that it had to end. We walked along the coast towards the shower stalls to clean ourselves up. Mng. Raj was on his way from work to pick us up. We had dinner at a fancy restaurant way across town and I had a chance to savor that famous Nasi Lemak – a spicy local dish of seafood/meat, nuts and sun-dried, salted fish. This dish was very much recommended by my aunt. That was even spicier than the Korean dishes I’ve loved to eat back home. It was so spicy, I got a runny nose. It was so hot I got a bit teary-eyed. But I couldn’t stop myself from digging in. This was my next favorite dish to adobo, kimchi and bibimbap. It was a great dining experience. My first fine dining experience in foreign land.

From dawn till dusk, from morning to the dark of night, as the sun rose and set again, I got more excited that I couldn’t wait to see even a ray of sun pouring in from the window. Mng. Apple and Mng. Raj had a lot planned for the next day. I was embarrassed, a bit uncomfortable. Mng. Raj took the day off so he could drive us around the country. So, with the family, we went driving around Singapore. My cousin’s family lives in the Westside towards the Malaysian bridge and we drove around like there’s no tomorrow to the east, the north and south. Although it was just a glimpse of Singapore’s treasured attractions, I still was amazed to set my sights on Marina Bay Sands, with its majestic hotdog bun-like roof. Mng. Apple told me that hotdog bun-like thing contained the most majestic swimming pool. I was like, at the rooftop?! Cool! Got to check that out one day. Well, jot it down my second bucket list of things to do. And it’s dangerously close to overflowing again.

We passed by Sentosa, Mt. Faber, Madame Tussauds, Marina Bay Sands, Resorts World Singapore, Esplanade – Theatres by the Bay, The National Library, The Singapore Flyer, the famous Orchard Road, etc. And we went to this place where it was overlooking most of the city. I would have loved to try the rides but we were burning daylight and there were still lots of things to see. We went to Lucky Plaza and wow! It was marvelous. I’ve been told it’s where Filipinos meet up during their days off and have fun. We also passed by the financial district of Singapore – the Central Business District. It looked like Makati City. With lots of high rise buildings, I would have loved to visit all the shops and the scenic sites but I chucked it down my now filled-to-the-brim bucket. Singapore’s architecture really amazes me with its ancient feel. Even the biggest buildings had a touch of Singapore’s history and culture. The old Chinese and Malay temples I just got a glimpse off the car window has given me a feeling of comfort and unexplained delight. Even the smallest corners have left me falling more and more in love with this nation. There’s something mystifying about it all. I’ve had first-hand experience with one of those smallest corners when we’ve gone to eat in Little India. Whoa! It was a lot of food for one to take part in. But I finished all of it with much gusto. Singapore’s delectable cuisine is definitely something to look forward to.

Despite the blistering heat and the rivulets of sweat trickling down my now soaked tee, I’ve had the time of my life visiting the Lion City. I am sure this marvelous city has much more mysterious places hidden in its concrete jungle as well as its lush, green forests. I have yet to visit its natural wonders. I’ve felt a bit of a sting in my heart for not being able to see everything Singapore has to offer. The pain was a bit bittersweet. I believe that this pain will never go away until I get to experience the sweet taste of Mother Nature. I love the outdoors but I was sorry to just leave it at that, for the moment. This was enough to fuel my curiosity on what’s really going on and how it would feel to take a drive to the farthest corner of Singapore and witness the grandiosity of it all.

My two-day stay at the Lion City of SE Asia has been a surreal experience. It has been nothing but a memory I would always love to visit and experience again.

At East Coast Beach

At Lucky Plaza

Central Business District