The Nunez in Texas: Singapore 2015

I think Singapore is the best country I have ever been to. The cleanest by far. The subway is out of this world - with huge malls within the train stations. If you are a shopaholic, you can get lost there.

Our trip to Singapore was more fun than our trip to Maldives. Maldives is amazing, but Emerson and I would think twice about going there with children. I love my children, I adore my children, but there is nothing for them to do there, other than beach and the pool. Of course, when you are a child, the pool is all you really care about.

We had breakfast at one of the train stations. We had some bread and coffee, and the children had some smoothies. All of us were really happy. Also, we ate cupcakes that actually tasted good. The flour here in Chennai has something that just ruins the cupcakes. Either that or I'm buying the wrong flour. Also, the butter flavor is off. And that's why I personally ate three cupcakes in the course of 4 hours while in Singapore.

Getting breakfast

We also visited Sentosa Island, which is a huge place. You have Universal Studios, you have aquariums, water parks - all sorts of activities. We decided to buy a package that included three attractions. So we rode the cable cars, and visited the S.E.A. Aquarium and something else. Although we spent almost the whole day there, we couldn't do the third activity because we just didn't have the time. And the children were very whiny - but that is just a given. They walked a lot, though. They enjoyed the train rides and the bus drives.

Waiting for the train

Be Good, Enzo

Very tired, but happy :)

Riding the bus

I think I have a sensible, somewhat normal, fear of heights. I have noticed that whenever I see I am way up at a certain place, my legs experience some kind of tingling, like a rush of adrenaline. I can actually feel it. That happens every time I take a flight during lift off. I seriously pray every time we are taking off. The same thing happens when we land :)

So when we were riding the cable cars, I was excited because I had never been inside one of those. Ever. At the same time, I was able to see the cables, how the pulleys were working, and how the towers were able to hold all that weight of cable cars coming one after another. In my mind I was wondering, "What if these people do not give proper maintenance to these cables, and the towers with all that weight... What if these things corrode?"

Then I looked down, and people were walking. We were riding on top of the water to get to the actual Island. I could see water slides and I was enjoying the ride, but actually wishing we could make it to the final tower to finally get the heck out of there. So yeah, I mean, if one of those cables broke, we were done.

Enjoying the ride

Posing with the tigers

After that, we got to enjoy the aquarium and it was amazing. It was enormous. The biggest one I've seen is the Columbus Aquarium. The Houston Aquarium kinda sucks. But this one is unbelievable. When you are entering, they give you a show - like a movie - when they sit you down on a 3-D screen and you pretend you are on a boat, and going on some expedition. And then, the boat shakes, and it begins raining (you can actually feel the breeze and the water sprinkling). And there is thunder and you end up crashing on the rocks. So, yes, Enzo cried. LOL!

S.E.A. AQUARIUM

(South East Asia Aquarium)

The boat crashed and sunk

Huge tank

Sharks

Happy with the fish

Marveled

I shall call him Squishy and he shall be mine, and he shall be my Squishy.

Libby was not very gentle with the star fish, she just lifted one up and then threw it. I think she didn't like the feeling. Thankfully nothing happened to the fish. Enzo also touched them, but it was not his thing.

Outside the aquarium

We also got to spend time with Chiayin. She is Emerson's friend. Well, I mean, she is our friend now, and Auntie to my children. She was so kind opening her house to us, and introducing us to her family. She took us to have breakfast because Emerson wanted to eat some pork dumplings that were delicious. She also very graciously spoiled my children to death, and bought them presents. Libby got a stuffed Peppa Pig, a plastic Peppa Pig with a salon set inside, and some legos for a Frozen Castle. Enzo got legos, a robot, and plenty of cars to play with. They also got new clothes.

Chiayin's mom also gave my children their own money to spend in China Town, and spend it they did. The bought some chickens that make lots of noise. I am so blessed to have met them :))

CHINA TOWN

Walking

Normal incident for us lately

Waiting for girls shopping

Figuring out what to buy

Enzo using chopstic

New family :)

We also went to the Night Zoo Safari. I wish we had photos, but the ones we probably had were not good enough. Therefore they didn't make it into the pile of photos Emerson edits. It was a really nice experience. There was also a very long line waiting for all the people to get into the little cars, but I think the children were excited to see the animals at night. I really had fun at this trip. Again, it's not that I'm ungrateful and didn't enjoy Maldives, but Singapore was a more active kind of trip.

The last day in Singapore we visited the Singapore Flyer. We had ice cream for dinner. Emerson was excited to take a photo of the F1 Race Track that can be overseen next to the flyer. The same thing happened to me with my legs once we were at the very top. I mean, once we were getting up, I was nervous. But as we go up, up, up... there came a point when I could actually see the two little cabins next to me at a lower sight level. We were totally at the top. I did not freak out, but those were definitely some of the slowest 30 minutes in my life.

Singapore Flyer

Singapore Skyline

F1 Race Track

After the flyer, we walked a lot. We wanted to see the Helix Bridge and also the Gardens by the Bay. It was a lot of walking for the children specially. But they are troopers :) Emerson took some nice photos, and there were a lot of people running on the bridge. It almost made me want to run, LOL!

Seriously, tough, Singapore strikes me as one of those countries where I wouldn't mind living if Emerson's company moves us there. Actually, I think Singapore was an option, but Chennai ended up being cheaper. Uh, DUH!

It's a very expensive country. Very clean. You pretty much have to be stinking rich to afford a car. Just to be able to get a regular Camry, the cost is around 150 thousand dollars. Singaporean dollars, but still. Then we saw children walking on the streets alone at night. It felt very safe. Chiayin even told us the police cracks the cases so fast mostly because there is not a lot of cases to deal with. Of course, there has to be crime, but my point is it is a very neat place. Looks and feels safe. Plus it is an island, and all those things add up to the cost of living.

We really had fun, lots of fun. And we kept on having fun. Next post will be New Delhi, 2015. Be on the look out for that one ;)