Buddha Tooth Relic Temple

As it was my last day in Singapore, I chose to just roam around Chinatown near the hostel. Thankfully, the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple is just a few blocks away. The smell of incense greeted me as I entered the temple. I was awestruck went I went inside. It was very spacious even though it is filled with statues. There was also chanting that can be heard in the temple's speakers. There are more statues and artifacts in the upper levels. The fourth floor is where they keep Buddha's tooth. Photography isn't allowed there and also you must remove your footwear. There is also a rooftop garden that houses a Vairocana Buddha Prayer Wheel at the center.

A man praying before entering the temple
Worshipers lighting their incense


Artifacts in the upper floor

Vairocana Buddha Prayer Wheel
Maxwell Food Centre

 Since I'm going to have my last lunch in the country, I decided to go eat at one of the most famous food stalls in Singapore. Praised by celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain for their rice that is so good you can eat it on it's own, Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice does live up to its reputation. It wasn't even noon yet but the line for their Chicken Rice is already piling up! I did manage to get my lunch and it was well worth it. Their chicken rice really does stand out from the other chicken rice I ate there. I was really glad that I got to taste it before I went home.

Not shown here but the line continues outside
I'll miss you chicken rice :'(

Singapore City Gallery

 The Singapore city gallery is just across the Red Dot Design Museum and the Maxwell Food Centre. This was the last place my itinerary and I was actually planning to skip it but I was so glad I didn't. The first thing that you'll see inside is the scale model for the whole country of Singapore. You'll notice how spot on and intricate the models were. You'll even see the buildings that they are planning to build in the future!

A sculpture before you enter the gallery
SCG Lobby

Look at that Singapore Flyer!

The Singapore Flyer is down!

The second floor is where you'll really get to know Singapore and how something so little can be this progressive and beautiful. You'll learn were Singapore gets its water, how they use their underground space, why there are trees on the rooftops and so much more. Even the questions that you didn't know you had will be answered!

Touching the monitor will activate the projectors






Beary Best! Hostel

I didn't post much about the hostel but I had a great stay in here. I'd probably go back here if ever I'm in Singapore. They have postcards here so I wrote one to myself back here in the Philippines. Maybe one day I'll write about this place.


She sketches while her friend takes photographs
I'll miss all the beautiful architecture
Changi Airport

With just a few hours left before the flight, I explored a little around the airport. The departure board mesmerized me. I've only seen it in movies and now I'm seeing one right in front of me. I also got to see the Kinetic Rain, the largest kinetic art sculpture in the world!

It's hauntingly beautiful


As seen on tv! (and movies)
A koi pond inside the terminal
There was a Killiney Kopitiam in the corner before my designated gate. I still had an hour left so I went ahead to get a kaya toast, soft boiled eggs, and an iced milo. Never leave Singapore without eating a kaya(coconut jam) toast. Add pepper to your eggs for that extra kick.



Back to the Philippines
That concludes my trip to Singapore! I know it might seem a little quick but I don't want to bore you with all the details. Though I did do much more than I had written here ;) 

Till next time!





Books Actually

I have always been a fan of books since I was young, not that I'm that old right now. When I found out that Singapore has a bookshop that produced local books, I told myself that I can't miss out on this. The only problem is that Books Actually was pretty far from the nearest MRT station. I once again walked for around an hour (Because I got lost. Again). It really is worth it when you get there. The shop itself is easy to spot from the outside thanks to that beautiful wall art.
Books do come from trees!
As you can see they have cats roaming around the store. There was about three of them and you might even see one climb up the stacks of books like this one here.

May I help you sir?
They really have a huge collection here. There are even visual novels and foreign books. Books Actually owns a printing press named Math Paper Press that prints local books. So if ever you want to get a taste of the current Singaporean literature, this is a place you must not miss on your trip.



The store not only has a new books but they also have very old copies that can cost you over 30 SGD. They also have a backroom that has more books plus some vintage items that might be a good souvenir.

There's Catcher in the Rye up there
What are you looking at little cat?
Cat stare down !


The store has a cozy feel to it

I got Fish Eats Lion which is a collection of fictional stories and also a Luxury We Cannot Afford which is an anthology of Singapore Poetry.

TIP: Buy a local book in the country you're visiting as a souvenir. Go get one that would be almost impossible to get from where you are. It makes it more special since you can buy the other stuff from someplace else.

Haji Lane

Just parallel to the Arab Street is the Haji Lane. A street where you can find a lot of fashion stores. A must go for those who want to go shopping for hip clothes. I just went by since I wasn't really into dressing up. There were also some bars and a lot of visual art.



Great door design!
Simple and clean


Even the wall offers some wisdom



It was already past lunch and I haven't eaten yet so I was very luck to find a hawker at the end of the street. Here's a very delicious pork ribs noodles. Noodles are great even when it's hot outside.

Best paired with a glass of lime juice!
 National Library of Singapore

 As I was walking in the afternoon heat, I did come across the National Library of Singapore. The building itself was really huge but what really got me is how it looked like when you're under it. By that time it was really hot so I went in to avoid the heat and also to check out what they had inside (Books obviously). So the floors leading up are mostly research materials but their public library is in their basement. That was where I headed. I was once again surprised to see their huge collection of books. They even had mangas, graphic novels, and even movie art books! The most surprising thing tough is that there were actually a lot of people using the library!


Don't forget to look up when you're there

I could stay here for days
Fort Canning Park

Only after going to Singapore that I realized I liked parks. I'm not sure though if I like actually like parks of just Singaporean parks. Anyway, I was killing time before I go to the Singapore Art Museum and that's when I found Fort Canning Park. The path was pretty steep so bring your water once again. I love how once your in a park you're pretty much taking a break from the city. You can just sit there in peace with nature. As I was walking, I even saw some squirrels. We don't have squirrels in the Philippines so it was a pretty big deal for me. There were also lots of different kind of birds that you might come across with as you take your stroll.






The Substation

 Just a few streets away from the Singapore Art Museum rests The Substation. The Substation is Singapore's first contemporary art centre. The current artist that they were showcasing there when I dropped by creates art that is related to food.




Singapore Art Museum

It was around six pm when I arrived at the SAM. It was a huge three story building that housed a lot of artistic works and some of the weirdest art installations that I have ever seen. The admission fee for adults is 10 SGD, but students with an I.D. will only have to pay 5 SGD. 




The Forer Effect by Heman Chong
BluRay_B by Osang Gwon
The Birth of Tragedy by Natee Utarit

Unsubtitled by Nguyen Trinh Thi
Pepe by Alvin Zafra
Custos Cavum (Guardian of the hole) by Choe U- Ram

TIP:  Entrance is free for foreign visitors on Fridays 6-9 p.m. A guided tour also starts at 7:00 p.m. There are lockers in the ground floor that you can use for 1 SGD in case you want to leave your items for a lighter walk.

Red Dot Design Museum

Just neart the Maxwell Food Centre stands the Red Dot Design Museum which houses the latest trends in the international design scene. As luck would have it MAAD, which is an event that happens once a month on a Friday where artist come together to create an artistic marketplace, was happening when I was there.








Too hot to touch!
That concludes day 4 in Singapore (oooh rhymes).

Click here to check out Singapore Day 5.

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