All the lights of that part of the world, shaping the irregular and mind blowing skyline of the city that stands as a country. Called by some Sing city, by others Sun city, by me, that evening, simply like this: “Hello, Singapore!” I done it properly, raising one chalice of Stella at the sky-bar on top of Marina Bay Sands. The most expensive Stella I ever had for the best city by night view I ever got. Singapore was as promised: hypnotic.

Trip to South East Asia

Was about time to set my foot in Asia. For too long I have postponed this journey.

Just a  few weeks before that, I was wandering the white streets of Polignano a Mare, in beautiful Puglia of Italy, wondering how could a place so far away and so different make me happier than what I already loved: summer in Europe.

Start of a great journey

Before tasting summer in Asia, I got hit hard by an early fall in Switzerland, during a layover in Zurich. I jumped on a plane in a summer day, with 30C temperatures and landed in a rainy and cold Zurich where late August meant 14C temperatures and people in coats. This October mood, with leaves starting to turn yellow, really took me by surprise. And I was wearing a t-shirt here… 

But a bit of luck was there for me though: I got right in the middle of a Swiss fest, in the old town. Swiss street food, loud music, people singing and dancing and lots of beer and… pot smoke clouds. It is legal there and this seem quite ironic since I was flying to a country where you could get 10 years in prison for that.

 Zurich was anyway perfect for a long walk before a 12h flight. But was just enough. 

The challenge: 12h flight

I successfully survived it, my very first long haul flight, thanks to Swiss Airlines. They were best.

A bit tired, a bit numb and a bit lost in translation, I landed in Singapore. I’ve learned that an airport tells many about the city and so was Changi Airport: so cool and so… automated. Somehow took me an hour to finally take the MRT, the train, to the city centre.

Hello, Singapore!

I arrived in Little India, an area in Singapore, little after sunset. I easily found the hostel, took a refreshing shower and I was already out on the streets, ready to taste Singapore.

First impression: it’s a jungle of skyscrapers. Second: it is the cleanest city I ever been to.

1st mission: food! So I headed to Chinatown. The more Singapore I saw, the more perfect it looked. Clean, rich, developed, organised. It looked too perfect to be inhabited but still it is, by 5,8M people.

No homeless people, no beggars, no dirty streets or funny smells. Like a utopia that makes cities in old Europe look savage and rough.

I arrived on a street full of restaurants on both sides and what surprised me was the high number of meals offered by each. Some menus were in Chinese only.

A little further, on a few stalls with fruits, I saw the king of fruits: durian. I was waiting for this moment. I live on fruits, all kind of, and the idea that there might be one I won’t like was intriguing. I felt the smell from a few meters distance and knew it must be it. The price: 30S$. So I have postponed the experience.

Pushed by hunger, I finally took a sit on a large terrace. In the kitchen, partly visible from the outside, was a noisy madness. Somehow, plates of food came out every 10 minutes. 

I played it safe and ordered dim sum with shrimp, a beef wok and some Asian beer. As I wait, I’m hoping in the end I will leave full and satisfied. Next to me a family of 4 Americans has a table full of seafood in front of them. 

My dim sum arrives in a nice small basket. It’s hot and steamy, tasty and perfectly done. The sauce is hot as hell and spicy is not my thing at all. I was warned before about how spicy Asian food is. Here comes the second course. I taste and OMG! My mouth is burning. It is so hot and spicy and delicious. I’m melting… The beef is so tender, almost creamy, like from another world. The first bite got me straight to the Heaven of foodies and forgot me there. Was so spicy that half of my body was burning, but I wouldn’t stop. 

My first food experience was perfect. I then wandered the streets downtown Singapore, feeling the size of an ant among the tallest buildings on Cecil Street, Central Blvd and thinking: Gosh, what a city!

Gardens By The Bay

I saw the icon of Singapore, Marina Bay Sands, from the distance, mirroring its three silhouettes in the bay. What a view!

I headed towards Gardens By The Bay first, which is near by. I saw the blue supertrees getting bigger as I was approaching. Impressive is too little said, it’s spellbinding but still… There’s a still. It looks so man made. Nature does it better than us when it comes to natural landscapes. It’s the master after all, we’re just copying.

The view with the lake and the supertrees changing their color in the night is sublime.

I spent a lot of time just gazing at this wonder. I then found a tree, a real one this timee, with pink flowers and surrounded by a scent that kept me still. The perfume was divine. It was frangipani, the flower that will later become the light motiv of my trip to Asia.

Marina Bay Sands – At last!

If you say Singapore, you say Marina bay Sands. I read so much before this trip about Marina Bay Sands and how to get to its iconic infinity crazy pool that I went nuts. The conclusion: it is impossible if you are not a guest.

I also read about all the scenarios made by people desperately trying to get there, sometimes changing into white bathrobes in elevators and pretending they forgot the key or trying to make friends with guests only to find a way to get there. But the vigilance of personnel has no weak points so I have found no stories of success brought by tricks instead of credit card.  

I also took into consideration to book one room, but hell, we’re talking about 350$ here! All I wanted was a glance to the pool and a photo but from what I read it seemed they won’t even let you enter to take a look for a sec if you’re not a guest at MBS. So here’s what I did:

First of all I got all the info I needed: I found out there is an Observation Deck. To get there you have to pay an entrance fee, about 23S$. But you don’t see the pool, since this is a level under, so not interesting for me.

 I got some hope after reading about the restaurants which were part of Sands SkyPark, at the top floor, no 57, where the pool was. Apparently to get there during the night you also had to be a guest, non guest were not allowed after a certain hour. You could only go during the evening, the early hours, if you made a reservation and payed for a voucher of about 20$. That seemed ok but in the end I didn’t make any reservation in advance.

I decided to just try to get there as I arrive in Singapore, no tricks and no lies.

Marina Bay Sands is a top luxury hotel, worldwide famous. Rule no1 is a common sense one: to dress accordingly. So I did. Of course I was wearing flip flops during my walk in the city but changed those with a pair of nude flat sandals while in Gardens By The Bay. I made sure before I left my hostel in Little India to put on a light summer dress and to change my regular traveling bag with a nice classic one.

I approach the huge entrance of Tower 3 at Marina Bay Sands. A number of luxury cars were parked around, limousines were arriving one after another as if it was the Oscar’s night in Asia. Was the definition of posh, for sure. 

Inside also it looked spotless, very glam. I thank myself I did put some lipstick on before.

I pass by the large doors of glass and enter the immense lobby with concierge offices on both sides. I head to someone there and tell him I would like to have a drink at one of the top floor restaurants and ask if it is possible at that hour. It was passed 11PM. He answers politely: “Yes, please. Welcome!” and directs me straight in the front. This side is as big as a boulevard, with luxury stores on the left and a fancy lounge bar on the right. I find the entrance of Lavu restaurant, which I have read about before. I ask the guy there again for directions for CÉ LA VI Club Lounge. He points it a little more further. A few more steps and I’m in front of a young woman and a men, both tall, good looking, black tie. I’m so glad I wear that Chanel lipstick… After all stories I read online, I was expecting a long look and a “Sorry, but…” type of answer.

I repeat the question about the drink. They are both very welcoming and I get another “Yes, please, welcome!” answer. The woman approached me to mark my wrist with a stamp. I’ve read about this too so I wasn’t surprise. I ask if I have to pay anything, as previously red on a few blogs, and she said was no need to. She accompanies me in front of the elevators.

– It’s floor number 57, she repeats smiling before the doors close.

I am quite surprised. So no reservation, no hour limit, no access fee, no questions about the room key to get to floor number 57, the forbidden one for all outsiders. The spot in Singapore where everyone wants to get to.  

The elevator doors open few seconds later and as I looked a bit disoriented in that dark lavish lobby, a girl approaches right away, smiling. She welcomes me and directs me to the lounge.

There were few people left there. I take a look and I realise it’s not the right side, with that spectacular view from the pool, the one I saw in all the photos. I can’t even see the pool from here and I have no idea where it is. I want to order a beer but they don’t serve anymore at that hour. Damn! No view, no pool and no drink. I want to leave, that’s it! I tried… didn’t work.

As I head back to the elevator, I see the top deck has multiple security points, with stuff personnel present there to ensure exclusivity for its hotel guests. Would be quite silly to try to fool them. And embarrassing, in my opinion.

Before I reach the elevator to leave, I see a door opened on another side. I want to take a look there. It’s another entrance to the terrace. The second I am outside and feel the fresh breeze from level 57th floor, I see it! The most famous pool in the world! A girl smiles as she sees my reaction and approaches. She is one of the three personnel ensuring no non guest will pass through there. I finally turn my heat from the pool and tell her that I am not a guest but I would love to see the pool, I won’t spent there more time and I promise not to jump in the water. We both laughed and surprisingly she says that she would have allowed me to enter the pool area for a look with no problem but, unfortunately, the pool was closed just minutes before. She gives me a confiant look and apologizes again for the inconvenient. As I turn around to leave she stops me and says I can still see the pool from the night lounge, adding I can get a greater view from there. She points the right direction and yes, she was so right!

I enter the lounge club, pass through the interior and arrive again outside, on the terrace. This time I was on the right side. Next to the pool, in front of the best part of Sing city’s skyline. The pool is mind-blowing, covering the entire rooftop. It is much bigger in reality than in photos. Facing the city’s skyline and its millions of lights it looks so blue and so posh, with white sunbeds by the water and high palm trees. Just by being there you were feeling spoilt.

I find the perfect table right at the edge, where the view is spectacular. I rest my head against my arm and loose any time notions. I made it to Marina bay Sands… And nothing else matters when in front of our eyes is like this: 

I ordered one chalice of Stella and just stare at this marvelous skyline of Singapore, feeling as if I was on top of the world. Oh, wait, I actually was.

I wished I’ll come back.

Next: Malaysia: Trekking through a 130M years jungle