Sizing Up Singapore

The ferry passed scores of freighters and container ships in Singapore's busy shipping lanes.

We returned to Singapore Thursday afternoon, the 17th, aboard the ferry that had brought us to Bintan. We breezed through customs and immigration and I have a 90 day visa, which is standard, so no worries or inconvenience to renew while I'm here.

A taxi brought us to the Value Hotel, where we checked into two very small, sparsely furnished but clean and tidy rooms with no closet, no chair, but a narrow bureau with mirror, a sizeable wall-mounted TV, and comfy king bed. The small bathroom has a drain in the floor and an open shower. We've gone from first class accommodations to coach. That's no complaint, just observation.

View from my Value room.

None of the places we had stayed so far provided wash cloths, which I consider essential, so I had repurposed a shoe buffing cloth from our first night's stay at the posh Crowne Plaza and was continuing to use that on my face. Thank goodness I had packed one of those plastic net balls on a rope for body work in the bath and shower! (Too much information?)

"It's the little things you miss that take you out of your comfort zone."

After a meal at the next door Chinese restaurant, we walked the few blocks past small shops and high rise residences to Mt. Elizabeth Novena Hospital. We found the nearby MRT subway stop, which will become central to our transportation needs in the coming weeks. Aron was already hard at work checking online sources for nearby residential options. The convenience of the MRT allows for an expanded search.

Hospital next to Oasia.

We stopped by the hospital patient services and a pleasant man sat with us and went over some living options with Aron and Hapny. That was helpful and we planned to visit several beginning the next day (Friday). Two or three promising options are located two MRT stops south in a major SHOPPING district. There's a word that gets Hapny's eyes twinkling! After all, we are starting from scratch with Baby Blossom Clover (the nom du jour until something else replaces it). I only brought with me a set of four onesies size 0 to 3 months and a baby rattle. Everything else we will have to buy here.
We took a different route to walk back to our hotel and passed St. Alphonsus Catholic church where Maundy Thursday services were underway, a reminder of what I was missing back home. I hope we can attend worship services here or elsewhere when we get settled.

Rooftop pool at Value Hotel.

At Value Hotel, Sofie and I enjoyed a refreshing dip in the pool then we all ate another Chinese meal next door and settled in for the night. (I'll have more to say about dining experiences in a future post.) We looked forward to a busy day Friday including a move up the hill to the elegant Oasia Hotel next door to the hospital for a two night stay.