Singapore: So easy to enjoy, So hard to forget!!
We took a family vacation to Singapore from May 10-19, 2010. It was absolutely the best time we have EVER had. Everything went perfect. If there was ever a moment to bond and become closer as a family while having a blast, this was it. Singapore was not only amazing culturally, but we were able to have nonstop fun doing kid-friendly activities that we all enjoyed! I could not stop myself from taking so many pictures, hoping that by looking back at them someday, I would never forget the great times we had.
We flew over Mt. Fuji. Tim and I both said the same thing: "Hey! I climbed that mountain!!"
Our hotel was called the Furama Riverfront.
Kids goofing off in the hotel elevator.
We enjoyed the hotel pool. One time we spent an entire day in the hotel room and at the pool, just to relax after a busy couple of days in a row. Tim and I even went to the Spa and got a body scrub and massage;-) When we ventured out, we would leave in the morning and not come back until 9 or 10 at night!!
Noah found a "hole in the wall"....
Of course, Elijah wanted a picture too. They saw me taking so many pictures, that it started to become almost a game...see what cool thing you can find to take a picture!!
Tim chillin'
Kids posing...
Chinatown!! This was probably the only thing the kids didn't like because of the smell. You could always smell the food...and it was kind of gross.
"Hey Mom! Take a picture of us with this fat guy!"-from the mouths of babes...
More Chinatown
The kids got to get REAL tattoos...well, henna tattoos anyway.
Noah's spidey.
Elijah: RIP T-Rex
Kids in the subway next to the "Subway rules girl" We tried to get away with not having to buy Noah tickets, but he was too tall.
This was the kids first experience in an "underground train".
Noah tried to stand without holding onto anything during take off and stopping. He actually had pretty good balance.
We spent 2 full days on Sentosa Island. We loved it!!
Imbiah Outlook was our first stop. It had the Sentosa 4D Magix...a 4D "live" entertainment show about pirates...it sprayed water on us, tickled our feet, and our seats moved, jumped and jolted. The kids were kinda scared. We also went to the CineBlast and rode on the Extreme Log Ride. It was a 4D roller coaster simulation ride. We went inside the Tiger Tower, which is a fabulous 360° view of the surrounding Singapore skyline and neighboring islands from it's vantage point 430 feet above sea level. We rode the Luge and Skyride. The luge is part go-cart, part toboggan, and pure fun! The skyride was a scenic 320m long tree-top ride back to the starting point of the luge. Last, we visited the Merlion in Imbiah Outlook.
The Merlion is the symbol of Singapore.
Me and my babes...
Tiger Tower
Another view from Tiger Tower
"Mom, look! Take this picture of us!"
Luge and Skyride
Amber and Noah on the Luge (They're right when they say you can't ride it only once!)
Going up in the skyride...
Time for walking to find food!!
Oh my gosh! They have a Hard Rock Cafe! Yes!!
The next day on Sentosa Island was spent at Universal Studios. This was my favorite day!
There were 6 main attraction areas: The Lost World (Jurassic Park), Far Far Away (Shrek), Madagascar, Ancient Egypt (Revenge of the Mummy), Hollywood and New York.
They had a whole store dedicated to Hershey's! Hershey's Chocolate bars, Hershey Kisses and Hershey Reeses....mmmm...yummy!
Noah being himself...the joker...
Elijah the croc...
Woody the Woodpecker!!
For my mom...
Madagascar!!
The carousel! Noah chose to ride on the ship's captain with the penguin.
Elijah, of course, had to find Alex the Lion.
Off to Far Far Away! Here there was a Shrek 4D adventure (which the kids loved), the Donkey Live Show, The Enchanted Airways junior roller coaster (which the kids were excited about riding but then were freaked out at the end!), and the Magic Potion Spin ferris wheel.
The Potion Factory ferris wheel...
This show was absolutely hilarious!!! Especially since Tim had to go on stage in front of everybody and make fart noises!! lol...
Next stop: Waterworld! This was a sensational live water show with death defying stunts and awesome explosions. It was quite entertaining! Definitely one of our favorite things.
The set...
Onto The Lost World!
Noah, Tim, and Elijah behind me on the Dino-Soarin ride.
I would give anything to know what he is telling Tim right here!
Nope! Kids were too scared to even try this one! They were too short anyway.
In Ancient Egypt we went on a treasure hunt. This was the automatic cart we rode in.
Noah was convinced he was really driving!
Elijah couldn't figure out how Noah hadn't crashed us yet...lol...
A view of Far Far Away from Ancient Egypt, the other side of the park.
Headed next to old New York and Hollywood! In Hollywood we watched a live musical performed by monsters called the Monster Mash (Dracula, Frankenstein, the Bride of Frankenstein, Werewolf, She-wolf, and an unknown? lol), lots of shops and Mel's Drive In. In New York there was a Steven Spielberg exhibit that showed how an empty sound stage can become the setting for a major hurricane in NYC-right in front of us. But most of all, it was the perfect setting for lots of fun snapshots!
Is the future being told in this picture?
Hollywood. Population: Glamorous
It's Frankenstein!
Songs of the Sea was one of our favorites too. It brings you a mesmerising show with a live cast and dramatic special effects like pyrotechnics, water jets, brilliant lasers, special computer imaging, stunning flame bursts and captivating music. I wish I had pictures to share, but I recorded the show instead of taking pics.
New day, new adventure!!
The Singapore Zoo!! We started the day with a Jungle Breakfast with Wildlife. In between eating from a buffet, the kids were able to watch the elephants take a bath, feed them breakfast, touch and hold a giant snake, and meet and greet with the orang utans.
Noah and Elijah's brother...lol...
No hesitation at all from Noah...
A little hesitation from Elijah...
Tim was excited...
And I thought if the kids (cough cough Elijah) could do it, then I could!!
It was so nice to see a zoo that didn't cage the animals. It was BIG, very open, and truly mimicked the animals habitat in the wild.
The white tiger...one of my faves.
Hahaha...live "animals"...they got that right...
The orang utans swung, lounged, and played right over our heads in their free-ranging habitat.
This was the cast from a show called "The Rainforest Fights Back"
We also watched the elephant show: Elephants at Work and Play
My other fave...
The cheetah was Tim's favorite, UNTIL...
He saw this wild pack of hyenas attack a falling giant blue heron. He said it was like having a front row seat on the set of the Discovery Channel. I wouldn't have believed him had Elijah not seen the bird actually fall, me hearing the hyenas go crazy from wherever I was, and then coming up at the end and seeing about a bazillion feathers fly around.
This little monkey was just roaming around aimlessly...another indication that this zoo is just too cool.
Noah feeding the rhinos. Elijah was pouting at this point about breaking his shoe so he didn't feed them. And yes, we spent about $50 on a pair of Croc sandals...the only kind of shoe they sold inside the zoo. But at least they sold shoes at all!
Noah looking at the meat they were about to feed the lions. When I asked him why he was staring at it, he said, "I don't want to miss them feeding them. So if I watch the food when they take it, I know when they are about to start." I see his logic...
The lioness patiently awaiting her meal to be served.
And they prance to get the fresh, raw meat. We never saw the male lion. Not sure where he was either...but we did hear him at one time...maybe he was in heat???
Noah still loves horses!
This made his day:-)
We took a break from walking around and ate lunch and let the kids play in the mini waterpark.
Moooooo....
The 3rd and last show we saw was the Splash Safari. Noah was one of the lucky kids from the audience picked to come on stage and "meet and feed" the sealion.
Here he is shaking his hand.
This picture was right after the sealion stole a kiss!! He was NOT happy about that part!!
Later that night we went to the Night Safari. We saw the Creatures of the Night Show and then took a tram ride through the different geographical regions and saw the nocturnal animals live in habitats that best mimicked their natural environments. We were not allowed to use flash, so NONE of my pictures turned out:-( Noah was asleep halfway through the tram ride...
Another day was spent at the Singapore Science Centre. This was a pretty cool museum.
Tasty appetizers...
Noah in the haircut simulation room. He liked it so much he begged for a real haircut!!
Noah and I playing at one of the sound stations.
Believe me, they wanted to see everything. Noah was too short to see this ant farm, so he just jumped right up on it...lol.
More museum fun...
Hooters!! YUMMY wings!!
LOL
The hooter girl hula-hooping...
Of course my kids joined her!!
Tearing up the wings...
We walked...ALOT!!
The kids did pretty good entertaining themselves. This is them making fart noises at one point. Boys will be boys...
Chilling in Riverfront/Clarke Quay.
Wild Wild Wet Waterpark!!! Yipee!! This was probably one of the kids favorite days.
This was a wall inside one of the malls.
Elijah: "Look Mom!! There's my name! There's my name!!"
His middle name is Lee. :-)
SSSSSSSSSSSSMOKIN'!!
Iron Man 2!!
We saw this movie in the theater while we were in Singapore too. This picture was taken the same day. Things were casual at first and then Tim came around the corner nonchalantly in this mask. The kids thought it was hilarious...and so did I.
Noah: "Mom! Take a picture of me with my cool friends."
That's about right.
My babes...
We ate dinner here twice...yummy burgers and yummy beer.
Bridge at night...
Bridge during the day...
On the last day, we went on a riverboat cruise through Riverpoint, Clark Quay, Boat Quay and ended at the Merlion Park.
Neat...
From Wikipedia: The Merlion is an imaginary creature with the head of a lion and the body of a fish, used as a mascot of Singapore. Its name combines "mer" meaning the sea and "lion". The fish body comes from Singapore's ancient name back when it was a fishing village — Temasek — meaning "sea town" in Javanese. The lion head represents Singapore's original name — Singapura — meaning "lion city" or "kota singa".
Boat Quay...
The fam...
"A moment lasts all of that second, but the memory lives on forever."
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