Barcelona and Singapore

In my haste to get a post up about Spain, I realized that I left out about half of my Barcelona trip. I also accidentally left behind a memory card in Allison's computer so I don't have those pictures yet.

Anyway, for my last few days in Barcelona Allison suggested that get a bus pass for a open top double decker tourist bus which stops at landmarks and various points of interest. I prefer walking everywhere and try to avoid super touristy things but I'm glad I bought a ticket. There were three routes around the city and you get unlimited rides for the day. You can hop on any bus and hop off if something piques your interest. I was able to see a wide range of things that I wouldn't have otherwise visited (such as the site of the 1992 Olympics).

I passed by some of Gaudí's buildings but the line to get into Sagrada Familia was over two hours long. If you visit and want to go inside, do yourself a favor and buy your ticket online to avoid the queue. But, I heard the inside isn't as impressive as the outside. I'll go visit when it is finally done around 2028.

A local told me to go to book a ticket to experience La Pedrera (Casa Milà) at night. I was told you get a unique tour of the building and get a beautiful nighttime view of the city. I will definitely go on this tour when I visit Barcelona again when it is less hot and there are less tourists. 
 

 My favorite Gaudí masterpiece I saw was Park Güell. I would have spent the entire day there if the weather was cooler. I stumbled on the "runway" where CariDee English did her final strut to win America's Next Top Model Season 7.

Back to the topic from last post about having ample travel time, getting to the Barcelona airport two hours early proved to be well worth it. When I first booked my ticket from Barcelona to Hong Kong over a month ago, I saw that I had a short layover in Singapore. I have wanted to visit so my mom suggested that I try to extend my layover. Fast forward one month to me at the Barcelona airport. I asked if I could extend my layover from 40 minutes to 40 hours.

Did you know that as a U.S. citizen you can stay in Hong Kong for up to 3 months without a visa as long as you have an outbound ticket? Because I did not have an outbound ticket from Hong Kong, Singapore Airlines told me that I would have to sign a waiver saying I was flying at my own risk. They warned me that customs may deny my entry into Hong Kong and arrest me. Uh, what? After 1 hour 45 minutes at the check-in counter, they told me I could get a later flight for the Singapore to Hong Kong leg for 23 euros. Sold! I got a 32 hour layover in Singapore and avoided arrest. (FYI, when I finally got to Hong Kong customs, they didn't ask me about my outbound ticket at all. Oh well, better safe than sorry).

When I got to Singapore at 8 am, I had no housing, no plans, and no local currency. There was free internet at the arrivals terminal so I quickly booked one of the first hostels I found. Then I spent 30 minutes chatting with a helpful girl at the tourist information desk. I happened to pass through town in time for the National Day Parade celebrating Singapore's 47th birthday. I love how sometimes things like this just work out.

I checked in my clunky 60 litre backpack and just carried my passport and camera. I withdrew the lowest amount possible from the ATM, 50 Singapore dollars (about 40 USD) from the ATM. I figured that would be my budget for my short time in Singapore.

It was interesting to be in a place with four official languages-English, Malay, Tamil, and Chinese. The girl at the tourism desk told me that the multicultural city was made up of three main areas-Little India, Chinatown, and the Malay area. I spent the day wandering around the city trying to hit popular tourist spots like the Raffles Hotel where the drink Singapore Sling originated. More importantly I passed by many beautiful mosques, churches, and temples. I somehow found my way to the world's largest prayer wheel in the Buddha Tooth Relic and Museum. If you go to Singapore, I recommend visiting it. It is the most beautiful temple I have ever been in and the informative museum is filled with amazing relics.

To watch the fireworks at night, I went to the Gardens by the Bay which is next the famous hotel Marina Bay Sands. Click here if you want to see more pictures of the gardens. (I will upload the rest of my photos on my Facebook.) The gardens were recently completed and the park spans over 100 hectares. After the fireworks, I caught a bit of the National Day Parade and got to see the Singapore skyline on my walk home. 

Three things I am grateful for:
1. I was able to stay within my budget. I spent less than S$50 during my 32 hours in Singapore. I didn't realize it until I checked into the hostel at 11pm that I had to pay for the room with cash. I am glad I didn't stop by any museums which have ridiculously expensive entrance fees. When I got back to the airport for my flight the next day, I had 80 cents left. Whew.
2. I felt like a new person after taking a shower after a sweaty day wandering around Singapore. One of the guys in my hostel room was kind enough to let me use his shower shoes.
3. I was sneaky and got to stay in a 4 person co-ed dorm room for the price of an 8 person room. Also, I couldn't have asked for better dorm mates. They were so kind and great to talk to.