Traveling with my Folks: Singapore

As a traveler, nothing is more fulfilling than the chance to spend your travels with the ones you love. I always believe that an adventure is worthless if it is not shared. In my goal to remain consistent to that belief, I have worked hard to share my encounters through stories, ergo my blog. 

But nothing is comparable to a true to life experience shared. I have always dreamed of having my parents join my wanders so my goal before turning 25 was to be able to do this lifelong wish. When finally, I was able to tag them along, nothing could have felt so much better than the feeling of wander lust shared with my mom and dad. 

Singapore allures me every time in ways I cannot fathom. Probably because I have always admired being in such an efficient social system although my only hope is that the weather becomes more predictable and less warmer. Regardless, the lovely cityscape has made me fall in love with this city over and over again. On my fifth visit to this city, I wanted to make sure that my mom, my dad and my aunt who were all traveling with me gain nothing less than good times albeit being a "walking city", this may impose a challenge to older folks. 

Surprisingly, there I found myself being caught in amusement to an already familiar environment. Perhaps the unique moments are what differentiates every adventure. 

Soon after landing at Changi International Airport and having ourselves checked in at the Village Hotel Bugis, we went straight towards the Boat Quay for a lovely dinner by the river. Our family is bonded with the fascination for Chinese cuisine so dining here was probably the best way to kick off such a series of wonderful days ahead.

Pineapple Rice, Roasted Chicken, Sweet and Sour Pork, Kailan, these are Singaporean staples we definitely cannot dare miss. 

Boat Quay also offers such an inviting mood to stroll and talk over good food and good drinks while being surrounded by a beautiful backdrop of the city skyline.

One of the perks for booking directly at the hotel's website is the chance to earn exclusive perks, we had Funvee's free hop-on hop-off bus admission to the city. It was an exhilarating way to explore Singapore at the convenience of our own pace and time and the luxury of hopping back to our bus whenever we felt the need to. 

There were three routes to choose from but my guts told me that the city route is what my folks will enjoy the most. I have to admit that even though I wasn't a newbie to the city, there was still much to see and I wasn't less excited in any way. 

Just a few hours after the buffet breakfast at the hotel, we got the chance to stop by Lau Pa Sat which is famous for its food stalls. So even if we were not totally hungry, we can't say no to another dose of Singapore hawker cuisine - something very common in the country.

Paying a visit to the grand icons of Singapore was mandatory, the Esplanade, the Marina Bay Sands, the Singapore Flyer and the Merlion are all hoisted in front of each other creating such a picturesque view of the megastructures.

As a predominantly Chinese community, Chinatown ironically offers a vibrant scene both for Hindus and Buddhist. But apart from being a religious melting pot, it is home to one of the most exciting shopping experiences in Sinagpore. Because I was traveling with my folks, shopping was is definitely a box on the checklist where they got to score great finds in the bustling alleys of this district. 

                    

A quick booze before the sun sets was a perfect way to end a tiring but satisfying day. The Clark Quay was such a mood booster.

Having been tired to wander some more, Food Republic is a quick relief to the hungry fellows who after a long day, only wants to have a good selection of food.

We were greeted with a fine day the following morning and what better way to spend it than on the shores of Sentosa's white sand beach bars. My family is very fond of being near the ocean so having to experience the sea at another part of the world was certainly an moment to spend.

As you know, mothers have a certain affection for floras. The Gardens by the Bay was perfect for a hot sunny day, it was a spectacular choice to be one with nature in a city wrapped by modernity and soaring skylines. I think Singapore's best quality is the ability to preserve mother nature despite of its limited land resources and inspite of its aggressive growth and development. 

Because our hotel was in the heart of Bugis, we saved the time to explore it for later. It was a place where culture, heritage, shopping, art and nightlife are harmoniously blended together. This is what Singapore is known for, the ability to bring different things together and coexist smoothly, be it culture or lifestyle. 

I don't spend so much time traversing the tourist roads and queuing up in hyped destinations, but we always have to take into consideration the people we are traveling with. Singapore is by itself a "tourist" destination and its charm is well displayed through this identity and that identity works well for my pleasured folks.

Traveling with my parents who do not have the physical strength I have is quite challenging but it is definitely one of the best feeling in the world. To look after them and to make sure every second is a moment to smile.

I'd say this is my greatest milestone as a traveler. And it doesn't end here. While the joy of traveling solo remains one of the most peculiar, traveling with those who are dearly to you makes an adventure definitely heartfelt.