Asian Affair Vibrant Vietnam Sizzling Singapore
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Asian Affair: Vibrant Vietnam & Sizzling Singapore
Summary
Embarking on a journey to Singapore and Vietnam feels like exploring two entirely different worlds in a single vacation. The stark contrast from Singapore's modern gardens to Vietnam's traditional renaissance creates unforgettable memories.Article Body
I have a passion for aircraft and long-haul flights. We board the award-winning Singapore Airlines, with the promise of 30 hours ahead. Armed with 8 magazines, 6 movies, 4 meals, and a sleeping pill, I arrive feeling relaxed and excited to explore. While American airports can feel unfriendly, Singapore's ultra-modern airport invites lingering with free internet, a cinema, rooftop swimming pool, aromatherapy spas, oxygen bars, and an indoor garden with waterfalls and koi ponds.I’m accompanying a small group of 28 singles. Over 60 initially showed interest, but many opted out, fearing bird flu. This intimate group of culture enthusiasts is a delight to guide.
Our journey begins with an orientation tour on Mt. Faber, offering spectacular views. The group is impressed by this sparkling metropolis nestled between Malaysia and Indonesia. A bustling port modernized by the British Empire, Singapore?"dubbed the Lion City?"boasts 4 million inhabitants, harmoniously blending its 76% Chinese populace with other minorities. Despite welcoming 8 million visitors annually, it remains undiscovered by many Americans.
We settle into the opulent Regent Hotel by Four Seasons. My suite boasts gracious staff, arguably the best. Our timing coincides perfectly with the Great Shopping Festival. Retail therapy eases our jet lag on Orchard Road, akin to a tree-lined Fifth Avenue. Shopping here is a national passion, and bargains can be an exhilarating pursuit.
With 150 mega-malls, some open 24/7, Singapore feels like Hong Kong on steroids. The Arts Festival adds to the vibrant atmosphere. After dark, the trendy Clarke Quay area by the river transforms into a party hotspot.
Our astute and humorous guide, Farida, shows us the lush National Orchid Gardens with 60,000 orchids, Chinatown with its markets and temples, and Little India with its vibrant colors and aromas. We explore the ultra-modern financial district, Merlion Park, and the historic colonial area established by Sir Stamford Raffles.
A visit to the Long Bar at Raffles Hotel for a Singapore Sling is a must. Other tours include Jurong Bird Park and the Night Safari at the world-renowned zoo, with its free-roaming enclosures for 2,500 animals. In our free time, we ride rickshaws and take a cable car to Sentosa Island.
Some of us opt for a Jungle Breakfast with the Orangutans at the zoo. At night, Terry and I indulge in jumbo chili crabs and rice cakes. Singapore, with its clean streets and purple bougainvillea-lined highways, feels safe and pristine. Strict laws mean no graffiti or gangs, and there's a death penalty for drug traffickers. We humorously joke about getting caned for chewing gum or jaywalking.
Our Singapore visit has been leisurely. I usually feel like Jack Bauer from "24" with packed itineraries, but here I feel rested. We board our 3-hour flight to Vietnam.
Vietnam greets us with rice paddies, sampans, lotus blossoms, coconut milk, and noodle soups, transporting us to a world reminiscent of the 15th century. It’s poorer than I expected but possesses an alluring charm found in the genuine gentility of its people. I have a fondness for the Third World. While Singapore was dynamic, Hanoi stimulates cultural curiosity. The city, studded with lakes and shaded by tamarind trees, is both bustling with energy and tranquil.
We check into the deluxe Sheraton Resort, an oasis in the chaos. Our guide, Hong, will be with us for six fantastic days. His first lesson: navigating the streets. With 7 lanes of hectic traffic and 2.4 million motor scooters, it's a challenge. Hong advises us: “Don’t run, don’t stop; just walk slowly so drivers can predict your path.” This lesson goes against all instincts as families of four crowd onto single scooters?"dubbed the Vietnamese sandwich. Everything is transported on these, from piglets and chickens to TVs and trees. Pollution is a concern. The city’s interior looks tired, but life continues even through sudden monsoon downpours.
The sun smiles on our tours, including the Temple of Literature, One Pillar Pagoda, the French Quarter, and Ho Chi Mihn's memorial. We queue to view his preserved body, encased like Lenin’s in Moscow. Communist soldiers enforce silent reverence?"no cameras, sunglasses, or umbrellas allowed.
We visit Hoa Lo Prison, or Fiery Furnace, built by the French in 1896. Once a site of political prisoner torture, it became a Vietcong detention center for American pilots during the Vietnam War, dubbed “The Hanoi Hilton” by captives. We also explore the Old Quarter, where each narrow lane bears the name of its ancient craft: Silk Street, Coffin Street, Grilled Fish Street, and more. Hong leads us to a market filled with unusual fare like turtles, sea slugs, and pig heads. Dishes like thit cho dog stew are considered peasant food, while country rat appears at birthday celebrations.
Our meals are elaborate, with breakfast buffets and 10-course lunches. Dining is affordable. One evening, my menu includes jellyfish salad, deep-fried eel, ginger crickets, and sticky rice with roasted pigeon. The Vietnamese seemingly embrace all moving culinary options as “tastes like chicken.”
We attend the Water Puppet Show, a unique ancient art form. As Asia’s oldest capital, Hanoi offers massages, pedicures, and custom-tailored clothing at irresistible prices. I have an embroidered silk dress made for $45 in four hours. We also explore handicraft villages, finding art, ceramics, and lacquerware bargains. Currency is a challenge?"$10,500 dong equals 65 cents. We feel like millionaires, but learning that the annual per capita income is just $320 encourages us to tip generously.
Vietnam’s vibrancy is in its cities, but its decorous charm lies in its villages. We venture out for a full-day Halong Bay cruise. The air is fresh amidst rice paddies, duck, and prawn farms during harvest time. Timid children wave as we pass. At the UNESCO World Heritage Site, we board a private junk boat and sail into a surreal dreamscape of 3,000 limestone islands emerging from the emerald sea. National Geographic calls it “magic in stone and water.” We enjoy a seafood lunch with fresh crab and prawns on this perfect day of serenity.
The highlight of our trip is a cyclo tour through Old Hanoi on our last day. We encounter 28 bicycle-rickshaws poised to pedal us through narrow, scooter-filled lanes. We laugh as locals stare. Terry, at 64 and sizable even in America, resembles King Tut atop his miniature throne, his 90-pound driver pedaling effortlessly. Later, I find myself lost without taxis. Clutching my bags, I hop on a scooter for a $5 ride to the Sheraton, wrapping myself around the driver to keep steady.
Back in Singapore, we rest at Le Meridian before our flight home to Los Angeles via Tokyo. Reflecting on this journey, I appreciate the new cultural insights gained. This vacation, like exploring two distinct planets, was an unforgettable Asian affair, showcasing the contrast between Singapore's contemporary paradise and Vietnam's traditional renaissance.
Suzy Davis
Adventures For Singles Inc.
800-813-9421 or GA. 770-432-8225
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