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Singapore is both an island country and a city-state on the southern tip of the Malay peninsula. With 6 million people in less than 300 square miles, it is the second-most populated country in the world (behind India).
This year, we have three days and two nights in Singapore. This is our longest stay in a port besides Ho Chi Minh City. A friend in Guest Services told us that he had some of the best noodles ever in the cruise ship terminal. So when we disembarked, we headed into the terminal for dinner. Sure enough, in the middle of the terminal shopping mall, there was a food court. And we had some of the best noodles ever. Gail has now fallen in love with clay pot meals.
We have some fond memories of Singapore. Back in 2000, we took our two sons (then 9 and 7) to Singapore to see how well we could travel together. We did well enough to take a one-year trip around the world a year later. One of our most memorable experiences was visiting the Night Safari. (You are more likely to see animals when they are awake at night.) Our youngest son stopped to tie his shoe. Suddenly, there was a loud “whomp” sound. We looked up to see a lioness up on two legs splayed against the glass wall behind our son. She had been stalking potential prey.
This was our first time back to Singapore since then. So our priority was to go back to the Night Safari at Mandai Wildlife Reserve. We were shocked at how much this place has changed in 20 years. There is now a tram that runs through the park. There are also mazes of walkways that meander throughout the park’s 86 acres.
The park is home to more than 100 different species. But the word “safari” is a misnomer. There are no animals roaming freely. It is actually a zoo. But instead of being confined in cages, the animals are in small habitat areas, separated from visitors by moats or glass walls. Everything is dimly lit by lighting that resembles moonlight.
We were on a Viking excursion, so our time was limited. Instead of watching the show with everyone else, we separated and went out on the trails. We were so fascinated by the various animals, we barely made it back to the bus in time.
