Singapore Chinese New Years

When Andrew and Tiffany heard that we were leaving Hong Kong and heading back to the US, they decided to take matters into their own hands and plan a vacation for the four of us, one last Hurrah. They also decided to keep it a complete surprise from us, so Drew and I spent weeks daydreaming about where we were off to. Even on the first flight out, we were flying on an airline that 1) had techno colored cabin lighting, which was awesome, and 2) was named Scoot Airlines, which we had never heard of before, so that provided no help. 

                      

They did tell us that the trip would have two parts, the first being more big city. As it turned out, we were having a long lay-over in Singapore, which was amazing. Singapore was actually the first place that Drew and I visited when we first moved to Hong Kong, so it was really cool to come back here again as one of our last destinations, two years later to complete the circle. Since we were traveling over Chinese New Years, Chinatown was an obvious choice, as it was decked out. It was also a neighborhood that Drew and I skipped the first time, so it was perfect. And, as is always the case in Singapore, it was HOT. 

Just next to Chinatown, we also found a cool little area called Duxton Hill, which had really cool architecture, restaurants, bars, and charm. We actually returned to this area again on our layover back to Hong Kong for an evening of dinner and fun, which included Korean snacks and frozen beer. 

Staying true to Drew and my way of traveling, we were sure to stop by a hawker complex for lunch, and second lunch, and a pre-dinner snack. We tried lots of new dishes though, like popiah, which Andrew introduced us to. 

We also went out to dinner at the Clarks Quay, where, after a delicious Spanish tapas meal, we participated in the Singaporean tradition of relaxing in public areas to avoid hefty beverage taxes. Drew and I saw people doing this the last time we were here, so it was fun to partake this time. 

Singapore does have some amazing architecture. Everything seems very new and shiny, a bit of a contrast to certain parts of Hong Kong. 

On our way back to Hong Kong, we stopped by the Chinese New Years Festival, which was all decked out.

Thanks so much guys for planning this trip for us. We couldn't ask for better friends than you! And now, on to part 2 of the trip!