Singapore Duck Tour

If you are a traveling guest, I would recommend this tour. If you are a local, I would highly recommend you not to miss the Duck Tour. This is probably the best way to tour around the city landscape of Singapore. For an hour, embark on a land & sea tour on the remodeled WWII amphibious Vietnamese war craft that will bring you up close with some of the iconic and historical landmarks around the Marina Bay.

The girls got their wish to sit in the pink boat.

Every tour has a tour guide that will introduce some of the facts around the area. Our guide is an elderly auntie who speaks pretty good English and is quite humorous too (tho quite dry at times).

If you choose to sit on the front two rows, especially on the side, be prepared to be a bit wet as the vehicle goes into the water, nothing a few tissue paper cannot clean.

Sights of the dragon boat sports are common along the bay.

 

As we cruise along, it is the best opportunity to bring out your cameras or mobile phones and take some photos of the usual scene we see on land, but now from a different point of view.

Marina Bay Sands which has 2,561 number of rooms.

  

Our tour guide introduced the ArtScience Museum as the ‘Lotus Museum’.

Marina Bay Financial Centre (MBFC)

DBS Marina Bay Sailing, gliding slowly along the Marina Reservoir. Interesting fact, with the completion of the Marina Barrage in 2008, the reservoir which contained salt water, became freshwater and in 2010. Now the Marina Reservoir provides 10% of the island’s water needs.

We passed by one of the few 6-stars hotel – The Fullerton Hotel – previously known as the General Post Office Building. Another tourist attraction is the Merlion.

The tour makes a u-turn at the Merlion and we get to see the Floating Platform and F1 Pit Building. Do you know that starting this year (2016), we will no longer have our National Day Parade (NDP) at the Floating Platform? This August, we will shift the NDP to the new Singapore National Stadium.

Also this year is the 9th year Singapore is hosting the F1 Night Race, next year 2017 will be the 10th and last year based on contract.

Before we go back to land, the last attraction will be the largest observation wheel in Singapore, opened in 2008.

The Singapore Flyer used to be the largest Ferris Wheel in the world at 165m, until Las Vegas overtook the prestige with High Roller which is 167.6m tall. We lost by a mere 2.6m. Blah!

Back to the land.

We went one round towards some of the Colonial buildings like the Fullerton Hotel, and the Victoria Theatre.

Another building is the former Supreme Court, now part of the National Heritage and converted to National Gallery Singapore.

As a Singaporean, I was quite embarrassed when I realised that I was so ignorant of the history and facts surrounding me. Which is why I highly recommend anyone who is staying in Singapore to join this tour. It will be quite insightful.

Christmas Joys @ POLW

Port of Lost Wonder is fast becoming one of the girls’ favourite place. Partly because of the huge Pirate Ship water play ground, but also there are always new activities planned to keep the fun going. Especially activities with colouring, drawing, and various art & craft.

A makeshift tent becomes Mrs. Claus’ Kitchen, where the kids can ‘dirty’ their hands and have a try to mix some Christmas Punch and bake gingerbread man.

Small cups of fruit punch with different colours (red, green, white) were given to the kids to try out the skill of mixing their own Christmas Punch.

  

Jayne really put in her effort to mix the best drink for me. Even with a cherry in it =)

  

Making gingerbread man is a bit more interesting. Pressing of the dough and getting it flat for the mould.

   

After 30mins later, we have the most delightful and colourful gingerbread lady. On the right, Joey’s creation even has hair, so cute.

 

While we waited for the gingerbread to be baked, next stop was to design a Christmas card for friends. Rudolph’s Backyard – Christmas Card Making.

Draw . Cut . Send.
Initially Joey wanted to mail to Santa, we managed to convince her that it would be nicer to send to herself.

 

 

When we were back from our holiday, the mail was in. We actually forgotten about it. So it was a good idea to send to ourselves after all.

This is the first time we tried to create our own candles. It was actually a very good idea (not too difficult too) for future home art & craft.

Prepare lots of colourful pebbles and allow the kids to write their names and wishes, the self-made candle is complete.

 

Another 30-40mins wait for the wax to slightly solidify and the girls’ first ever candle creation is done. So pretty right?

Elves at Work – DIY Trinkets.
When it comes to art & craft with glittering powder, it is the girls’ favourite but my personal nightmare. It’s very difficult to wash off when it gets stained on the hands or even faces. But I guess, the girls’ fun is more important.

 

When it is completed, the girls can write down their Christmas wish and hang the creation on the Christmas tree. Joey wished for snow in Singapore, I secretly prayed that she can have her wish granted.

Last station and always a place I have harboured hope that it will be opened for adults in future. The Frosty Pool House – Bubble Party. They definitely enjoyed it the most too!

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And if you are planning to visit Sentosa, do catch the 3D Video Mapping @ Sentosa Merlion. It would definitely be a time worthy idea.

     

Click on the following link to watch a preview of the show.

http://youtu.be/4yYL61MiR9o

Happening until 1 Jan 2014, the timing for the show will be as follows:
7.30pm, 8.30pm & 9.30pm (Fri & Sat)
7.30pm, 8pm, 8.30pm, 9pm, 9.30pm (Sun-Thu)