Singapore, the Lion City
The Republic of Singapore is an Island City State at the southern tip of Asia with a population of over 5 million people. It is a commercial, financial, and transportation hub for Asia, and is a leader in many lists of merit. See Wikipedia for more details.
The city is also called the Garden City. Watch for a post on the “Garden by the Bay”
I visited in February when the celebration of the Chinese New Year was taking place. About 74% of the population are of Chinese ancestry.
The Sands Hotel and Casino is owned by the same owner as the casino in Las Vegas by the same name. Visitors do not have to pay to enter the casino, but all residents have to pay an entrance fee. This is said to be the best place to order an official Singapore Sling.
Singapore is popular port for South Asian cruises. We were delayed in boarding the ship because there were more ships in port than the city could handle at one time. The immigration officers were probably working overtime to accommodate all of the tourists. Princess Cruises compensated us for the delay and change of boarding venues by giving us $150 US on board credit. Also, we were given a voucher for admission to one of the conservatories at the Gardens by the Bay. Since we were within walking distance of the park, it was a great way to enjoy the morning.
Part of the boarding process was done at the hotel. We waited in the hotel until the port authority and immigration officers were ready for us. On the rooftop of the hotel is a horizon pool and bar. It is very high and a wonderful breeze cooled the open area.
This was a great place to take pictures of the city.
After boarding the Sapphire Princess, the evening sun showed the beauty of this modern city.
see more pictures in my youtube video here -> https://youtu.be/kw45nBMNK9s
