Exploring the Wonders of Singapore and Vietnam: A Cultural Adventure

I'm really into planes and long flights. We hopped on the famous Singapore Airlines with about 30 hours ahead of us. I had eight magazines, six movies, four meals, and a sleeping pill, so I arrived feeling chill and ready to explore. American airports still aren't the easiest to navigate. On the flip side, Singapore's super-modern airport makes you want to hang out longer. It offers free internet stations, a cinema, a rooftop pool, aromatherapy spas, oxygen bars, and an indoor garden with waterfalls and a koi pond.

A Unique Travel Group Experience

I'm traveling with my smallest group yet, just 28 singles. Over 60 people had pushed me to plan these destinations, but most bailed last minute, worried about bird flu. So, this trip feels like a vacation for me with this awesome group of culture lovers.

Our adventure kicks off with a tour at the top of Mt. Farber. The views are breathtaking, and I can tell the group is wowed by this dazzling city nestled between Malaysia and Indonesia. This is the heart of Southeast Asia, a lively port that the British Empire helped modernize. Known as the “Lion City,” it’s home to 4 million people. About 76% are Chinese, and the other minorities live together in harmony.

Singapore is a city, state, capital, and country all rolled into one, attracting 8 million visitors each year, though not many Americans have caught on yet.

Luxurious Accommodations

We check into the luxurious Regent Hotel by Four Seasons. I get a suite, and honestly, the staff here might just be the friendliest on earth. We’ve arrived at the perfect time with the “Great Shopping Festival” happening. Nothing like a little retail therapy to shake off our jet lag. Orchard Road, kind of like a tree-lined Fifth Avenue, is just a block away and is the hub of everything. Shopping is the national pastime, and hunting for bargains can get pretty intense here.

There are 150 mega-malls here, and some never even close! I'm a sucker for labels, so I snagged a pre-owned authentic Rolex with documents for way less than the original price. We've only got 4 days to explore, and it's nonstop action, like Hong Kong on steroids. The Arts Festival is happening at numerous venues. After dark, Clarke Quay by the river turns into a party hub.

We have an awesome guide named Farida who shows us around with plenty of laughs. We visit the lush National Orchid Gardens, home to 60,000 orchids, check out Chinatown with its markets and temples, and wander through Little India, where the amazing aromas and vibrant colors fill the air.

Then we head to the super-modern financial district, Merlion Park with its iconic fountain, and the historic colonial area set up by Sir Stamford Raffles. We even took a break to sip a Singapore Sling at the famous Long Bar of Raffles Hotel, where rooms start at $700 a night. Other tours include Jurong Bird Park and the Night Safari at the zoo, considered the best in the world with its free-roaming enclosures for 2,500 animals.

In our free time, we rode rickshaws around town and took the cable car over to Sentosa Island.

Culinary Delights of Singapore

Some of us decide to head back to the zoo for a Jungle Breakfast with the Orangutans. At night, Terry and I enjoy some jumbo chili crabs and rice cakes. Singapore is super clean, with purple bougainvillea bushes lining the highways. Every car has alarms that go off if you speed. There is no graffiti, no gangs, and in this tightly controlled democracy, drug traffickers face the death penalty. We joke about getting caned for chewing gum or jaywalking.

It's been a relaxing visit. Usually, my trips feel like I'm Jack Bauer from the TV show 24, with non-stop schedules. I feel refreshed as I board our 3-hour flight to Vietnam.

Transitioning to Vietnam

We step into a whole new world in Vietnam, filled with rice fields, sampans, lotus flowers, and noodle soups. It's like hopping into a time machine back to the 15th century in this beautiful place rich with history. It's much poorer than I expected, but there's an irresistible charm in the kindness of the people and their genuine smiles. I have a soft spot for the Third World.

While Singapore was buzzing with energy, Hanoi is a cultural feast. The city is dotted with lakes and shaded by tamarind trees. It's lively yet peaceful, humming with Chi-energy.

Here, we check into the deluxe Sheraton Resort, a peaceful escape from the chaos. Our awesome guide, Hong, will be with us for six amazing days. His first lesson is how to cross the streets. The traffic is insane, with seven lanes and 2.4 million motor scooters. "It's called the Chicken Game," Hong explains. "Don't run, don't stop, just walk slowly so drivers can predict your direction." That afternoon, I find myself stuck on the curb for 20 minutes, terrified, because this advice goes against all my instincts. You see entire families packed onto a single scooter—known as the "Vietnamese sandwich."

Everything is carried on these mopeds—eight piglets, a dozen chickens hanging upside down, a TV, a tree, and so much more. The inner city looks a bit worn out. Suddenly, a monsoon downpour hits. People throw on ponchos, turning it into "raincoat city." It stops as quickly as it began, and life goes on.

Historical and Cultural Insights

During our tours, we visit the Temple of Literature, One Pillar Pagoda, the French Quarter, and Ho Chi Minh's memorial. We joined a long line to enter his tomb, where his preserved body is displayed, similar to Lenin in Moscow. Armed communist soldiers ensured we maintained silence, with no cameras, umbrellas, sunglasses, and our arms at our sides.

Later, we explore Hoa Lo Prison, also known as the Fiery Furnace. Built by the French in 1896, thousands of political prisoners suffered there until 1954. We see the dungeons, leg irons, torture devices, and even "head cutting machines." In the 1960s, it was used as a POW camp for American pilots shot down during the Vietnam War. Our captured pilots sarcastically dubbed it "The Hanoi Hilton."

We also stroll through the Old Quarter, where each narrow street is named after an ancient craft: Silk St., Coffin St., Grilled Fish St., and more. Hong leads us to a food market with turtles, sea slugs, pig heads, and other unusual items for sale. Thit Chow, or dog stew, is considered peasant food here, while country rat is a special dish served at birthday parties.

Culinary Experiences in Vietnam

Most of our meals come with awesome breakfast buffets and epic ten-course lunches. Every restaurant is super affordable. One night, my dinner included jellyfish salad, deep-fried eel, ginger crickets, and sticky rice with roasted pigeon. In Vietnam, they seem ready to eat anything that moves because "it tastes like chicken."

We checked out the Water Puppet Show, a unique ancient art form specific to Hanoi. It's an awesome blend of music and dance on water that entertained villagers back in the day. After the show, we wandered around the city, which is Asia's oldest capital. Some folks opted for massages and pedicures that were too cheap to pass up. Others went shopping for souvenirs or got custom clothes made. I got an embroidered silk dress tailored just for me in four hours for $45.

We then checked out the handicraft villages to snag some deals on art, ceramics, and lacquerware.

Reflections and Departures

The currency is a bit tricky since 10,000 dong is just 39 cents. We felt like millionaires, but it was a bummer to learn the real value of 7.5 million Vietnamese Dong. So, we made sure to tip generously everywhere we went.

Vietnam’s vibe thrives in its cities, while its charming grace resides in its villages. We head out to the countryside for a full-day cruise at Halong Bay. The air is fresh as we pass rice paddies, duck, and prawn farms. It’s rice harvest time, and hundreds of farmers bent over their ponds wave shyly as we drive by.

We arrive at this natural World Heritage Site and board our private wooden junk boat. Quietly, we sail into a dreamscape that looks surreal. Three thousand islands of sheer limestone cliffs rise from the emerald sea, creating a timeless, haunting scenery. We enjoy a seafood lunch with fresh crab and prawns. It’s a perfect sunny day for escapism and serenity.

The best part of the trip for me was our group's cyclo-tour through Old Hanoi on the last day. We turned a corner downtown and saw 28 bicycle-rickshaws ready to take us on solo rides through the narrow, scooter-packed lanes of oncoming traffic. There were a few close calls at the red lights, which everyone just ignored. We all cracked up as the locals stared.

Terry, who's 6’4”, looked like King Tut on a throne while his lightweight driver pedaled him along effortlessly. Later, we split up to explore on our own. After a few hours, I found myself lost in a part of town with no taxis around.

I needed to get back to meet up with the others for dinner, so I hopped on a scooter. Wearing a skirt and juggling bags, I climbed onto the tiny seat, and off we went. On the highway, I wrapped my arms and legs around my driver like an octopus. He laughed the whole way back to the Sheraton.

As we prepare to head back to Singapore for a good night’s sleep at Le Meridian before our long flight home to Los Angeles with a stopover in Tokyo, I reflect on this amazing journey. I look back on another awesome trip, filled with insights into history and cultures.

It felt like visiting two totally different worlds in one vacation. Our photos show the contrast perfectly, from Singapore's modern garden paradise to Vietnam's revival of traditional vibes. This Asian adventure is definitely one for the books.

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