Days 1 & 2

Entrance to our dorm at NUS

Side view of the dorm

It's been an exciting trip so far, and I'm enjoying most of the adjustments to Singaporean life.  Most, hehe.  People don't use napkins or knives when they dine here, and they're seldom offered at food centers.  For me, the best part of the trip so far has been the easily accessible and affordable street food.  Native Indians, Chinese, and so on come to Singapore and know how to cook well for a very reasonable price.  A meal at one of these "hawkers", or food vendors usually runs $3-4 SGD  (2.75-3.50 USD).  That's about the only affordable part of the trip so far.  Shopping is huge in Singapore, with vast malls all over the city with hundreds of vendors in each.  A trip to a Singaporean equivalent of Walgreen's set me back $25 SGD for a small bottle of shampoo, body wash, and shaving cream.  A Singaporean size box of cereal (smaller than a standard US size) runs around $7 SGD.  We've decided to cook at the dorm as often as possible cut down on spending.











Yesterday, we traveled to the Central Business District (CBD) for a meeting with the internship group, and followed up with a tour of Clarke Quay, one Singapore's most notable tourist areas.  Loaded with food and other vendors, Clarke Quay easily attracts millions of people from all over the world. 

Restaurant tents set up by the quay.  Many were watching Euro 2012 in the tents while grabbing a bite to eat

 Clarke Quay stretches 6km into town, providing a wide range of shopping and dining.  While boating up the quay, we saw restaurants ranging from traditional Chinese, fusion, and yes, even Hooter's. 

Government Building. Our tour guide hinted at the "Big Brother" theme

 As we boated along, we noticed the strange, UFO-shaped building along the water.  The government building also serves as the parliamentary headquarters.

Art & Science Museum

More entertainment along the quay.  This is one of the most active nightspots in town.

 Today, we're heading back into downtown for another meeting, followed by a trip to one of Singapore's tallest buildings for a panoramic view of the city, should be exciting! More pictures to come.