Venturing the Unknown in My Comfort Zone

In the past, I've put off blogging because of all the backlog. With so much material to blog about, what should I blog about first and where do I start? I've found my answer: the present. Singapore is my comfort zone. I've lived in Singapore for the most part of my life but there are places that I've never been. Marina Bay Sands (MBS) was one of these places.

Honestly speaking, I was put off going to MBS because I'm not bus-savvy. I'm more of a train person than a bus person. Until the new Bayfront MRT Station opened, MBS wasn't within my radar of places to go to. However, now that one of the buses from my place changed its bus route to include MBS, it is more convenient for me to go to MBS by bus now!

Inside MBS

My first impression of MBS: OVERWHELMING. High ceilings, ample space, numerous vendors, theatre, restaurants and museum... MBS can take me days to explore! The list of restaurants and the cool stores there got me very excited! Do you know that Giorgio Armani sells sweets, namely chocolates too?

Armani/Dolci

The view outside MBS

The view outside MBS is a paranomic view of city's skyline. I can only imagine that the view will be even more amazing when it is night.

Louis Vuitton Flagship Store

This is Louis Vuitton 12th Flagship store. Located at the bayfront of MBS, it's designed to be a floating store on a unique island by itself. It's the first of its kind in Singapore. I can't recall any flagship store in Singapore that looks like that. It reminds of me of the Sephora's Lourve-like Flagship Store in Kuala Lumpur. I didn't have time to visit the store so I can't say much about the interior yet. I want to visit it soon!

ArtScience Museum

I spent my day having tea at the TWG Salon, doing a wee bit of shopping, visiting the ArtScience Museum to see the Titanic and Cartier Time Art Exhibitions, and having a late afternoon coffee break at Sweet Spot inside the ArtScience Museum. I'll leave the food related experiences for another post and talk about the exhibitions.

Salvatore Ferragamo Artpiece

Photography was not allowed at both exhibitions so I don't have any photographs of the exhibitions. As you walk into the Titanic exhibition, you feel as though you are going back into time, as though you are one of the passengers going onboard the Titanic. The exhibition followed a timeline sequence-- it begins from boarding the Titanic. As you walk down the gallery, you are led to explore the insides of Titanic (the gallery, bedrooms, dining rooms and living conditions of the first, second and third class passengers, and the engine room). The exhibition continues the timeline sequence by showing what happened before and after Titanic hit the iceberg, the process of saving of passengers, what the media wrote about the incident, the aftermath of the Titanic incident (the background of passengers who died and survived), and the conservation and restoration of Titanic's artefacts.

Outside Cartier Time Art Exhibition

As for Cartier's Time Art Exhibition, breathtaking is how I would describe it. The exhibition showcased truly luxurious, extravagant and masterful timepieces. Cartier also re-innovated timepieces to go beyond pocket watches, wristwatches, and clocks. How do you like a paper knife timepiece? I was captivated by the mystery timepieces where the dial is suspended through transparent materials and you cannot see the mechanism, the deity, elephant, carp and chimera timepieces, the tutti frutti timepieces, and many more. I spent most of my time trying to figure out the mechanisms of the mystery timepieces, and oogling at the sheer extravagance of the timepieces. Imagine carats of emeralds, diamonds, rubies, sapphires, coral, oynx and many other gems encrusted in platinum, gold, and silver timepieces. You know how people always say girls are attracted to shiny things? I think if I were a magpie, I would have gone crazy banging into the glass covers. The glass covers are covered with my nose and finger prints already.

Singapore citizens get cheaper admission tickets to the exhibition though the OCBC 20% discount only applies to the standard price tickets. My admission ticket cost SGD$19.20 after applying the OCBC 20% discount. The Titanic and Cartier exhibitions are temporary exhibitions. The Cartier and Titanic Exhibitions at the ArtScience Museum will end on 12 February 2012 and 29 April 2012 respectively. If you are interested, make your way down while it lasts! For those who are bored of the typical shopping, movie-watching and eating routine, I would recommend a trip down to MBS. It might spice up your going-out routine!

Armani/Dolci

The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands

2 Bayfront Ave #01-29 Singapore 018972

Tel: 6688 7755

ArtScience Museum

Marina Bay Sands

Open: 10am-10pm daily, including Public Holidays (Last admission at 9pm)

For more information on ticketing charges, visit http://www.marinabaysands.com/Singapore-Attractions/ArtScience-Museum/Ticketing/

annsley