Singapore: Day 29

On Saturday, Nicole, Emily, Laney, and I made a trip to the Jurong Bird Park. We met at 11 AM to make the journey to Boon Lay, and made a stop at Jurong East Mall at the Jurong East station for breakfast. The mall had a very nice food centre at the top floor; it was clean and aesthetically pleasing to say the least. I ordered the QQ La Mian from Zhen Neng Zhu Ban Mian and Fish Soup, and it was tasty (after all, who can go wrong with mian?) I am definitely enjoying the assortment of noodles here in Singapore.

QQ La Mian

We went back onto the MRT and took the train down to Boon Lay, where we boarded a bus that connected Jurong Point Shopping Mall to the Jurong Bird Park. We spent a couple of hours following the trail and sighting the diverse birds. It was a very hot day, and by the end of the walk, we were red and sweating. Here are some pictures from our explorations:

Balongong girls!

Penguins!

Majestic flamingos.

Saddle-billed stork

I call this "HTHT" (Heart to Heart Talk)

Is this love?

Another perfectly romantic bird moment

A male peacock courting a female

Cassowary, world's most dangerous bird

Ostrich

 After we explored the entirety of the bird park, we boarded the bus back to Jurong Point. Much to my glee, we rode a double-decker bus! I haven't ridden one since my stay in Hong Kong several years ago, and even then, I loved riding on the second story of these buses. It was simply magical. Once we were back inside the mall, we grabbed afternoon tea at the food court.

Jurong Point Shopping Mall

Singaporean breakfast set with tea, soft-boiled eggs, and kaya toast

It was my first time having this set, but I wanted to try it because it is popular here in Singapore. It was definitely an interesting meal, although I am not sure if I would order it again. We crack the soft-boiled eggs into the dish, and dip the kaya toast into the eggs. I've never had soft-boiled eggs, so the concept of dipping my toast in half-raw eggs irked me.

After our meal, we separated ways: Nicole and Emily headed back to PGP while Laney and I stayed to shop inside the mall. Jurong Point mostly had local brands, so it was fun to shop the Singapore styles. I bought a pair of yellow flats from Charles & Keith as well as a dress and shirt from a local brand. The shopping also allowed me to spend time alone and to collect my thoughts. I deeply enjoy shopping and walking alone, with my earphones plugged in and striding to the sound of the music, because it allows me to contemplate about life. I especially needed to do that today, because I have been having many conflicted thoughts and emotions as of late, and I needed to sort them. My psychological disturbances stemmed from my transition to the second decade of my life (it was my birthday the next day) as well as my growing sense of disconnect, loneliness, and lost. This year was an amazing year of self-discovery and growth and I was greatly saddened that I could not spend my birthday with the ones who shaped me during this strenuous time. My friends and mentors have been such a huge part of my life, yet I was spending my birthday with new friends who did not know my history and struggles (yet.) While I was thinking this, I began to recount the many things I was thankful for, the amazing actions that others have done for me. I wouldn't be here if it weren't for them, and it is because of them that I am finally okay. This was such a powerful moment, and I found myself walking back to PGP in tears. This moment gave me confidence in my 20 years of age and motivated me to be honest, understanding, and giving in all occasions. It was the perfect awakening.