Days 5 to 7
27. - 29.03.2024
Ho Chi Minh - City and Singapure
Wednesday, March 27th, 2024 Day 4
On Wednesday, March 27th our group was picked up from the Northern Charm Hotel Saigon at 05:45 a.m. and driven to Saigon Airport Terminal 2. The hotel provided us with a packed lunch for the bus journey. On the way, our guide told us a few interesting facts about Vietnam. In the early 16th century missionaries from Portugal christinised the region and took new techniques into the country. For example, the Jesuit Alexandre de Rhodes developed the Vietnamese script Quốc ngữ, which is still in use today and is based on the Latin letters.
From 1862 onwards, Vietnam had to cede territory to the French, and by 1883 the three protectorates were founded; the Vietnamese Emperor was forced to recognise them. Vietnam was therefore, under French colonial rule. Large infrastructure and defense projects were started with French advice. This influence is still evident today: coffee culture, white bread, right-hand traffic... which makes the country interesting for European investors.
When we arrived at the airport, we dropped off our luggage. We went through passport control, which turned out to be a lengthy process. While we were waiting, we were able to watch the officials changing shifts. Our flight VN651 to Singapore Changi Airport departed at 9 a.m.
As we approached Singapore, we could already see the famous Marina Bay Sands and many container ships waiting to be loaded and unloaded in the world's second largest port. Around 130,000 ships pass through the port of Singapore every year.
When we arrived in Singapore, we were very impressed by the modern airport. After the digital passport control, which presented some of us with some difficulties, a bus was already waiting for us to take us to our hotel. During the journey, our guide Nihat told us some interesting facts about Singapore and even at first glance out of the window we noticed how green the city of Singapore is.
When we arrived at our hotel, the Citadines Connect City Centre, we moved into our rooms. The rooms were comparatively small, but very clean and modern. In our hotel room, we encountered Singapore's high hygiene standards for the first time, as there was a tap for drinking water next to the normal tap. This is rather atypical for Southeast Asia, where drinking tap water is not recommended – especially for tourists. Afterwards, some of our group went to the hotel's rooftop pool to recover from the 38° C outside temperature. Before exploring the city, everyone was given free ice cream in the hotel lobby.
First, we went across the street to the Plaza Singapura shopping center. When choosing lunch, the Asian and Western influences were immediately noticeable. For example, there was fried rice with chicken and curry topped with cheese.
From there, we continued our walking tour and came across the National Museum of Singapore, the Singapore Management University, St. Andrew's Cathedral and the National Gallery until we finally caught sight of the Marina Bay Sands from the Helix Bridge. After a short photo shoot, we went to the shopping center "The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands".
From there we went on to dinner at Lau Pa Sat in the center of Singapore, where you can find a wide selection of Asian food. After a short trip by Metro back to the hotel to freshen up, we went to the Sky Bar "CÉ LA VI" to round off the evening and enjoy the skyline of Singapore by night.
Singapore
Thursday, March 28th, 2024 Day 6
At 8:30 a.m. we went from our hotel to DZ Bank in the Singapore Landtower. Here we were all amazed by the view from the office directly onto the Marina Bay Sands. We were then given a presentation by Julia Scheunert, who is the Vice President German Desk Singapore. She told us about the activities of DZ Bank and the attractiveness of Singapore as a business location. DZ Bank in Singapore was established in 1998 and has over 60 employees from 8 different countries. DZ BANK AG, Singapore Branch, offers a comprehensive range of products and services to meet the needs of its clients, particularly in the areas of Corporate Banking, Trade and Project Finance, Financial Institutions and Capital Markets/Treasury. The advantages of Singapore as a business location include many free trade agreements, a good strategic location, and connections to the region as well as the low language barrier. But on the other hand, there are high wages and location costs in Singapore compared to the rest of Asia, as well as a strong dependence on exports and the global economy.
After a quick lunch in the mall opposite, we took the bus to the German Centre. During the trip to the building, we were introduced to the various services offered by the German Centre, such as the test laboratories, the virtual showroom, and the operating theatre. The German Centre provides a platform for companies when they are planning to expand abroad. The multifunctional office building of the German Centre offers the expanding companies possibilities to set up and develop their foreign office, exhibition, present their products and services and meet their customers.
After our tour at the German Centre, we returned to the hotel. After a quick swim in the hotel pool, we headed for Gardens by the Bay where we watched the impressive 15-minute light show. We then went up to the Skywalk, where we enjoyed the view of the illuminated Marina Bay Sands. After a short ride on the underground railway, we went back to the well-known Lau Pa Sat, where we ate local specialties for dinner. Singapore, a surreal metropolis.
Singapore
Friday, March 29th, 2024 Day 7
At 9:30 a.m., the bus with our guide Nihat picked us up for a city tour. The first stop was the National Orchid Garden. Here you can see over 1,000 different species, and it is the world’s largest orchid garden. There are also hybrids in the Singapore Orchid Garden that are unique in the world and can only be admired here.
By the look of the plants, the climate was tropical. Already around 11 a.m. the thermometer reached 37° C and the humidity was 85 %. Only the plants love it...
On the way to the second stop, we drove past the Raffles Hotel, which is the most expensive hotel in Singapore at around $9,000 per night.
Our second stop took us to Little India, where we were able to sample a range of local specialties.
Afterwards, we went to the famous Merlion Fountain where we had a beautiful view of the Marina Bay Sands.
Our last stop took us to Chinatown and a Buddhist temple. The Buddha Tooth Relic Temple is a remarkable 4-storey temple in Chinatown. When entering the gate, we immediately noticed the stunning main hall with its high ceiling. However, the main focus for most visitors is the solid gold two-metre stupa which is the place where the sacred relic is kept. The temple is built in a style based on the Buddhist mandala and integrated with the Buddhism of the Tang dynasty.
After visiting the temple and a short walk through Chinatown, we returned to the hotel.
Most of the group spent the afternoon at the pool or used the time to stroll around one of the numerous malls. In the evening, we went to the “LAVO” rooftop bar at Marina Bay Sands to round off our last evening in Singapore with a cocktail.
