It was our good fortune to be staying in a suite facing both the east and the west. We watched the sun set over the city skyline the previous evening while the next morning, we witnessed the sun rise over the horizon of the sea view.
The pool opens at 6 am daily and it sure seems like the pool would always be crowded at any time of the day. I guess a normal kiasu Singaporean would rush to be the first in line at 6am. I thought I would be like that too but the lack of sleep drew me to the bed like bees to honey and kids to iPad. I set my alarm at 6 am but snoozed myself back to sleep till the first sun ray beat the butt out of me. Boy was I glad to capture this sun rise shot!
At close to 8 am, we had the good fortune to snag an empty deck chair and were soon chilling in the pool. We managed to claim an edge and clear an area for ourselves. The most important question I had at that time was, "How do I continue to hold my phone and be IN the pool?"
So we did like what everyone did:
Snap, snap, snap and hold the bloody phone with one hand.
Shake, shake, shake water off.
Snap, snap, snap and hold the bloody phone with the other hand.
Some had waterproof casing for their phones and cameras. While some had "professional photographers" armed with a DSLR on the deck and snapping from afar.
This was our view. Rain clouds in the distance!
It really isn't very scary to be on the 57th floor in an infinity pool. If you look over the infinity edge, it looks like this. There is a considerable distance to the actual edge.
We were standing too near the edge and because we are not naturally born with chimpanzee arms, we couldn't get a good wefie that could capture the infinity edge and the city backdrop.
Oh well, it's ok.
I didn't know kh captured this.
The story behind this picture was this lady (who could be a Korean or a PRC Chinese from her English accent) asked if we could take a picture for her. Before that, she was already snapping lots of selfies. She offered to help us to take too but kh declined. In my bimbotic mind, I couldn't fathom why he would decline somebody's offer to take a pic of us. After that, he said she looked wobbly handling her own phone so he reckoned she be even more wobbly holding her own phone and ours. Wow... guys think of everything!
After thanking me for helping her to snap landscape and portrait mode photos, and a few more, she snapped a few more selfies in the pool and then went on the deck to snap more selfies. You could see her seated at the edge with her back facing us in this photo. After snapping 374043023644 times, she removed her oversized celebrity look-alike sunnies, put on a nerdy specs on her bare face and strutted off. I found it so amusing!
Have I already mentioned that there were so many non-Singaporean East Asian females who were alone at the pool taking selfies? We noticed this since Day 1. Were they really alone on a solo trip or were their friends and partners sleeping in while they grabbed more opportunities for pool shots?
This has since become MY iconic MBS pool shot and you would know it if you are following me on Instagram and Facebook. The caption for this is:
I am on top of the world... Together with a million others in all sorts of shapes and sizes, and armed with selfie sticks, cameras, phones, sunnies, various degrees of pool fashion not seen in this frame.
It sure looked like I owned the pool!
So once an infinity edge is claimed, snap all you can before the next person claims your edge when it gets too crowded.
The hubby also wanted a "It's just me and my pool" shot.
The refraction made all of us look funny. Remember those naked people in the pool? Refraction!
Ninja eyes... or frog, maybe.
This caption aptly reads: Aviators holder.
Kh asked me hold on to his aviators while he (attempted to) go for a swim.
I made this Instagram VS Reality meme and posted on Instagram after my colleagues laughed at my description of how deceptive my iconic MBS pool shot was.
I was on the pretext of taking photo of the edge but I was really taking photo of this group of ladies. They are good-looking but their pool fashion came in the form of tank top with shorts, caps, flowy white dress etc etc. Do other pools actually allow clothing other than swimwear in the pool?
And then kh came and parked himself there to block my view.
He joked about swimming along the whole length of the pool and making big splashes of water while people were taking their selfies/wefies.
To that guy swimming, You go guy! It is virtually impossible to swim in this pool!
I know it coz I saw a solo Caucasian lady (who is so pretty btw) badly wanting to swim but each time she passed a group of photo-taking pool dwellers, she would give a sheepish smile as if she was invading their space. In the end, she went up to the deck chair to people watch.
Aside: I'm tickled by the coincidence of the 2 guys in the same hunched pose on the left of this photo.
I told kh that the group of ladies behind was a gorgeous bunch (who all wore clothes into the pool wtf?) so he did this to pretend that I was taking a photo of him.
The gal in white shirt turned and gasped at our ploy. Hahaha... That didn't happen but it sure looked the part!
I had a fun time telling my gal pals all about what I saw at the MBS pool. They found it an eye-opener and kept laughing at my stories. You know what's the in thing to do before going to the infinity pool? Slather on 3-cm thick make up to make sure your face make up is photoshoot worthy. Only then could you camwhore 393765948548 times in and around the pool.
I do not know about famous pools in other countries but I swear that MBS is the only pool that I observed 95% of the female population in make up and 60% in very thick make up. Me? I belong to the 95%. Except for the eyes, I don't think my make up is considered thick. Look at all the visible freckles! I was melting under the scorching sun.
Some females with no make up would be in their shades the whole time and some looked great because almost everyone in shades look like superstars right?
Perhaps it is all the same or even more dramatic in Miami or Las Vegas or some other pools. When I see people donned in super beautiful and chic jewellery to match their swimwear, all I could think about would be the uneven tan lines after that.
I know I have a soft and flabby tummy that is especially visible when seated. The only time I have abs are when I wake up with empty tummy sucked in and when I was much younger years ago. But I feel comfortable in my own skin coz all the people there are like that too. Flabbiness... cellulite... they are all common sights.
Check out this link of our Bintan escapades a decade ago when the hubz had 6 packs. Now all he has are the United Nations.
That lady there looked like she was singing in an opera. That guy there looked like he had toe fetish.
This is such a staged Instagram shot with caption:
"I'm having a lazy day tanning by the empty pool."
But you know that's not true.
Only little puppies or kittens did that to my toes.
One last shot before we leave the pool for breakfast.
The selfie lady, the selfie stick guy and the one with the DSLR.
There was complimentary breakfast at either The Club or Sky on 57. After checking out the breakfast buffet spread at The Club, we decided on Sky on 57. Besides, I really love it there when I had my birthday dinner there last year. Still can't help thinking of the heavenly broth.
It was a semi-buffet style breakfast at Sky on 57.
Each person could choose 2 ala carte items each from either the Western or Asian concept.
We had omelette which was like any other buffet omelette.
The Baked Egg Printemps was delicious. It reminded me of egg confit and I love the straw potatoes!
The laksa was a little too rich and I always prefer cockles in my Laksa the hawker way.
I cannot remember the name of the chef's special dish. All I know was that my eyes lit up when I heard that it was Asian broth. I was head over heels in love with their Langouste Superior broth soup that I kept on hoping it would taste something like that. I was wrong.
But still, I love Asian soup.
Let's take a look at the buffet spread.
A variety of pastries was available, of which we only took those fruity ones.
The cold cut and cheese was so so. We preferred the one we had at The Club the previous day.
After breakfast, I spent some time soaking in the bath tub just to make sure we made use of of it and then it was time to pack up.
After checking out of MBS, we went to town to shop for some necessities and ended up eating at Paul just because the hub wanted to sit down and that place reminded us of Paris. It was supposed to be a relaxing staycation but I'm not sure why we felt soooooooo tired.
Sigh... even on leave, kh is constantly on his phone for work.
I was still full so we ordered a duck leg confit, pumpkin soup and hot chocolate to share.
The interior decor was semi elegant and reminded us of patisseries in Paris. The service was slow but apologetic and courteous. The food was so so. We were just glad to sit down and recharge. After that, we spent the rest of the day at home sleeping till night fall.
This post rounds up our staycation at MBS. Just in case you need, I've provided the links for the previous parts here:
Staycation at MBS Part 1 - Virtual Tour Of MBS Orchid Suite & The Club
Staycation at MBS Part 2 - DB Bistro Moderne
I am so jealous omggg Marina Bay Sands looks amazing!! I've always seen so many people go to their infamous infinity pool and I've always wanted to go :( Except last time when i went with my family, we wanted to book a four people bed room and they only allowed three people so we had to go to a different hotel :'(
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you really enjoyed yourself though! I love your bikini! And it's quite funny cos it looks like it's just you in the pool from the pictures but when you step back i only just realised how crowded the place actually was!
xx
www.beautifyinglifee.blogspot.com
Fifi, Thank you for your sweet words. Hope to see ourselves on each other's blogs more often! Oh dear, I'm so sad to hear about you and your family going to a different hotel because of the number of pax per room limit. It's so weird coz even if people slipped in to stay, how would the hotel staff know?
DeleteI am so glad you got to have such a fun time! That pool looks like an endless source of amusement. Fully clothed people in the pool?!? And that view! Such a gorgeous sky, it really is a shame it is not more peaceful, secluded spot. How wonderful would it be just to be able to relax completely in the quiet and watch the clouds roll by. You are so funny, dear. Those captions had me in stitches. So clever! Thank you for sharing your trip with us :) And now I am off to email you for further comment :)
ReplyDeleteAll Things Bright and Lovely
I'm glad that you enjoyed those captions. Sometimes I'm a natural joker and at other times, I need to think a little harder for something witty. But all these escapades at the pool and stories are just at the back of my mind. Not mucj thinking needed.
DeleteGreat post Jo! I love seeing people's travel and food!!! That baked egg dish at Sky on 57 is a new dish! They didn't used to have that in the past! I personally miss their french toast and their mee siam! The bakery items are all provided from MBS's central bakery and they really are delicious! Love how their mini croissants are super melt in the mouth! However I personally couldn't spend the amount that you need to pay for their breakfast! It's really quite pricey (and I've only eaten everything I have as I did an internship there in the past) I really do plan to go and try out more of the eateries in the Shoppes, especially DB and the new thai place (which name I can't recall)! I've never done a staycation in singapore but am thinking about planning one for my birthday!
ReplyDeleteHey Sharlynn, I always love to see what you have to say. The last time when you commented, I thought I didn't take a picture of the menu and I'm so glad I did or I would not have been able to remember the names of the dishes. Mmm... Now I'm craving for mee siam! It's 8+ pm here and I've yet to take my dinner. It's so cool you get to eat so many stuff at Sky on 57 during your internship. Frankly speaking if it weren't for the complimentary breakfast, I wouldn't pay $40++ for breakfast here. I don't think it is worth the price. I very much prefer dinner which is expensive but totally worth the price tag. I hope you managed to get those staycation plans down for your birthday!
DeleteHah! I'm glad you look forward to my comments! I look forward to yours too! Yes, I'm quite glad that I could to try and see how things work in an establishment like theirs but same here, I wouldn't pay the price tag for a pretty ordinary buffet breakfast. I mean, the quality of their products are pretty top notch but if not for the view I don't think most people would be compelled to have breakfast there! Yes, I do hope to have some staycation plans but it may end up not being for my birthday but with some gal pals from work! My boyfriend unfortunately will be away during my birthday so he has promised to treat me when he get back! :p
DeleteThis looks like so much fun, am glad you two enjoyed yourselves!! I loved the picture of the ladies behind with the ploy, that was funny :)) I hope you have a gorgeous day dear xx
ReplyDeleteGlad you enjoyed the little joke of that caption!
DeleteJo... I love how you make something look one way but then what it's really like... that's cute. I'm with your hubby about someone else handling my phone, they need to be steady.... xox
ReplyDeleteWhat a gorgeous sunset and sunrise...I'm never anywhere to capture these types of photos...although I might be getting that chance soon.... I'm dating someone and I'm going to suggest a drive outside the city where we can talk and take pictures... (he's sweet, we'll see how it goes) ♡
Launna, Hehehe... I thought it would be fun to describe what went on behind the scenes rather than just post endless photos of the pool. And and and... I'M SO EXCITED FOR YOU!!! I hope you get to go on pleasant, comfortable dates and enjoy yourself! Yeah, we'll see how it goes. Just enjoy the moment. xo
DeleteYou and kh own any pool you two visit!
ReplyDeleteIn photos, yes. =D
DeleteI'm so happy for you, it looked so lovely. An infinity pool is on my lists of places to try at least once while traveling. Lol, but like you showed, I'm sure my photo would attempt for it to look much less crowded and glamorous that he really would be. haha.
ReplyDeleteBut goodness that view is breathtaking!
Many hotels are having infinity pools now so I hope you get to try one of them out while travelling! Yes, it is so important to cut out the crowd and pretend you own the pool. =D
DeleteGood dip for the hot summer days. Enjoy!
ReplyDeleteThank you, dear.
DeleteThat infinity pool looks terrifying and also amazing. And your food pics never cease to amaze, sweet Jo! Seriously, your food always makes me feel like I need to get out more hahaha I'm so used to preparing my own food and living on a budget! All that meat looks amazing... I miss chicken...
ReplyDeleteHey Ali, Thank you for your sweet words. Hahaha... You're a student so of course you prepare your own food and live on a budget. When I was a student, I scrimped and saved so much on food and avoided going out for gatherings just to save money too. =)
DeleteIm so happy to see you had so much fun. Im envy you. Lol
ReplyDeleteI wish someday I could visit marina bay sands too. The place look so amazing.
Www.tomntins.com
Thank you, dear. I hope you get to visit MBS one day too. =)
DeleteI'm going to singapore the 2nd of July!! I can't wait!!
ReplyDeleteI'm loving this pics!! very cute!! :D
xo
Vale
https://www.facebook.com/fashionneed09
please like my new fb page, it would mean very much to me <3
Hi Vale, Ooh... That's in a week's time! I hope that you enjoy your time in my hometown! Thank you for dropping by. I love seeing newcomers around. =)
DeleteI never understood people who wear clothes in the pool (or in the sea for that matter). Why do they do that? The clothes will be transparent once they're wet so it's like they're in the swimsuit anyway...I wondered is it some kind of protection against the sun but I doubt it...and besides it was kind of cloudy while you were in the pool- or was it? Now I remembered you said it was hot. Anyhow, I haven't resolved my clothes and water dilemma yet.
ReplyDeleteInteresting how most ladies wore make up to the pool. Recently while people watching in Split (while having a coffee that's kind of hard to avoid) I noticed one Asian tourists who suddenly took off her sunglasses and applied full make up in the middle of a very crowded street. She was so skillful, she was done in a minute or two...then she took a selfie stick and made a few shots with her husband and daughter and moved on! I'm so clumsy with make up, I would never be able to put mascara, eyeliner and all that just like that, all under 2 minutes. That was fascinating to watch!
Your husband really got good infinity pool photos of you....It really looks like you're all alone, on top of the world and loving it...and thank you for making that comparison with how it really looks- I could have assumed from reading the previous posts, but still it is fun to see:)
your bikini is adorable...I once had one just like that one and I loved it! and you look great in that bikini...I don't see any tummy:) funny that you should say that because I'm developing a tummy :) I lost about 10 pounds in April and May because of health problems and recently I got them all back (not that I mind) but a friend of mine pinched my stomach when she saw me last....what a way to let somebody know you gained weight.....I didn't mind though...I know she is always a joker!
Thank you for sharing all of these...so many funny moments and anecdotes to tell...if for nothing else, I would say that your stay here was worth it...and from all I gathered, the stay was overall very nice and the food satisfying....speaking of food, I'm seeing some new ways to prepare eggs here, am I not?:)
...and to answer your comment, yes the hearts on the striped tee are a DIY, I have sewn them myself:)
Hey Ivana,
DeleteI was laughing to myself when I read your comment coz I wanted to say that I'm not sure if some of them had their swimwear underneath. I could see that some of them had but not all. I realised that the fairer skin East Asians would wear another layer of clothes (in areas when people usually don't have them as protection) from the sun so you are right. The cloudiness was in the distance. It was hot and sunny. I didn't help to solve your clothes and water dilemma in any way.
I would love to witness that sight of the Asian tourist who did her make up in a jiffy in the crowded street. That's a talent! I can't even not look at the mirror while slapping on moisturizer though the surface canvass of the face is so big compared to details of the eye or lips etc.
I remember you telling me you had a similar bikini! Hehe... My memory could be so good at times! It's common for women to have tummy flabs, don't worry. Friends who do those actions are true friends. Lol...
Hi Jo! I think this was the most waited part of ur staycation as I was curios to see better the pool. Such an amazing experience must be being there! Is so crowded indeed and the pic of what it seems vs what it really is makes me so laugh, well done on it! Jo you look so stunning and are in a great shape, the pic in which u kiss Kh is so sweet! Women with clothes on the pool?! Soo annoying, cant get how they could lol!:P I usually dont wear makeup when I am at the beach or at the pool u know, just shades to hide my tired eyes :P Glad u enjoyed ur stay, now I wish to visited it too in my life. Have a wonderful weekend! xo
ReplyDeleteHey Lilli, It seems like non Asians really can't understand why Asians (East Asians esp) wear a layer of clothing in places where clothes are supposed to be off. It's like they are so afraid of melting under the sun. You look good with your bare face without make up or with minimum make up! If I don't apply eye make up, my eyes are half the size you see. lol.
DeleteHi Jo <3 nice to see you're still happy person ;)
ReplyDeleteThank you for your visiting, I'm not good in commenting my favourite blogs (like yours) last time, but I'm glad we can see each other on instagram. I see you spent a great time in Marina Bay Sands, amazing pictures :D
Kisses from Poland, Nabil ;)
Nabil, So nice to see you here. You are always so sweet even when you talk about you not being good in commenting or about your English not being good. I think you put in the effort and that's lovely. I'm also glad we could still connect via Instagram. =)
DeleteWhat a fun post Jo! The food looks soooo good!!
ReplyDeletexx
www.JuneWantsItAll.com
I'm hungry just looking at them, June. =D
Deleteomg the food looks sooo delicious~ ^O^
ReplyDeletehttp://heeeysindy.blogspot.co.uk/
Thank you. Love seeing newcomers around. =)
DeleteThat infinity pool is the coolest Jo! I'm so glad you showed us the edge of it and that it's not scary. It always gives a really cool effect. Your bathing suit is the cutest. It looked so good on you. Your husband captured some really cool shots. Poor girl! That sounds like me. I don't blame your husband for not handing over his phone. If she was shaking with hers, she would've dropped his. I can't get over people with their own photographers! I need one! LOL At least it helps photographers make money. Everyone is videoing and taking pictures of themselves. Great post.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.averysweetblog.com/
Thanx for all the catch up comments and the sweet words, Kim. LOL... Man, don't we all need to have a photographer with us all the time? It makes life so much easier to blog about. Looking at blogs and instagram of famous bloggers, they sure have got photographers following them around!
DeleteThank you. =)
ReplyDelete