Tripping Around Singapore

Thursday 18^th

First thing for the day, find breakfast. One mistake already and it’s only 9:30. There are heaps of eateries near our hotel, the one directly under it had good advertising but the reality looked unappealing. We found one we’d walked past last night and sure enough the Breakfast advertising board was out the front and the place was open but when we went in we were the only people and the staff looked quite bemused, finally the chef said they only had Croisants or what was in the display case, very creamy looking Cheesecakes etc. It was clear that we were out far too early, very few places open before 11:00. We kept walking until we came to a place on Orchard Rd, I found a Fresh Juice Bar & Alex found Subway so we were both happy.

We decided to get a special bus ticket that entitled us to tours along three different routes and we could get on and off at any stop. We became quite familiar with several areas, landmarks and even security workers sitting outside some worksites. We walked around “Little India” & also enjoyed a trip down the river on a “Bum Boat” and although the commentary on the boat was a very stilted recording it was informative. A couple was having their wedding photos taken at the big Merlion statue, we presume it’s considered a lucky place. The Merlion is the symbol of Singapore.

Singapore has the most amazing modern architecture, real works of Art but they’ve also maintained old buildings and the contrast between the two adds to the charm of each. In some places there are real slums. There are also great contrasts in employment, with old people sweeping the streets with spindly brooms, a cobbler working under an umbrella on his little makeshift spot on the footpath, people with their sewing machines on the footpaths outside their tailor shops and a scattering of rickshaw drivers. Overwhelmingly though the image is of prosperity and I’ve seen more radically fancy cars here than I’ve ever seen before anywhere. (Alex says Dubai had more & he’s probably right.)

Dinner back at Sidewalk, really in amongst the locals this time as it was later so no free tables but one very smiley, maybe a bit affected by Tiger Beer, invited us to sit down at his table.

One of the buses we used today.

At Raffles Hotel

The old and the new.

Skyline

According to the spiel we’re not to worry, they’re not real children!

Early morning.

In Canning Park.

Bum Boats

Very impressive architecture.