Singapore – End of the Road, Start of the Sea – Ellen and Steve's Excellent Adventure

Tonight will be the last night that we sleep in a “land-base” hotel. Tomorrow we board the Celebrity Solstice for a 13 night cruise to Sydney, Australia. We will not have internet access while at sea, and may have it at port, depending. We will be stopping in Bali, Darwin, Port Douglas, and Airlie Beach before we debark in Sydney. WordPress blogs require online access, unless one builds their own WordPress server on their laptop, so for the next few weeks, posts may be few and far between. We will have internet on the transpacific cruise from Sydney to Los Angeles, supposedly.

We have heard it said that Singapore is the Disneyland of Asia. Having been here a few days, I understand why. The government rules with an iron hand. Residents and visitors give up (what we would consider) freedoms and privacy, but Singapore is undeniably safe and clean. Given no natural resources to speak of, they have created a low-tax, low-regulation, low innocent until proven guilty environment that is highly conducive to business. It is a financial hub of Asia.

They have also made it a crime to “hate” on others regardless of religion or ethnicity, taking great pride in everyone getting along to create a more sustainable and efficient society.

We took a bus from Malacca, went through one of the largest land borders in Asia, and arrived at our hotel at dinnertime. Turns out, we are right across from “Vivo City,” one of the myriad of massive shopping malls here. We decided on sushi for dinner, and ended up here. The platters moved quickly and quietly.

Pagoda Street – Chinatown

The next day I headed off to Pagoda Street where we’d read you can find souvenir t-shirts. I took the MRT, and it was great. I was very relieved when they announced that there are serious consequences to taking “upskirt” photos, including prison.

I felt a sense of Deja vu upon arriving, To a feeling we had in Charleston, SC. They not only admit to having had slavery and coolies, but seem to “celebrate” it. Here is what they said here. Doesn’t seem that great.

An irony of this neighborhood, is the presence of Sri Mariamman Temple, the oldest Hindu temple in Singapore.

The ceiling was adorned with paintings, I presume to teach and remind of some of the major players in Hinduism.

I wandered the streets looking for cool t-shirts. All of the vendors had pretty much the same ones, and I didn’t like any of them.

You can see the Hindu temple in the distance on the right.

Singapore River Boat Trip.

Sometimes the best way to see a city is from the river that was usually why the city was located there. So that’s what we did. Starting at Clarke Quay, we got on board a “bum boat.” These boats were introduced at the end of the 19th century, but have been converted to electric.

The quays were the business hubs of the town back in the day. Now they pander to tourists.

“First Generation” – sculpture representing the youth back in the day after a hard day’s work – stripping and jumping in the river.

Gardens by the Bay

This area was a $1.6 billion investment by the city. The marina itself is actually a fresh water reservoir, the saltwater being held back by a dam. The gardens and the hotel have probably more than paid off the investment.

The Supertree Grove is comprised of 18 tree-like structures with heights between 82 and 160 feet. They are all covered with exotic ferns, vines, orchids amongst other plants. Perhaps most unique, they are fitted with environmental technologies that mimic the ecological function of trees: photovoltaic cells that harness solar energy which can be used for lighting, and collection of rainwater for use in irrigation and fountains. The Supertrees also serve air intake and exhaust functions as part of the conservatories’ cooling systems.

Every night, at 7:45pm and 8:45pm, the Super tree Grove has a coordinated light and music show. The music that accompanied our show was a medley of classical works highlighted by Viennese waltzes. They were also able to sneak Clare d ‘lune in there. To be honest, I got a little bored after the first 5 minutes, but the crowds of tourists and families gathered on the ground seemed to love it.

You can see the elevated walkway and ferris wheel in the background

Spectra Light & Water Show

The Marina Bay Sands Casino (across the street from the hotel) presents a Las Vegas style light and water show every night. It is a masterful feat of engineering, but like the previous show, I didn’t need more than a few minutes of it.

And guess what was happening behind us. I think they were filming a video, as there were several videographers and professional lighting. No idea if this was a K-Pop team, or from Singapore.

I have compared some of the street food we’ve seen to the Minnesota State Fair. I now give you proof, albeit with a slight twist. This stall is in Vivo City across the street from our hotel. They say it’s from Taiwan.