Singapore (GMT +8)

OK, sitting here in my room on the 15th floor back from a relatively short but interesting morning; my corner room window curtains open, sipping my triple grande skim latte, looking out onto the face of new Singapore as it rains and looks very opaque white outside... kind of a depressing day out.

Slept in today (0545) on this my Saturday. Got up to kull some of the e-mails in my in-box from a busy Friday in the US. The price one pays for 13 hour differential in time. :-)

Rosie skyped me and we had a nice chat before we ended our call and I headed down to breakfast before heading out for my abbreviated day out.

Grabbed my camera and headed down to the underground mall area below the hotel and headed over to the City Hall MRT stop. Decided to buy a renewable commuter card called an 'ezlink' that I know works on the subway and pretty sure it works on the city buses. Put $50SG on the card - should last me awhile.

Merlion

Side note:  Here's the background on Singapore's Merlion - Singapore's national symbol of tourism is the MERLION.  It guards the waterfront of Singapore harbour.  The legend of the Merlion is that Sang Nila Utama, a prince from Palembang, was shipwrecked on an island where he saw a magnificent lion.  He decided to make the island his home and named it "Singapura" or Lion City. Ok, so even after that explanation, I still don't know where the mermaid/fish tail part comes from?? :-)

Singapore River near Clarke Quay

View upriver away from the Marina

Tunnel underneath the Coleman Bridge

There's no direct train from City Hall Stop NS25 to Chinatown, my intended target today to pick up a trinket. You have to get on a completely separate line, the North East line, at a transfer station, Dhoby Ghaut, which is one stop away from City Hall. There you exit and head over to the NE line. From Dhoby Ghaut it's only 2 stops to Chinatown. The stop before Chinatown is Clarke Quay NE5. I mention this because, based on a recommendation from Rosie, I plan on MRTing to that stop on my way back from Chinatown, getting out there and walking back to the hotel.

Bronze along the river

Supreme Court dome, Parliament red roof, Elgin Bridge

Elgin Bridge

Skyline from Elgin Bridge... here come the rain clouds

I actually enjoy negotiating the subway system here. The subway does get very busy during certain times of the day particularly during the work week but, it's still one of the most reasonable means of getting around the country.

Didn't spend much time in Chinatown. I knew what I wanted, picked it up and got back on the MRT for the short trip back to Clarke Quay. Exited the station there and emerged topside right next to the Singapore River. There's actually quite the extensive riverwalk that hugs the river's shoreline on both sides of the river packed with sights, eateries and amusement - like the bungee slingshot across from Clarke Quay station.  Anyway, I decided to head towards the sea snapping photos (I know, surprising :-) ) along the way.

Start of Boat Quay lane from Elgin Bridge on the Singapore River

Early quiet along Boat Quay lane

Cavenagh Bridge and Fullerton Hotel

All of Boat Quay to Elgin Bridge

From Clarke's Quay you end up negotiating 4 bridges as you head towards the Marina. The first one is Coleman Bridge the most recent of the bridges one encounters. Continuing on my stroll you come to one of the more historic bridges spanning the Singapore River, Elgin Bridge. Elgin bridge begins a stretch of riverwalk that parallels Boat Quay Lane. Boat Quay Lane is lined it's entire length with food vendors of all flavors/nationalities: Chinese, Japanese, Malay, Indian, Vietnamese, Turkish, English... the list goes on. Across the river from Boat Quay, you can see many of the Singapore Government buildings.

Bird sculpture by Fernando Botero

Plaque on Bird sculpture

Side view

One of many Christmas Trees throughout Singapore

Government area across the river

There's a lot to sight see along the way and I took photos of anything that looked interesting including some of the sightseeing watercraft tours running up and down the river from the Marina.

Cavenagh Bridge

Fullerton Hotel

Cavenagh Bridge awaits

Anderson Bridge and sight seeing boat

Anderson Bridge with Fullerton Hotel in background

Boat Quay lane leads eventually to Cavenagh Bridge, another landmark, right adjacent to the back entrance of the Fullerton Hotel. Cavenagh Bridge was named after Major General Orfeur Cavenagh, Governor of the Straits Settlements from 1859-1867. I crossed over the Cavenagh Bridge walked under Anderson Bridge, which was under renovation, and headed off over to Esplanade Park.  Along the way it started to rain, lightly. I took shelter under the many trees that line the park until reaching the Esplanade Drive bridge where I took shelter under the bridge.

Bronze kids jumping into the Singapore River

Neat tree across from Fullerton Hotel

Decided to take a quick tour of the Esplanade Mall, the buildings shaped like 2 jackfruits, in order to see whether the theatre in the mall was for movies or other events. They were for other events, not movies. Guess I won't be seeing Harry Potter today!

Dalhousie Obelisk

Tunnel under Anderson Bridge to Esplanade Park

Esplanade Park

Rain continued to lightly fall so after leaving the Esplanade, I went underground all the way back to the Fairmont where I picked up a Starbucks en route and headed back up the room to post this blog. When I got back to the room, the laundry I sent out had been returned.

Entrance to Esplanade Theatre Center

Side Note:  Laundry... talk about expensive! My bill was $255SG (~$195US)!  For that price I sent out:
- 2 pr of slacks
- 6 button shirts
- 6 pull overs including undershirts
- 3 underwear
- 6 pr of socks
- 2 exercise shorts
WOW!  I mean they do a very nice job, fold everything, put it all into wicker baskets and, return your stuff to the room but - OMG!

Fairmont laundry service

My next post most likely won't be until next Monday and Tuesday when I'm in Cyberjaya, Malaysia, just south of Kuala Lumpur. From there I head up to Penang, Malaysia, for 3 days returning to Singapore on Saturday, November 27.

Gonna be a busy week...  more later.