Thursday 24 June 2010

Singapore - 2009 - Exploring Singapore, on Feet…

Ram and I walked from Raffles City Complex towards Merlion, at our own pace, exploring anything on our way. As we walked past the stadium (Padang), we got a glimpse of the St. Andrew’s Cathedral on the other side of the stadium. What caught my eye was something strange – a stick with Red chilli and onion thrown on the payment. See the photo. Is that some voodoo stuff?

 *Padang

We saw the Cenotaph, which was build in the memory of those who perished during World War I and II. It has the words, ‘Our Glorious Dead,’ on it. By this time, the Sun was shining bright, and we were expecting drops of sweat to trickle down.

Our next stop was the Indian National Army monument. To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the end of World War II, this monument was erected. The Lim Bo Seng Memorial (1954) is dedicated to Major-General Lim Bo Seng who led the anti-Japanese resistance movement and was killed. At this memorial, we have three other people who were posing for photos. Otherwise, the road and monuments were deserted.


We also saw the Tan Kim Seng Fountain and the Civilian War Memorial. Our Memorial Walk was successful!


*Esplanade Bridge

What next? We continued walking (in the Sun); towards Fullerton Hotel and Merlion. The river looked inviting and the bridge looked majestic. The Fullerton Hotel stood still and sophisticated; behind which stood gigantic buildings.
 
The Fullerton Hotel looks enchanting during the evenings. Please check it out from Boat Quay side. For details about the hotel, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Fullerton_Hotel_Singapore. By the time we reached Merlion, we were sweating and hoping the Sun to spare us. At Merlion, oh God, what a crowd! The place was filled with tourists that were having photo sessions. It was amusing to see them pose.

The Merlion onlooks the river. Behind it is the Fullerton Hotel. Beyond which is the Downtown. You can see HSBC office building and others. That’s a totally different world. The blend of nature and modern building is what makes Singapore unique and attractive.

Next blog: Clarke and Boat Quay

Regards,
Asha

Friday 4 June 2010

Singapore - 2009

It was my first visit to Singapore; Ram had already see the place and was familiar with it.

We had a good flight from Bangalore to Singapore, and Singapore airlines served us well. I loved the Changi airport, and loved the orchids that greeted us! Outside the airport, the Sun had stretched its rays out. And we expected a humid day.

Our destination was the SwissĂ´tel The Stamford. When we arrived at the hotel, we were informed that we had to wait to get our room. Well, we were surprised, but then the friendliness and hospitality of the staff brought a smile back on our faces. We were enthusiastic to explore the city, and so we freshened up at a waiting room, left the luggage at the security counter, and walked off to explore the place.


But first, we explored the hotel itself. It’s an amazing hotel, and I would love to visit it many more times. Visit their Web site, www.swissotel.com. The Stamford is the tallest hotel and is located close to the City Hall MTR, Clarke Quay, Boat Quay, Esplanade, museums, and others. The hotel has a mall within or next to it – The Raffles City Shopping complex. The hotel also has a spa and an exclusive restaurant – the Equinox.



We grabbed a Subway sandwich from the underground mall, and decided to walk to Merlion. Before I continue, I want to mention that we got a harbour-view room on the 57th floor, and were we the happiest! Oh, what a view! I shall share the photos in the next postings.

Next blogs:


Regards,
Asha