120516 Singapore

My colleagues in Singapore worked very hard in bringing me a surprise opportunity to visit their wonderful city-state once more. My wife & I arrived there near midnight on Sunday via San Francisco & Tokyo. By the time we reach our hotel, it was Monday. After a good night sleep and a hearty breakfast, the dreadful jet lag was much less than feared. But I was so glad I didn't have to start work that morning. I would not be at my best. A brief stop at the office helped set-up the conference room for tomorrow. 

Marina Bay Sands Integrated Resort (hotel, casino, shopping mall).

Coffee shop inside the Marina Bay Sands Resort.

We reacquainted ourselves with this marvelous city again by taking a hop-on / hop-off bus tour. We sat on the upper deck of the bus and enjoyed the view all around.  The lunch was at the Marina Bay Sands Mall with the wonderfully spicy curry fish head as the main dish. Its name might sound unappetizing to Westerners, but  in actuality, there was more than just the head of the fish. The bones in the fish head made the sauce / broth very tasty. Not to mention all the other vegetables. 

Fish head curry - a delicious dish.

Our tour included a short boat ride on the Singapore River. It was almost sunset when we arrived at Clarke Quay, the starting point of our river cruise. Sitting near the bow of the boat was a lovely musician, playing the traditional Pipa, a Chinese guitar. She played light and delightful tunes as we enjoyed the fantastic scenery.

Clarke Quay.

Musician and her Pipa.

My wife left Singapore for Vietnam early the next morning to visit friends and family. As for me, the next few days were filled with work. This time around I stayed at the Oasia Hotel right next to the office. I just crossed a driveway to go to work, instead of having to take the MRT, although I found it so easy to use.

Returning to the area around the Marina Bay Sands Mall by subway on evening after work, I was able to visit the famous Helix Pedestrian Bridge. There were a crowd of people jogging or enjoying leisurely walks. 

Helix Pedestrian Bridge.

On my first visit to Singapore many years back, my good friend took me to the Geylang district to sample local dishes, such as stingray grilled in banana leaf and beef noodle stir-fry, for dinner. The area is also home to colorful and fantastic fruit market. I did not have correct photographic gears back then and always wanted to return to try again. Another motivation was my desire to broaden my portfolio to include people, instead of just architecture.

But the reputation of Geylang as the neighborhood for the world's oldest profession was a strong demotivation factor. I hesitated quite a bit before summoning enough courage to go. My fear quickly dissipated as I found a fruit vendor who was very friendly and quite funny. Since he did not speak a word of English, one of his customers offered to translate.  The Geylang neighborhood, once I looked pass its reputation as a red-light district, has a lot to offer: popular restaurants and friendly people.  I wished I could stay longer to take enjoy more. But I had to go back to my hotel; I still had to work the next day.

Fruit vendor in Geylang district.

Rambutan, a delightful tropical fruit.

A vendor and his durian.

The end of my assignment came quickly. I had to leave Singapore with a heavy heart, as I had a delightful time meeting and working with the people there. I hope to have another opportunity to return to this fantastic island state. 

A few more pictures are at https://picasaweb.google.com/108013863525571472697/120516Singapore.


Thank you so much for visiting this blog, and as always, your comments / critiques are welcome.  Until next time, I wish you peace and happiness.


Enjoy,  
Paul