Lost In Singapore
Posted on September 3, 2009 - Filed Under Travel
I was in Singapore for over three hours before I got to see anything happening. I walked north from one of the Singapore spa resorts where I was staying, losing my way occasionally and winding my way back through residential areas. I searched for a couple of points of interest my hotel recommended; but I was too lost to find them. I looked for a place to get a bite for breakfast, and nothing was open yet, that’s what I get for being such an early bird.
Finally, I figured out that it was Deepavali, the Hindu festival of lights. No wonder why no one was around. I checked out a couple of places near Fort Canning Park and settled on a place where I could just sit and watch for anything happening. Not much happened in the half-hour I sat, so I walked through the colonial district. There are some pretty magnificent government buildings, and I finally got to see on point of interest, the Merlion statue, it’s a statue that’s half man, half lion. He guards the Singapore River. Then I checked out the Esplanade. There wasn’t much going on there either. I wonder up and came upon the Boat Quay, it’s a very popular night spot, but since it was still early in the morning, not much was happening there.
I did finally get to eat lunch at the Hill Street Food Center, it’s a collection of semi-permanent hawker stalls. I really liked the fish-ball soup and thoroughly enjoyed the glass of sugarcane juice. This place was bustling. I hadn’t slept much on the train to Singapore, so I headed back to my hotel and took a nap. When I awoke, I decided to check out the Kuan Yin temple. Finally! That seems to be where all the people of Singapore were! There were people outside selling flowers and other ritual items, people were making their way through the temple burning incense, and people exhibiting the masochism that characterizes Deepavali. The only outrageous thing I saw, which was great, was the ritual of putting a nail through the face.
I found Singapore just as cosmopolitan as Penang.
Related posts:
- Singapore Arts Festival
- Singapore Sling
- Walking in Little India in Singapore
- Wedding Proposal at Singapore Marina
- Singapore Zoo
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