Singapore

17.10.11

We had both been really excited about our day in Singapore and we were not

disappointed. We felt quite relaxed as everything seemed strangely familiar

compared to India. The roads were more predictable: people drove in lanes,

obeyed traffic rules, stopped at traffic lights etc. English is also widely

spoken, shops were more modern and western like. It's amazing how 2 ex-English

colonies can be so different!

So we headed to the restaurant from last night for lunch before heading to Orchard

Road. We found the Aljunied MRT station about 10 minutes walk from our hotel.

It was all so simple! We bought a ticket at the machine, found where we wanted

to go on the map and followed the signs to the correct platform. It's as simple

as the London Underground, but much cleaner and less crowded. They don't use

paper tickets either, you get a plastic ticket which you return after your journey

and get a 1 dollar refund.

We got off at Orchard station which is exited through the ION mall. Orchard Road

is a road of malls. From what I can gather there are ---- malls. Walking down

the road you can smell the money! We passed Dolce & Gabbana,

Calvin Klein, Louis Vutton, Chanel, Versace, Abercrombie and Fitch...all the big

ones! We spent a happy few hours window shopping. We were amazed at how busy each mall

was and how much business they must get to all stay open, I don't think we saw

any vacant lots. There must be huge amounts of money in Singapore, when you think

about Southampton when not all the shops can afford to stay open in West Quay.

Anyway, we then got back on the MRT at Somerset and went to the Marina. The Marina

is'nt particularly picturesque, but is surrounded by hotels, office blocks and

a grand, upmarket mall. Along the promenade there is also the Art and Science museum, which

was unfortunately closed. It is housed in a very unnusual looking building shaped

like a bunch of banannas or an open hand facing palm upwards. Inside the mall was

a man-made canal and a gondola making trips up it, there was also a skating rink.

We walked over an elaborate bridge which was like a metal rope, from the bridge

you had a good view of Singapore's version of the the Eye. Across the river we came

to another mall where we decided to have something to eat. Eventually we picked

Sauce, to have a burger each, as we'd both been craving meat. The setting for

our meal was wonderful; sat outside with a view of the marina andd the light

show that started. The burgers were immense and washed down with a couple of beers-

it doesn't get much better than that! However the price put a bit of a dampner

on things (even though it was english prices, this came as a bit of shock

compared to India!).