Sightseeing in Singapore

31^st May 2011

This morning we took the MRT to Buona Vista and walked up to Holland Village to see what had changed in one of the areas we used to visit regularly. It was like stepping back in time by 15 years, as very little has changed, most of the shops are unchanged and there has been none of the massive building development that has occurred in other areas.

We had lunch at the local hawker stalls, as rain set in and then headed back to the Singapore Recreation Club after the rain passed.

                                              Lunch at Holland Village

Later in the afternoon we walked down to the most spectacular development in Singapore for some years, The Marina Bay Sands Complex, which includes Singapore’s first casino, a massive shopping and entertainment complex and a Hotel with a “Skypark” on top. The rain had returned, so we didn’t explore the Skypark, but may do so tomorrow. The scale of the building is staggering and the Singapore coastline continues to grow out to sea vas they reclaim more and more land to develop.

                                             Marina Bay Sands Complex

Singapore First Stop

30^th May 2011                 

We left Sydney on QF 5 late afternoon on 29^th May, arriving in Singapore late that evening.  We decided to stay somewhere different and checked in to The Residence at The Singapore Recreation Club, located on the Padang just across the road from City hall MRT station, and at the opposite end of the Padang to the famous Singapore Cricket Club. What a great location, it is steeped in history, very comfortable and close to everything.

Singapore Recreation Club

After breakfast we headed out on foot to look around, walking to Boat Quay, where not much has changed, headed to the MRT and bought tourist passes for the next few days giving unlimited travel on Public Transport for around AUD 6 each per day. We headed in to Orchard Rd and had a wander and a bit of shopping, off to Newton Circus for lunch and the to Bugis to visit Sim Lim Square to check out the latest electronic bargains.

I had advised my old CSR colleagues in Singapore and Malaysia that we would be in town for a few days and by now Davis Ong had been in touch to make arrangements for dinner tonight (Chilli Crab of course).

We joined Davis and Soh Chin Teck  ( from Malaysia) at Clark Quay for a lovely dinner and a lot of reminiscence about old times.

                                          Soh, Davis and the chilli crab