Singapore - Day 1

Brekkie includes the best fruit plate ever! Both red and white dragon fruit, yellow watermelon, pineapple, passion fruit, and kiwi. The omelet and bacon are normal but what about the blueish bun filled with a sweet yam paste. 

Our driver/guide, Lawrence, picks us a 0900 and gives us a fantastic day driving around previously unknown parts of Singapore.

The day begins at the new bird sanctuary. Jurong Bird Park was the old place.

Bird Paradise is the new place.

We cannot tell from this map if we saw the entire place or missed a good part of it. The heat and humidity was taking its toll.

Our first stop is Penguin Cove. On the upper floor you see the penguins in a natural surface habitat. On the lower floor, you see them swimming.

And below.

From airconditioned indoors to sweltering outdoors to view the birds.

Their chosen mesh for the bird enclosures makes photography extremely difficult.

Tired and wet with sweat we seek a familiar if not visited in many years (think decades). When was the last time we had a cold mug of A&W root beer or a cold mug of root beer float?

Lawrence claims no tourists come to the next place, the city reservoir. It is adjacent to a preservation park. Local tradies are resting or having lunch when we arrive. A monkey crosses in front of us. Lawrence is a Liverpool footy tragic.

Barely visible in the distance is the skyline of the Singapore CBD.

We next pass by what was once a British airbase and barracks not turned into Singapore's second airport, one for private and small commercial aircraft, Seletar Airport. It is now an industrial zone devoted to aviation business. We pass through neighborhoods of vintage barracks and military housing.

The next stop is Punggol Beach. The Japanese reportedly executed hundreds of Chinese and other Asians on this beach.

That is Malaysia across the strait from Punggol.

Today's 'tour' is nearly 100% extemporaneous.  CJ indicates we've never been to Sentosa Island, now totally on the opposite end of Singapore. We're off and on the way pass through one of Asia's longest tunnels. It travels under the bay and under Gardens By The Bay.

Sentosa Island is full of surprises. We are surprised at how hilly it is. We first view an army barracks turned into a luxury hotel.

The island is a maze of roads leading to various hotels, attractions, Universal Studios, and beaches. There is a luge run and gondola ride from the mainland which are calling CJ's name.

Our next stop is in Chinatown. There is a magnificent temple there.

This is part of the Wall of a 100 Buddhas.

Unlike most temples, this one has many rows of desks. We watch many women praying and reading at the desks. All are dressed in the same robe.

We continue to drive through Singapore and neighborhoods.

Next we ride through Demsey Hill. Orignally a nutmeg plantation destroyed by an infestation it became a military installation in the 1860's and remained so until 1989. 

It is now called a 'Dining Oasis in Singapore'. There are quality restaurants of every type. We eyes Peruvian cuisine and Mexican as well as the usual Asian and European restaurants.

We return to the CBD via Orchard Road. Many years ago we stayed in a disappointing Marriott on Orchard Road. It is unrecognizable. You name the top end shop, it is on this street, usually at more than one location. At one intersection, they all seem to be there.

Our day concludes with passes through the area of Government buildings located near our hotel.  Well done Lawrence. Not bad for winging it.

From our room you can see most of these buildings. They are on the right of the picture just beyond the white church steeple. This wide angle begins with the Marina Bay Sands on the left and ends at Raffles City on the right. The CBD is center, as are the main attractions surrounding the main tourist bay of Singapore.

Our night view.