|
A day in Garden CountrySing – The AmazingBy Sandra Scott
Changi is one airport that people hate to leave but the
angst is assuaged during the drive into the city.
Check into one of Singapore premier hotels such as the Pan Pacific Hotel with an atrium that is a dizzying 35 stories high, the tallest hotel atrium in South East Asia. Or choose the Fullerton, which was recently transformed from the 1928 post office into an elegant hotel that preserves the architectural integrity of the original building.
If you are lucky, when you arrive at the airport you will find your flight is delayed and you will have time relax from your whirlwind visit to Singapore. Take in a free movie or visit the Aromazone Massage Center while vowing to return to Singapore – soon! If you go: Images by Sandra Scott, www.sanscott.com |
|
TM
Singapore is amazing. It is
spiffy! It is interesting and very safe. “Sing” sets the standard for Asia
cities. Passengers transiting to other destinations often have the option of
spending a day in this “Garden Country.”
All visitors arrive at Singapore’s Changi
Airport, an airport that is more like a resort destination than a typical
airport. Besides the usual airport shopping and restaurants the airport
has a swimming pool, Jacuzzi, free movies, plus several
gardens including an outdoor sunflower garden.
The highway between the city
and airport resembles an approach to a palatial estate. The way is lined with
emperor palms with overpasses dripping with greenery and red flowers.
Singapore may be the epitome
of modern but the past is preserved in its ethnic neighborhoods. Spend the
morning on a walking tour of Little India (or one of the other tours of old
Singapore). Geraldine, a guide for Journeys’ adds her own bit of spice to the
Little India tour, “Dhobis, Saris, and a Spot of Curry.” Little India is one of
the cities liveliest districts where Indian culture is very much alive. Wander
through a wet market gazing at a whole array of fruits and vegetables seldom
seen in the Western Hemisphere. Learn how to buy a sari, have your fortune told
by a parrot, get a henna tattoo, and visit the colorful Sri Veeramakaliamman
Hindu Temple. Every step leads to a better understanding of the culture of the
Indians who were literally the builders of Singapore. After the tour stop at a
Komala’s for an inexpensive vegetarian meal served traditional-style on a banana
leaf. The color pictures aid in choosing menu items. 
Hop in a cab – they take credit
cards – ask to be taken to the Colonial District on the north bank of the
Singapore River for a deeper understanding of Singapore’s eclectic history.
Visit the Asian Civilisation Museum to learn about the development and culture
of Singapore. Wander along the Esplanade, stop to gaze at the statue of Sir
Thomas Raffles who made Singapore a bastion of the British Empire. Take a bum
boat ride on the Singapore River and ponder the changes that have taken place
since Raffles arrived 1819.
Relax and dine at one of the
many outdoor restaurants along the “Sing” River that offer Chinese, Malay,
Indian, and Western food. When the sun starts to set head to the Night Safari
where a tram ride will take you through the forested zoological park to view
some of the 120 different species of mainly nocturnal animals in their natural
habitat, including tigers, lions, and leopard on the prowl. Attend the nature
show and walk the trails, before returning to your hotel around midnight sorry
that the day is over.
One full and exciting day in
Singapore is not enough. As you head to the airport you will vow to return to
explore Chinatown and the Arab neighborhood and spend a full day exploring Sentosa Island, Singapore’s fantasy island, with Underwater World and beaches.
Hours will pass quickly at the Botanical Gardens where a special section devoted
to orchid and there are the small, less developed islands that are seldom
visited by tourists. So much to do in such a small country.