I Arrived in
Singapore 7am after an overnight train journey from Kuala Lumpur, with not a
lot of sleep on the train. there was a long wait to get through
immigration just across the causeway from Jota Baru
Compared to
Kuala Lumpur the entry to Singapore got off to a poor start.
For what supposed to be a modern efficient city the station is a
miserable excuse for one. The run down appearance and unhelpful staff
did not impress. There were no links to the metro or the buses which
were alongside a depressing flyover a few moments walk away The café was
grim and not what I expected at all. there was so much grease on the
spinning fans that I expected to blackened with the slimy fall out. the
Coffee and pastry was OK and they did reluctantly accept Malaysian
Ringits.
I spent an hour just finding and waiting for numerous buses; all were
not going where I wanted to. I became desperate in the end I just
wanted a bus to anywhere just to get moving! I could have got a taxi
(tight fisted git!) but I was determined that I was not going to be
beaten by the bus system. I waited for a 70 after advice from a guy
waiting a the bus stop. When the bus did turn up the driver told me it
wasn’t going to North Bridge Road one of the most important streets on
the city. half an hour later after nearly weakening and taking a taxi I
actually boarded a bus going in the right direction.
 I arrived at Cosy Corner Backpackers Guest house at approx 10am. The old
3 story shop house was above a Chinese café and approached by a bright
orange narrow stairway. It was busy and cozy i.e. cramped . However as I
wasn't going to be there much I could not justify $50 + for an
overpriced hotel elsewhere in the city.
The
windowless dorm room was basic with shared loos. At first I was offered
a bed under the aircon which did no suit me at all. I
asked for fan room
but they were all full so I had a different bed in an aircon room. The
staff were very helpful staff and there was unlimited free
internet access for guests.
I had lunch at the Yuckee Noodle cafe opposite the Ah Chew Hotel! The service was fast but
impersonal which rather sums up a lot of Singapore. It is a rich city
where much of the old has disappeared under a cityscape of steel and
glass. The old red light district of Bugis has been developed into a
cute shopping centre of rebuilt shop houses with curved roof to keep the
sun away.
Singapore skyline before a storm
Old Tudor
Durian shaped concert halls
Waterfront Bars
I Had a look around the city using the modern Metro system. Like most
things here; it is immaculately clean. The marble and glass halls
escalators; moving walkways are as far removed from Cambodia as could be
imagined. There is a flood defence system which means you have to go up
steps to go underground. The trains are concealed behind smoked glass
wit hi tech plasma TV screens giving ads and info between trains. They
have similar system on the new double decker buses.
Singapore city
is not so big; so walking around was easy once I had got used to the 80%
humidity. Walking up Orchard road, the English style street
furniture and signs made me feel as though I'd been transported to a
new English city like Milton Keynes a few years in the future.
Little touches of old colonial British architecture still remain.
Chinatown and Little India reminded
me so much of colourful Victorian suburbia. Little India was by far
the most real and vibrant place in this city and felt like Beovis
Town and St Mary's in Southampton with its two storey terraced
houses and backdrop of 1960s high rise flats.
After a day or so of exploring
Singapore, I' had seen enough shopping malls to last a lifetime. The
city is full of them with flash hotels and office blocks It is a
squeaky clean place, even the roads and pavements are polished!
It was time to get down to some Music
Womad
Festival >>
fun and horror in
Tiger Balm
Gardens
>>
Spectacular Architecture in Kuala Lumpur >>
Malaysian Rainforest >>
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