Singapore is less than six hours flying time from Perth. It is a very modern, clean and bustling city but still maintains some unique characteristics of ‘old Singapore’. Although I’ve been to Gardens on the Bay, an amazing botanical wonderland, twice before, I’d never really explored the surrounding parklands. That was my plan for this visit as I wanted to see The Planet sculpture, aka the Floating Baby.
This enormous artwork by British artist Mark Quinn is made of painted bronze and steel. The sculpture is of the artist’s 7 month old sleeping son. The baby seems to hover peacefully in the air, surrounded by green gardens. The artwork divided the masses; either you love it or you hate it! I love it and enjoyed walking around it a few times, seeing different details each time.
The gardens were green and beautiful but the late afternoon heat was stifling. We walked across to the Marina Bay Sands Hotel and went straight up to the top for the sea breeze, coffee and a big bottle of sparkling water. Calm and cool but very misty over the water. Followed later by a relaxing hour of reflexology then yum cha. A lovely day.
Restoratives.
The heat and humidity was stifling and misty at times.
Great yum cha.
One of the other attractions of Singapore is the food! Singaporeans take food seriously and you can buy amazing food for a few dollars at a street stall or spend lots and eat in beautifully designed restaurants with carefully presented food. We ate at both and some places in between. We hadn’t had high tea at The Raffles for years nor been there since the major renovation was completed so we went there, too. It was lovely.
Scones, sandwiches, beautifully presented cakes and little chocolate treats….we enjoyed them all!
Since living in China over twenty years ago, we have sought out massages, particularly reflexology or foot massages. Although the cost in Singapore is similar to an hour long session in Perth we have never found a really good reflexologist. We’ve had lovely foot and leg rubs and very half hearted massages but nothing like the systematic reflexology we’ve had in China, in Vietnam, in Thailand and Singapore. Bali can be a bit hit and miss, too! So, several visits to the spa for reflexology for us.
Airy, colourful entrance, in glass roofed foyer created by joining the two buildings.
The National Gallery of Singapore is an amalgamation of the former Supreme Court and the original City Hall connected by a modern glass and steel structure. (There’s lots of information about the transformation from early planning and funding to constructing and utilizing the building available on Level 4, plus a daily walk and talk you can join and be shown around. Ask at the desk for daily times) The amalgamation works really well and has created a wonderful National Gallery of Singapore. It is always worth a visit. We skipped the regular exhibitions and went upstairs to the third floor for Living Pictures: Photography in South East Asia and fourth floor for Liu Kuo Sung: Experimentation As Method, both new, temporary exhibitions.
Sunlight pours in through the steel and glass middle section.
Followed by cold drinks and a snack in the cafe before a serious look around the gallery shop. Beautiful things but very expensive. A great range of art books, too.
Carefully restored former Supreme Court.
Enjoyed a wander through the National Design Museum, too, a bit different from the usual displays Really enjoyed walking around Chinatown again but got caught in a monsoonal downpour. Had a lovely chat with the shop owner until the rain stopped. Chinatown has so many wall murals designed for interaction. One difficult thing was the tour groups on bikes who really seemed unaware of the pedestrians they were running into. We visited on the weekend, so the temples were busy and loud. Chinatown is vibrant and interesting. Look out for the old shopfronts still up and down many streets.
Grand old buildings.
Interactive street art in Chinatown.
You’ve been warned.
Are you interested in the Barbie movie? I was a huge fan of Barbie when I was 10 and my Father brought me a Barbie from America with bendable legs and arms. She was followed by Ken and her little sister, Skipper. I loved my dolls and built and decorated houses for them and sewed clothes. My father made me perfect tiny wire hangers so I could organize their wardrobes. I’ve still got them. Still interested in houses, interior decoration and clothes but mention all of this because Barbie and the movie are BIG in Singapore.
Image Pexels
Confronted by a Barbie photo opportunity display in a shopping centre. Not only were there males and females from babies to about eighty dressed in pink having their photos taken clutching bunches of pink balloons amongst the Barbie paraphernalia, there was the Barbie jingle, ‘I’m a Barbie girl in a Barbie world’ warbling on repeat, very loudly. A quick look at the Sunday paper when we returned informed me Perth is going Barbie mad, too. So much pink! Plus a World record singalong attempt of Barbie World!
Next week’s blog will be about our visit to Melaka