Singapore Swing Part XI

Okay, I finally escaped from Sentosa Island. But not before a delicious meal. At the terminus of the monorail was a restaurant that looked interesting so I walked in. The place was veritably deserted. The staff greeted me in a most friendly way--the service people in Singapore are almost embarrassingly kind to visitors. I asked to sit on the balcony overlooking the port, and was instantly accommodated. The Lobster Thermador was my choice and it was heavenly.

Just below the balcony was a young Chinese newlywed couple, still clad in their wedding garb, being put through the paces by their wedding photographer. The look of youthful joy on their faces was infectious. I cannot help but smile even as I write this; my memory of the joy of the scene is that strong.

With a gourmet meal in my belly, I returned to my hotel.

Now I digress. A day or two earlier I had called another local hotel to contact a former coworker of mine that was also in Singapore on business for his new employer. I left a message for him and later that day we were able to speak over the telephone. He invited me to join him at still another hotel where his girlfriend and one of his brothers were playing in their rock band.

I immediately accepted the invitation. It was good to see my old coworker again, and I sat with him, his girlfriend, and his brother for this photo. My old coworker is the little guy in the checked shirt:



The waitress came by and asked me if I what I wanted to drink. I ordered a 7-Up, as I did not want any alcohol. She brought me my soft drink. It was in one of those tall and narrow bar glasses, and was mostly filled with ice. I was not prepared for what the waitress was to say next:

"That will be nine dollars, sir."

(Nine Singapore dollars, equal to about $6.43 USD at the then current exchange rate)

After I picked my brain up off the floor and carefully put it back into my skull, I paid for the drink.

I asked my compatriots what they were paying for the pitchers of beer that they were consuming. "Thirty-eight dollars" was the reply. Each. After savoring my nine dollar soda pop, I stuck with drinking ice water. The waitress began to giggle at me each time she came by to get us more drinks. "...And another ice water for you, sir?" (snicker, snort)

Oh well. At least the band was good. Note my coworker's girlfriend is the lead singer and his brother, the only male member of the band, is the lead guitarist. The angle of the photo obscures the girl on drums. What I really like about the photo is the bass player, on the right. The camera caught her at a moment when she was really feeling funky.



Last in the Series: Part XII

Photos Copyright 2005 by Impacted Wisdom Truth

Singapore Swing Part X

In this post we will wrap up our visit to Sentosa Island. To do that I want to revisit Fort Siloso.

The barracks, bunkers, and gun emplacements are well maintained. One simply walks into a building and motion sensors start a tape playing that describes the purpose and use of the building. In the picture below, a British officer orients a newly transferred soldier.

They are mannequins, of course, but the use of the mannequins added a lot of realism to the experience. The officer instructed the man of lower rank in the best ways to handle the climate, foods available, and all manner of orientation to the local scene. It was very informative, and a perfect vehicle to educate tourists.



Did you notice the turkey standing in the doorway in the lower left hand corner of the photo? Look again.



Turkeys, peacocks, and many other types of wildlife run freely on Sentosa Island. I made a move to exit the building and nearly ran into that turkey. It scared the daylights out of me; not because it was aggressive or anything, I just did not expect to see this huge bird there.

Further excursion led me into one of the bunkers. They have some old ordnance piled up to give a sense of what sort of defense the Brits could mount in case of an attack. I assume the ordnance had been neutralized, but I still did not pick anything up. The interior of the bunkers are immaculately whitewashed.



Another must-see on the island is the museum. There are many life-sized dioramas in the museum to illustrate the island's history. Here is one from WWII which shows a Japanese soldier bayoneting a British soldier. This was the single creepiest thing I saw the whole trip.



Then finally, a picture of this old timer.



Yes, macaques are allowed to run wild on the island also. One of them made me jump when he grabbed an empty coffee can and flung it onto the blacktop behind me. I was at at bit of a loss around these (to me) exotic creatures. Being a sheltered Los Angeleno, the only thing I kept thinking is, "Keep your distance. Maybe they bite." And I got plenty of bites from insects in the rain forest area of Sentosa, hoping all the while I was not going to pick up something exotic and baffling to American doctors. So far, so good.

Next in the Series: Part XI

Photos Copyright 2005 by Impacted Wisdom Truth

Singapore Swing Part IX

Sentosa Island is the location of the Merlion and Merlion Walk. The Merlion is the symbol of Singapore, a mythical creature that is half lion and half fish.

The Merlion on Sentosa Island is one hundred and twenty one feet tall and offers a spectacular view of both the island and the South China Sea. I am quite fond of water views, whether natural or man-made, and Sentosa offers both. This first picture is one I took of the Merlion upon my approach.



After parting with a little gelt, one can walk upstairs inside the Merlion and look out the mouth (note the teeth in the photo below). The photo came out quite dark and I had to play with the brightness and contrast for a time to make it as good as it is. Unfortunately, that process blew out the sky completely.



Here is a small bit of the Merlion Walk, a beautiful fountain and pool cascade. Note the bright colors and the individual tile mosaic. It was beautiful, beautiful, beautiful. If you would like to take a virtual tour of the Merlion Walk, Click Here.



From the top of the Merlion one had a panoramic view of the sea. Singapore is a major shipping port, as it is a free trade zone. Hence the island is continually ensconced within a fleet of merchant ships awaiting either to load or offload cargo.

Click picture for larger version:


Next in the Series: Part X

Except for photos in linked external websites, Photos Copyright 2005 by Impacted Wisdom Truth