Singapore Business Trip Side Trip Part 1 - Little India and Clarke Quay

2011.06 Singapore Business Trip Side Trip Part 1 - Little India and Clarke Quay

After the 2008 financial crisis, the company froze most overseas business trips and replaced everything with Windows Live Meeting ~.~'"

This year it gradually felt as if that "employee benefit" had been restored, and I was sent to Singapore for an Asia-Pacific regional meeting.

Once the trip was confirmed, I contacted an old childhood friend who had immigrated there many years ago.

(What? What does that mean? You do not know?! All right, here comes a little "learn Chinese through blogs" segment XD...

In ancient times, people did not really cut their hair. When they were little, they tied it up like a little topknot.

When they got a bit older, the hair was wrapped into two bunches on the head, looking like two horns.

So "friends from the age of tied-up horns" means good friends who grew up together.)

After saying hello, I got busy again and completely forgot about planning the sightseeing part.

That really went against my good habit of preparing thoroughly before every trip @.@'"

It was not until right before departure that I remembered to ask where he planned to take me during the gaps before and after the meeting.

He replied mysteriously, "I am taking you to... a man's paradise."

Heh~~ what an imagination-stirring "paradise" XD

As usual, let us start with two photos of the hotel, then head out to play~

Hotel room with a bed, desk, armchair, and large window. — A look at the hotel room before heading out.

High-rise buildings and a broad city view seen from the hotel. — The view from the hotel looked out over central Singapore.

The first stop was Little India...

Street scene in Singapore's Little India district. — Arriving in Little India on a hot afternoon.

On a scorching afternoon, an iced milk tea came first ^.^

The milk tea here does not use sugar. It goes straight in with condensed milk... so there is no unsweetened option, but the flavor is pretty good ^.^

Iced milk tea served at a table in Little India. — A glass of iced milk tea to cool down first.

Sitting under the corridor, looking at the brightly colored buildings across the street...

Colorful shophouses across the street in Little India. — Sitting under the corridor and looking across at the bright buildings.

A bright Little India street corner with vivid building colors. — The colorful street view added to the neighborhood's atmosphere.

Together with proper Indian flatbread and curry chicken, it felt full of foreign flavor.

Indian flatbread and curry chicken on a dining table. — Indian flatbread and curry chicken made the meal feel properly local.

I often see all kinds of vivid fruit close-ups on other people's blogs. Finally I got one too... haha~~

Close-up of colorful fruit at a stall. — Finally, a bright fruit close-up of my own.

Toward evening we moved on to Singapore's famous Clarke Quay. On the way, we passed a building that looked a lot like Taiwan's Presidential Office...

Red-and-white historic building passed on the way to Clarke Quay. — On the way to Clarke Quay, this building looked strangely like Taiwan's Presidential Office.

Hmm, it turned out to be Singapore's fire station... why does it look so similar??

Singapore fire station building with red-and-white facade. — It turned out to be Singapore's fire station.

After we arrived at Clarke Quay, my classmate had to go pick up his child from school, so he abandoned me there. He gave one instruction: just keep walking straight along the riverbank, keep going, and then I would get back to the hotel.

That "keep walking straight" took me three hours before I returned to the hotel... see, only a good friend would do something like this T.T

Riverside view near Clarke Quay in the late afternoon. — Clarke Quay, where the three-hour riverside walk began.

Singapore River view with buildings along the bank. — Early evening along the Singapore River.

Clarke Quay brings together many distinctive bars and restaurants. It is one of Singapore's liveliest nightlife areas.

But it was still early, so there were not many people yet...

Colorful restaurant and bar buildings at Clarke Quay. — Clarke Quay gathers many distinctive bars and restaurants.

Quiet Clarke Quay walkway before evening crowds. — The area was still quiet before the nighttime crowd arrived.

The buildings here are richly colored and full of Southeast Asian atmosphere.

Brightly colored Clarke Quay buildings beside the river. — The saturated colors gave the buildings a strong Southeast Asian feel.

Using wheelchairs as dining chairs...

I guess only foreigners with no taboos would dare sit there ~.~'"

Restaurant seating arranged with wheelchairs as chairs. — Wheelchairs used as dining chairs.

Even the outdoor areas had air conditioning...

Outdoor dining area with air-conditioning ducts overhead. — Even the outdoor area had air conditioning.

This building had so much character. When I walked closer, it turned out to be a police station @.@'"

Historic-looking police station building near the riverside. — A distinctive building that turned out to be a police station.

Many scenic restaurants lined the riverbank. I saw the famous chili crab... as big as a washbasin, but unfortunately the staff at the entrance would not let me take a photo @.@'"

Restaurant frontage along the Singapore River. — Riverside restaurants lined the bank, including one selling giant chili crab.

I spent a lot of money to sit down and enjoy the view, and the scenery really was nice...

View across the river from a restaurant table. — An expensive seat came with a very nice view.

Singapore River scenery seen while resting. — Taking a short break by the river.

After resting for a while, I continued along the riverbank toward Merlion Park...

Riverside walkway leading toward downtown Singapore. — Continuing along the river toward Merlion Park.

Singapore River at dusk with city buildings nearby. — The evening walk followed the river past downtown buildings.

Riverside promenade and city skyline in Singapore. — Another stretch of the long walk toward Merlion Park.

Across the river was the spot where Raffles first landed...

View across the Singapore River toward the Raffles landing area. — Across the river was the site where Raffles first landed.

This was the Raffles Landing Site area, the point where the river walk suddenly connected with the history usually seen only in introductions to Singapore.

Raffles Landing Site marker by the Singapore River. — Raffles Landing Site.

At last I reached Merlion Park, the standard Singapore stop that is hard to skip on a first visit.

Merlion Park by the waterfront in Singapore. — Merlion Park.

By coincidence, I caught the Marina Bay Sands laser show.

Laser beams from Marina Bay Sands across the night skyline. — I happened to catch the Marina Bay Sands laser show.

Honestly, without that grand, powerful soundtrack... it was not as impressive as Hong Kong's Symphony of Lights ~.~'"

Night waterfront view during the Marina Bay Sands light show. — Without the grand music, it was not as exciting as Hong Kong's Symphony of Lights.

I passed the plaza in front of the Esplanade...

Open plaza near the Esplanade in Singapore at night. — Passing the plaza in front of the Esplanade.

At the lively night market, I ate a serving of tasteless Yangzhou fried rice ~.~

Yangzhou fried rice served at a night market stall. — A plate of rather tasteless Yangzhou fried rice at the night market.

Finally, I made it back to the hotel @.@'"

Night view near the hotel after the long riverside walk. — Finally back at the hotel.

This route was actually quite wonderful. I walked and stopped along the way, with the gentle evening breeze blowing beside me. Even after strolling alone for three hours, I did not feel tired ^.^

Next came two straight days of meetings.

Then on the final morning, I went for a short visit to the rather famous Singapore Botanic Gardens...

Please keep reading:

2011 Singapore Business Trip Side Trip Overview

2011 Singapore Business Trip Side Trip Part 1 - Little India and Clarke Quay

2011 Singapore Business Trip Side Trip Part 2 - Singapore Botanic Gardens