Recent SIngapore Trip Slideshow

More jalan-jalan

I was taken to dinner again tonight after another long day. This time it we went to Arab Street for some Peranakan food. The venue was authentic enough but the food wasn't. It was more South Thai and Indonesian than Straits Chinese. But it was still very nice food. Can't really complaint.

The restaurant was located by Kandahar Street, where the Indian Moslem community congregate. I performed the Maghrib Solat by the Mosque there, while enjoying the bright moon. Apparently, that was the nearest the Moon going to be to Earth for the last 20 years it certainly was very bright.

The old Malay Istana. Now a museum.After the wholesome dinner, we took a stroll by Bugis Street some 10 minutes away. There was a lively night market there, and the place was packed even though it was past 9pm. Our host wanted us to try dome reflexology, but according to others, it was not a good idea to do so right after a meal.

Apart from the family-friendly stalls along the walk, there were also sex toy shops and other fun stuffs can be seen there. The nearby shopping complexes were still opened. At that hour, I did not really fancy doing any shopping.

On the way back to the hotel, we were driven by the Marina, where the Singapore Flyer and Marina Bay Sands were located. We did not stop however, but I managed to snap a couple of frames of the landmark. We reached the hotel by 10.30, just in time to pack, hit the shower and get ready to snuggle in bed to watch the ManYoo match for the week. We would be playing Bolton. A bit of a bogey team actually.

Day One

The first day just flew by and it has been a long and tiring one. It was basically non-stop lecture from morning till about 5.30pm. We even had talks during the lunch break. And tomorrow morning, there will be a talk during breakfast. There was another satellite symposium later in the day, with dinner slapped in of course, but I don't think my brain could take it any longer. Instead, I went out with a few colleagues to Clarke Quay, on the other sude of town.

Dinner was a seafood affair, and it was great. I thought I may have doubled my cholesterol level with the amount of crab that I took. After dinner, we had a stroll down the quay, the weather being being very warm, with clear sky and full moon, made it it a relaxing one. Being Friday night, the place was packed and happening. It was the hip part of town, full of trendy bars, restaurant and clubs. Since we were all rather tired, we did not stay for too long. After 30 minutes, we climbed back onto the minibus, taking us back to the hotel.

Maybe I would catch some TV but honestly, I could do with an early night. Just called Anita and the boys, hitting the showers, then bed .... I'll blog more about Clarke Quay later as most of the photos were taken on my LX3.

The flight in

The flight in went very smoothly. A lot gave to do with the 737-800 that I took. The leg room on the plane was smaller than the usual 737 but the overhead compartments for storage appeared much bigger. Suffice to say that the plane was designed for short hop such as KUL-Singapore sector where one tended to take carry-ons onto the cabin. The passengers also tended to be the business type which prefer everything simple.

We landed in the rain and as usual, I was expecting a bumpy descent. It was cloudy, so I couldn't see much of the approach, but before long, I saw the famous Marina Bay Sands appearing on my window. An overcast day, so I couldn't really see much. The next thing I knew, we were already on the ground. In the future, I will definitely go for the 737-800 should I need to fly a short hop.

Immigrations and luggage pick-up was a breeze and by the time I landed, the driver was already waiting for me to me to Shangri-La which I will be staying at for the next three nights.

All packed

Shirts. Checked. Tickets. Checked. Passport. Checked. Laptop. Checked. Camera. Charged. I'm all set for tomorrow. Managed to get some Singapore Dollars exchanged earlier in KLCC as well.

I planned to have breakfast with Anita after sending the boys to school. I will have to be at KL Sentral by 10, likely checking in from there before taking the ERL as I often do. I should reach Singapore by 1, which leave me plenty of time to check in and read the documents before the meeting at 5. Now, shall I sleep or should I watch some movies?...