About the Trip: Although we had been to Singapore in 2010, we decided to return when Peep was called there on business. As was the case with our trip to London a couple of months earlier, the services of Peep's older brother Paap would also be needed, so we arranged to meet him at our hotel in Singapore, since we were traveling from different locations within Laos.
Getting There: Lao Airlines couldn't check our luggage through to our connecting flight on Tiger Air, but they did allowe us to take all our luggage as carryons so we could try to get our transfer without having to go through immigration. Unfortunately, Tiger Air didn't have a transfer counter in the international terminal of Bangkok's airport. Instead of both of us going through immigration, I headed for the departure gates while Peep headed for immigration. A short time after I started off, I remembered I would need my passport and proof of ticket to go through security to get to the departure gates, so I turned around and fortunately caught up with Peep before she made it through immigration. We then both went through, checked onto our next flight, then went back through immigration to the international departure gates.
We made it our hotel in Singapore without further hassle, where we met up with Paap and headed out for a late dinner. Our hotel was located near Bugis Street, a popular night market in Singapore, so we figured it was a good place to get something to eat.
Fountain of Wealth: On Tuesday morning we set off to find the hotel where Peep's boss was staying. We left early enough to give us time to stop for breakfast and to see Suntec City. The five buildings of Suntec City are made to resemble the fingers and thumb of a left hand laying palm up with the fingers pointed skyward. Located within the "palm" of the hand is a large traffic circle, in the middle of which sits the Fountain of Wealth. This layout is meant to symbolize the receiving of fortune. After viewing the fountain, we completed our trek to the Ritz, where Paap went to rest in the lobby while Peep and I walked around the area before her meeting later in the morning.
Marina Bay Sands Area: The Ritz is located right off Marina Bay, and several construction projects had been completed there since our last visit. Directly across the bay sat the Marina Bay Sands complex, which was nearing the end of its construction the last time we were there.
We crossed Marina Bay on the Helix, a foot bridge spanning the waters below. We then spent a little time relaxing by the ArtScience Museum before heading into the Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands, a high-end retail mall, after checking out a whirlpool bowl pouring water into a below-ground level of the mall. Our next destination was the Marina Bay Sands Hotel, located across the street. Once there, we walked the length of the ground floor before exiting the opposite end and walking back halfway to catch an elevator that would take us up to a foot bridge that runs through the upper part of the atrium of the hotel. Once out the other side, we continued on until we reached the Gardens on the Bay, another new development project completed since our last visit. We took a quick walk through the gardens before heading back to the Ritz so Peep could make her meeting on time. We would explore the Gardens more thoroughly later in our trip.
Esplanade Park: Once Peep met up with her boss, they headed off to get some lunch and I headed out on my own to see some city sites. I first went to Esplanade Park to see a few monuments I had missed on my last visit, including Tan Kim Seng Fountain, the Site of Indian National Army Unknown Warrior Memorial and the Lim Bo Seng Memorial. Tan Kim Seng was a successful Singaporean businessman and philanthropist, donating money toward education and a water supply system for the city. The Indian National Army Unknown Warrior Memorial was erected by the Japanese near the end of their occupation of Singapore during the Second World War. It was demolished barely two months later when the British retook control of the island, and all that remains today is an empty field. Lim Bo Seng was a Major-General in the Japanese resistance movement. He was captured and died in Japanese detention. From Esplanade Park it was over to Merlion Park, a repeat from my last trip.
Temple Tours: After a short stop in Merlion Park, I headed away from the Marina Bay area and twenty minutes later found myself in front of Thian Hock Keng Temple. I was just as impressed with its design and architecture as on my last visit, but was able to enjoy it with fewer crowds since I came on my own rather than with a tour. The tour three years ago was also scheduled to see Sri Mariamman Temple but skipped it due to extensive construction there. This trip, however, I did manage to enter and tour the temple, after removing my shoes and paying the nominal fee for use of my camera while there. Sri Mariamman Temple, dedicated to the Mother Goddess, was first constructed in 1827 and is the oldest Indian Hindu temple in Singapore.
Raffles Terrace: Next it was on to another repeat location, Clarke Quay. I made my way past the mostly closed restaurants and bars before arriving at Fort Canning Park. Here, I was made my way to Raffles Terrace, a site we skipped three years earlier. Raffles Terrace was the location chosen by Sir Stamford Raffles for construction of Singapore's first Government Mansion in 1822. The original flimsy thatch structure has since been upgraded. The gardens he laid out in front of the building became the South Battery when Canning Hill was transferred from civil to military control in 1860.
Istana: Since I was in the general area, I headed over to the Istana, or President's Palace, to see it. It is just off Orchard Street, a busy street lined with shopping malls. All I could see there was what appeared to be a heavily guarded official entrance to the palace grounds. Searching for a view of the palace, I ended up circling the entire grounds but had no luck. I later learned that the grounds of Istana are only open on four days of the year - on Chinese New Year, on Deepavali, on Hari Raya Puasa & National Day, and on Labour Day. Peep was done with her meetings just as I was finishing my fruitless search for a viewpoint of Istana, and we agreed to meet at the Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands.
In the Shoppes: Peep and Paap spent some time in the shops as I walked there to meet up with them. I found them just as they were ready to enter the Marina Bay Sands Casino, which is located in the mall, and we all went in together. After viewing the casino floor, we saw it was dark and raining outside, so we decided to just get some dinner in the mall before catching a cab back to the hotel for the night.