Swingin’ In The Rain
If this were the view from your hotel room window you might spend some time looking at it. And I did. On this particular day there was something happening on the middle tower, about half way up, far left..
Window cleaning, but definitely not for the faint hearted.
These guys were suspended only from ropes, all that way up from the ground.
Take a half turn to the right and this was the view, the Singapore business district. When we took this shot the weather was glorious. Want to see what happens in a monsoon?
Yikes. Believe me, that was serious rain.
It typically began raining in the afternoon or early evening. On this occasion the deluge lasted about an hour before the setting sun broke through again.
The storm retreating and moving on out to sea.
Another rain shower passing through the Supertree Grove. We struck lucky again, I took the shot while we were safe inside the Cloud Forest dome. Gentle mist I can cope with. Those people standing atop the tallest ‘tree’ might have got more than they bargained for.
That tallest tree is the big daddy of them all. There’s a restaurant up there where we had lunch one day and very pleasant it was too. Singapore is of course renowned for its food, Michelin starred restaurants to street food and all stops in between. ‘Food Centres’ were initially built to address the problem of unhygienic food preparation by unlicensed street hawkers, a practice once commonplace in Singapore. Local authority pressure to increase hygiene standards has driven them increasingly upmarket. Each vendor tends to sell just one type of food, for example a single rice dish, but does it exceptionally well. So much so that there are two which now hold a Michelin star of their own!
The Bat Plant, Tacca chantrieri, Singapore Botanic Gardens
At the other end of spectrum many restaurants and hotels serve up extensive buffets. Ours was no exception. Indeed, breakfast was a revelation. I do believe you could have found anything your heart desired. A thai chicken or prawn stir fry to start off the day? An Indian curry? Absolutely no problem. The selection on offer was so huge it was spread across several rooms, necessitating a certain amount of ingenuity to find your table again once you had left it. The challenge was further compounded by the hotel’s penchant for floor to ceiling mirrors, effectively doubling the size of the maze and the number of entry and exit points available. I considered the possibility of leaving a trail of cornflakes but in the end resorted to a series of complex mind maps. Turn left at the Egg Station, then right at the Salad Bar and if you round a corner only to be confronted with a life size representation of yourself then you’ve gone the wrong way.
But there was one aspect of eating out that I couldn’t come to terms with at all: the Chinese practice of keeping live fish in a tank in the restaurant itself. Make no mistake, they weren’t there to enhance the decor. Those poor creatures. Bad enough that you’re hoiked from the sea and forced to live in something scarcely larger than a goldfish bowl. No, an evening will come when the finger pointing through the glass is aimed squarely at you. It did put a limit on the number of places we could go to. Call me a wimp if you want to, I couldn’t bear to watch.
The iconic Raffles Hotel
The odd photo composition came about as an attempt at avoiding the builders’ hoarding which currently surrounds the hotel. Ever since we’d decided to come to Singapore I’d been keeping an eye out for a ‘soft’ re-opening, when prices are generally lower to reflect the guest’s role in finding items for the snagging list. It was the only way we’d ever have been able to afford it. Sadly the decision never needed to be made. The re-development is running behind schedule and the hotel is still closed.
The Old Hill Street Police Station. Looking nothing whatsoever like the infamous urban American cop shop and available in many more shades of blue. The windows of this one were only painted the rainbow of colours when the building was restored in December 1997. Prior to that they were grey.
What strikes you the most about walking around Singapore is the constant juxtaposition between old and new..
..often with a touch of the completely bizarre.
Frangipani, Singapore Botanic Gardens.
The botanic gardens are enormous, 203 acres, impossible to do justice to in a single day. The setting is that of a large city park with lakes, long sweeps of grass and even a fragment of original tropical rainforest. In the rainforest, ironically, the heavens opened and we got soaked. There is only so long the canopy will keep you dry. Eventually the rain penetrates, the only options being to get further soaked or to leg it. We opted for the latter and found an information board suitably equipped with a roof, which we shared with several of the gardeners until the storm passed us by.
But we weren’t falling over exotic blooms at every turn. The above was the only cluster of flowers in the entire frangipani grove and we’d walked a considerable distance in the heat to see it. Maybe it was the time of year, but the trees at the Gardens by the Bay were heaving.
The SBG also houses the National Orchid Garden, a much more colourful affair. It is at the forefront of orchid studies and a pioneer in the cultivation of hybrids, reflecting the nation’s status as a major exporter of cut orchids. Perhaps my expectations were all wrong but in this part of the world it would have been nice to see at least some of the species plants growing naturally, as they might in the wild. The display did seem to focus exclusively on the hybrids, the potted plants switched around frequently judging by the activity on the day we were there.
Renanthera ‘Paloma Picasso’
The highlight of the day came from an unexpected source. Look carefully centre of shot, amidst the giant water lily leaves.
Malayan Water Monitor Lizard
Not one but two. And perhaps not the best of buddies?
Nope. Definitely not.
The vanquished returns to the pond. But not for long..
Oh-oh.
Ouch!
And on that note we had, reluctantly, to leave Singapore ourselves and board the flight back to England. It’s been a magnificent trip and it only remains for me to thank you, sincerely, for your company along the way. Perhaps, someday, we can do it all again. But for now it’s definitely a return back to earth. And a none too gentle one at that. Isn’t there an unfinished bathroom around here somewhere?
From marvellous atmospheric shots to stunning gardens and a lizard battle. The window cleaners set my stomach churning. The highlight of the day was fun
You would not get me cleaning windows up there.
Ok, the Lizards were my favourite bit, great photos of them in action. Singapore is an interesting place and I love how green they have made it, plus updating the old buildings (most colourful cop shop ever?!) along with interesting new architecture. Sounds like you had a great trip.
Always interesting when things crop up in unexpected places. The lizards definitely did that!
Oh Janna what a visual feast! Thank you: I doubt i will ever get there, so this was a treat!!!
That just about sums up Singapore, a new visual feast around every corner. Quite amazing.
Oh, so sorry, of course, Jessica!!!!!!
🙂
I would love to visit Singapore. Thanks for taking us along with you!
If you ever get a chance to go, do. It has something for everyone, but most especially the green fingered amongst us. Just don’t go in the monsoon!
Every direction it seems there is something worthy of staring at — everything seems to be beyond just deserving of a look. Architecture, weather, plants, lizards, you name it . . !
I did love the lizards. Not sure I’d be so enamoured if they popped up in my own shrubbery though!
Wow, that is some rain! Your photos have actually made me want to visit Singapore again. The botanic garden, those ‘trees’ and the glasshouses. I’d be in heaven! We did go to Raffles for a Singapore Sling cocktail – well you have to don’t you? But our hotel didn’t do bad with cocktails either (and cheaper). The thoughts of leaving a trail of cornflakes back to your table made me laugh! And those lizards are fab! Great trip Jessica and thank you for sharing it with us.
You can still get a Raffles Singapore Sling but I doubt the temporary bar has quite the atmosphere. I also opted for our hotel version because yes, you do have to. They’re rather nice aren’t they!
Of all the places I’ve thought of traveling, Singapore was never on my list – until now. The views from the hotel alone are fabulous. You make great use of all your trips and I appreciate you’re sharing the sights with us.
P.S. I’d have avoided the restaurants with fish in tanks too.
We do try to pack a lot into wherever we go. Rather too much I think. It’s possible to come home and feel like you really need a holiday. And this time, because we were away for so long, I’d intended to have some proper down time. Did we heck.
Yes please, let’s do it again someday. What a fabulous adventure I got to take sitting on my sofa. Thank you again.
Bathroom not done YET? Mine, too. 🙁
Nope, the bathroom is still not done. After seven and a half months! I’m in the same position as you. It’s possibly done enough for a post but actually getting the bubble bath out is still a way off.
Thank you for the tour jessica. I am looking forward to seeing the end of the bathroom saga.
Not half as much as I am.. 😉
Oh Lordy, those lizards are amazing, so prehistoric. Singapore looks quite beautiful, worth visiting just for the gardens.
I’m with you on the live fish, years ago on my first visit to America my hosts took me to Red Lobster. They were staggered when I refused to go past the entrance lobby . . . but knowing more now about some farming methods used there I truly wish I had never eaten bacon either.
I have to say the road to total vegetarianism has got a lot shorter as a result of this trip. The Aussies are very fond of meat and at times it was really quite hard to find an alternative. Other than fish, which is where I mostly ended up. And then we arrived in Singapore..
Amazing photography – and catching the lizard tongue too! All super including the storm. Welcome home to Devon!
Thanks Kerry. I didn’t spot the tongue until I saw the image on the computer screen. I think we can call that a fluke!
Amazing views, love the gardens but don’t know about that rain.
December is even wetter apparently. Then it rarely stops!
Loved all the pix from the trip.. thanks for letting us tag along
Thanks Penny. I enjoyed doing it, apart from the fact that WordPress and the iPad have never really hit it off. There must be a better way.
Lovely post. Years ago since I was in Singapore and how it has changed from your photos. The best part of the Botanical gardens for me was the fabulous orchids. And we stayed at the legendary Raffles which was an amazing experience. I enjoyed your wonderful journey, you are intrepid travellers.
I’d have loved to stay at Raffles, well maybe next time if I win the lottery. Which would be going some as we don’t do it anymore. The trouble is these days Raffles is completely surrounded by high rise buildings. The modern chain hotels certainly don’t have the same atmosphere, but some of them do have a view.
You certainly got around in your “tea half hour” (was one of my mother’s favorite expressions) in Singapore. Hard to pick what is more interesting: the architecture, the plant life, the weather or the lizard life. Fantastic photos of the lizard war…the little charmers. As for the downpours, while we don’t call them monsoons in my neck of the woods, we often get deluges like that where it is hard to see the trees in the backyard or the house across the street. Lakes form in the yard and one just hopes nothing leaks. At least you were able to find a little shelter, though I am betting the oppressive humidity (before and after) just about sucked up most of your energy.
Thanks for us along for the Australia/Singapore tour! Grand photos and excellent commentary. Now, about that bathroom…
The humidity was hard going. But with only two and a bit days in the city we did try to cram in a lot.
Oh the bathroom saga. It had added to the grey hairs on my head. But that’s a story for another post.. 🙁
A beautiful garden but like you I,wouldn’t be able to bear live fish being hooked out to cook. I’d probably pick one and ask for a bag of water so I could take it away for release. I hope those window cleaners weren’t up there in the monsoon. Shame really that the monsoon rain couldn’t just wash the windows.
I did feel for the fishes. Just there waiting to be eaten. At least they didn’t know. Well I hope not.
Ouch indeedy re the monitor lizards! You have me missing Singapore! Such a green city.xxx
Isn’t it just! The lizards were wonderful. Shame they have to fight. But that’s nature I suppose.
We used to be ‘vegetarians that ate fish’. Till Switzerland where the trout are swimming in a tank as you go in. No, thank you, no more fish.
It’s a minefield isn’t it. Vegetarian is the way I’m going. Now, if only I could convince the carnivore I live with. In fairness, he is coming round. Slowly.
Another great post Jessica, thank you for covering so much of Singapore, we’ve enjoyed every photo, and all that you have described, and we are interested in all the places you visited. There is so much on offer, so much greenery and so much good food. I do like the way Singapore is so organised, friendly and clean, it makes a stopover worthwhile. We did manage a lunch at Raffles years ago, all just lovely and a great memory for us. (the gardens were to die for)
Recently Singapore Airlines has opened a new route, flying straight from Canberra to Singapore, which, as you can imagine,is very convenient for us …..not having to stop in Sydney or Melbourne first before the long trip to Europe is such a bonus.) Canberra has an increasing amount of connections with Singapore as a result.
Loved your holiday …and I hope you can come back soon!
Well that sounds like an excellent option for you! I did enjoy Singapore, it’s the perfect place for a stopover and it would be very tempting to explore more of Asia from there too. I do hope I can come back soon, there is so much we haven’t yet seen. And I so miss the wildlife already. Ptolemy pheasant is doing his best but he lacks that bright yellow crest!
PS LOVED the photos of the rain…my goodness!
It’s amazing. From our window we were watching a couple stranded under their parasol by the pool. Eventually a deputation with umbrellas was sent out to rescue them, but they must have been soaked through by then. Fortunately they were dressed for it. And of course it’s warm rain.
What a fabulous adventure you’ve shared with us. I love the way you captured the dramatic weather. So, now it’s back to reality and that bathroom…
I did worry about being there in the monsoon. But really, the drama of the weather added to the experience.
Wonderful pictures.
I have a lizard – Teiú that has a meter and 20 centimeters.
Oh my goodness, that is an enormous lizard! I do like them though. Welcome Janice!