34 years. Why? It felt so good. Why on earth have we not returned here since 1989?
They say absence makes the heart grow fonder. I am not sure in our over three decades of absence whether my heart has grown fonder or not. In truth, I am not sure I thought about the attractions of this incredible city, lying only a degree or so north of the Equator, over the intervening three decades. Given it was, by the time we had checked-in to the hotel, about eleven in the morning, three in the morning GMT, we both felt surprisingly alive. Neither of us had slept properly during the flights. Exposing our lilywhite arms to a sudden dose of vitamin D was an immediate revitalising tonic to bodies and souls mired in a British winter.
We were staying at the Paradox Merchant Court at Clarke Quay. This area has been renovated since our last visit and as city landscapes go it is beautiful. I could feel the sun on my skin, I could smell the scents of summer blooms, I could hear the everyday hubbub of a city and I could feel the incredible openness that surrounded me. In short, it seemed to be a city that was totally at ease with itself. Go back 80 years and, my word, what a different story.
I think I speak for the both of us when I say our knowledge of the Second World War in Asia is woeful. We were to increase our knowledge about the Japanese invasion over the next few weeks. Their occupation did not stop at the Singaporean border with Malaya but spread out into that country and beyond. The Japanese influence would stay with us until we left the beautiful Thai island of Koh Tao over three weeks later.
During that first afternoon we explored the award-winning Gardens by the Bay extensively. A beautifully serene green space, collected into three gardens, on the edge of a thoroughly modern city. There were a couple of attractions that we earmarked for visits over the next few days, The Flower Dome and The Cloud Forest. The Gardens boast many other attractions as well. It has the impressive OCBC Skyway, the equally incredible Super Tree Observatory and Floral Fantasy. Honestly, you could easily entertain yourself for two days around these Gardens. The super trees are solar powered and light up at nighttime, having re-energised themselves during the day. I didn’t feel brave enough to make the journey back there in darkness. I regret this now as many have said it is spectacular.
To me the most thought-provoking exhibition was the Love the Last March installation. It is a series of 45 endangered wild animals in a line of march and, in my mind, taking on their most arduous journey yet: the march for survival. It extends to 192 metres long, taking your breath away as you realise the significance of the meaning. It is the creation of British and Australian artists, Gillie and Marc, inspired by the David Attenborough Witness Statement. It is only on show for one calendar year and you will need to be quick as it only runs until 18th May this year. Even now, as I write this, some seven weeks after our visit, I can’t help thinking about the message.
I must confess that we did not get back to Gardens by the Bay during our visit as we simply run out of time.
We had walked for miles and managed to become a little disoriented. Anyway, it was getting dark and we were getting hungry. In the end we found a small Chinese restaurant and filled up, gorged on noodles and rice dishes, far too much. Then there was the challenge of getting back to the hotel. We were a little lost. Out comes the mobile phone to engage with Maps. Mistake! We used data at such a rate that before we had turned the first corner a warning came up to say that we were getting close to our spend limit. What is it with mobile providers in the modern world? If I go to Australia or New Zealand I can use as much data as I like for £2.00 per day? Yet here we were in Singapore, lost, and in about ten seconds we had used £2,000 worth. I don’t remember the exact figures and I have exaggerated for effect. Why is Singapore not included in a decent data package? After all it is not like we are the first people to visit. It is a thoroughly modern city so it cannot be beyond the wit of mobile phone firms to do deals.
Note to Sky Mobile: sort out your data packages.
Singapore is brilliantly lit and, even for me, I did not feel in danger of bumping into anything. Only first impressions but it also felt incredibly safe and, according to Jane, there was not a drop of litter anywhere.
Jane was tired but I felt I might have a wee nightcap. I went to the lift but it was far to difficult for me to operate so no nightcap.
Note to Freedom Destinations: don’t put blind people on the eleventh floor of a hotel; it takes our independence away.
The following morning saw us get up at our usual time. Safe to say we were not suffering from jetlag whatsoever. Breakfast eaten, by the way the staff noticed my cane and helped with getting food from the buffet. I hate buffet. I can never choose exactly what I want as I cannot see the dishes. Jane does a sterling job in selecting my food for me. The choice appeared to be never ending. It felt as though the counters went into the next suburb it was so plentiful.
When we go to a city, and I don’t know about the rest of you, but we have grown to love a hop-on-hop-off open-top bus tour. We purchased a two-day ticket so that we could do one route one day and the other the following day. Sat on the top deck. Must get a hat!
It was the first time we saw, up close and personal, the impressive Marina Bay Sands Hotel. It consists of three 55 storey skyscrapers with, what looks like, a ship on the top. During a later open-top bus tour of the city we were informed that the suites sell for thousands per night. I need Wish Dead List to be a best seller. If your budget is a bit more moderate, like ours, you can visit the Sky Park Observation Deck from S$32. It is worth booking in advance if you can though. Although not that old, it is already described as one of the iconic landmarks of the Singaporean skyline. Don’t you think iconic is an over-used word. When I think of places like the Colisseum, the Acropolis, Tower Bridge, Sydney Opera House and Christ the Redeemer, among a few, iconic could not be more apt. I am sure, given time, Marina Bay Sands will become iconic. I suppose the bestowing of such adjectives is in the eye of the beholder.
When we were last here, 34 years ago if I didn’t mention it, we visited the iconic botanical gardens. We went there again and, I have to say, it was no less glorious. The orchid display must be one of the finest in the world. It was fantastically relaxing to get a snack and a bottle of water, sit near one of the many water features in the warm sun and rattle on about the cold and damp weather in the UK. If you are lucky enough to have visited warmer climes in the British winter, I challenge you to deny that you have done this too? I must get a hat.
This time we knew there was a plethora of restaurants to choose from just across the river at Clarke Quay itself. Once again, we chose local food and washed it down with local beer. I must point out, at this juncture, that every eatery, without exception, was playing Christmas music by the bucketful. With sweat drops forming on my brow, it felt incongruous to have “Frosty the Snowman” wafting across the tables. It was a gentle reminder of what we were missing back home. My word, how lucky were we?
On the following morning, I could feel the jets of water from the shower go right through to my brain like someone was pushing needles into my scalp. Sunburn! Must get a hat! Anyway, not too wisely in my view, we went to the top deck of the bus for the second day’s tour. “I need a hat,” I said to Jane.
“When I see one, we’ll buy it,” she said whilst pushing back her thick hair from her eyes. “I need to tie my hair up as it makes my neck sweat.”
Oh! Poor you, I thought but kept it inside my head.
Jane had worked out that if we got off the bus at a certain point it would be a short walk to the port where we could get the cable car across to Sentosa Island. We walked and we walked and we walked. Just when I thought we were done with walking, we walked some more. “Need a hat,” I complained.
“I am keeping my eyes open,” she snapped back.
That’s when I realised we were possibly, no probably, lost. I know the signs so just suck it up and keep quiet.
“Could do with some water,” she said.
Hey presto! There was a shop. We went in, picked some water from the fridge and some chocolate from an open cooler and went to queue. There were hundreds of people in front of us. We had no cash at this time between us. Relief coursed through us when it came to our time to pay. Mouths were as parched as a Spanish riverbed in summer, tongues were hanging out and I was beginning to hallucinate.
“We don’t take Euro cards,” set the shop assistant.
“I beg your pardon?” I retorted as equably as I could muster.
We put the drink and chocolate back in the fridge but not before I, at least, ran the refreshingly moist outside of the bottle across my forehead. Stuff them, I thought.
Next stop was a food court. “Do you have water?” my wife asked.
“Yes. We do but you have to eat.”
“Oh?” replied Jane. “Never mind.”
“We’ll have a portion of fries and two bottles of water,” I said trying not to sound desperate. “Do you sell hats?”
I am sure that if I could have seen her the server would be wearing a puzzled look.
“Thought not,” I said after allowing a bit of time.
The water was a relief and the fries weren’t that bad. Very salty and increased our thirst. We were allowed to buy more water, though.
It was now getting late so we decided to head back to the hotel for a clean-up. I think I might have muttered that I needed a hat once or twice!
I was drying myself off after a wonderfully welcome shower when Jane said, “Christ! I’ve done 522,813 steps today. At least it keeps us fit.”
I didn’t respond as I massaged moisturiser into my scalp.
We went out to eat. On stepping off the bridge on the Clarke Quay side of the river there was a hat shop right in front of us. How the bloody hell did we miss it this morning? I was never going to spend £25 more wisely during the rest of our holiday.
“Would you like a bag, sir?” asked the milliner.
“No thank you. I’ll wear it now.”
It felt really good to put it on although for the first few times I had to push the flaps of peeling skin out of my eyes.
We dined at a Lebanese restaurant serenaded by Christmas music. We were perched right on the riverside and watched boats with rows of tourists ply their trade up-and-down the Singapore River.
Find out more
Paradox Merchant Court Hotel: https://www.paradoxhotels.com
Clarke Quay: https://www.visitsingapore.com
Love the Last March: https://www.lovethelast.com
Gardens by the Bay: https://www.gardensbythebay.com.sg
White Cane Ratings
Paradox Merchant Court: 🦯 🦯 🦯 3
Clarke Quay: 🦯 🦯 🦯 🦯 4
Love the Last March: 🦯 🦯 🦯 🦯 🦯 5*
Gardens by the Bay: 🦯 🦯 🦯 🦯 4
* I realise that this is not, in the strictest sense, an attraction I can mark in the normal way. It did, however, make me use my blind eyes in a different way. I can now see that we are marching inexorably into an extinction catastrophe if we do not stop and pause.