Wednesday 30 March 2016
A Full Day in Singapore

After a restful and smooth night on board the Nautica, we arrive early this morning at Singapore's very modern and very busy cruiseport. From my starboard-side veranda I have closeup views of Sentosa Island, home to a variety of theme parks and family fun places as well as several large resorts.  The visitor can reach Sentosa by walking across a low-lying bridge, riding a monorail across the same bridge, taking a ferry from the cruiseport, or riding in the cable car that stretches from the heights of Mount Faber on Singapore Island to the center of Sentosa--none of which I will do today.  From the port side of the ship, Harbourpoint--a huge office and shopping center (with the largest mall in Singapore)--is only a short jump away.

Although the skies are clear, the heat and humidity are very debilitating.  When I spent four days here in mid-February 2015 it didn't seem quite so awful.  So my original plan to walk the Mount Faber walkway (which gives a sense of the rural side of Singapore), gets saved for the next visit.  Instead, I take the MTR (Singapore Metro) to the city center, about a 15-minute ride from the cruiseport.

My first stop is at Clark's Quay, which runs several blocks along the north side of the Singapore River.  What used to be a series of rundown 19th-century "go-downs" (merchant warehouses and residences) has been restored and is now a trendy location for bars and restaurants.

From Clark's Quay it is a short walk to the National Museum of Singapore, which I missed on my last visit.  I pass several important monuments and government buildings along the way.

Marina Bay Sands Hotel (in the distance)

Elgin Bridge over Singapore River

New Supreme Court Building 

Central Fire Station

Parliament Building 

Fort Canning British Soldier Memorial Wall

Entrance Gate to Fort Canning Park

The museum consists of two buildings: one a traditional colonial structure with spacious exhibit rooms and a dome that filters light coming in; the other a post-modern addition constructed of metal and glass.  The two buildings are successfully joined together by glass walls and walkways and the four levels of the new wing are centered by huge escalators. The prize-winning architectural design of the building is very impressive, and the historical exhibits are arranged with much imagination and insight.  Halfway through my tour of the history of Singapore, I have a light lunch in one of the museum's several cafes.

 

The musuem is located in the arts and cultural center of the city, also home to several theatres and the University of Singapore's School of Arts (the School of Management is right next door).  By early afternoon I am ready for some cooler air, so I take the Metro (like an ice-box) back to Harbourpoint, where I browse the shops in the city's largest mall before rejoining the ship.

 School of the Arts Building

There is so much to do and see in Singapore that a one-day visit can only give a brief sample. And though I have been here twice before, I am anxious to return (when the humidity isn't quite so bad) for another longer visit.  Singapore is the last of the ports that I have previously visited.  From tonight onward, I am exporing new worlds: Phuket (Thailand), Yongan and Bagan (Myanamar), Cochin (India) and Mumbai (India).  From Mumbai, of course, I will be visiting several cities in the northern part of India:  Varanasi, Delhi, Agra, and Jaipur.