Asia redux

@prunus-mei

Asia on repeat. After the amazing Asia dreamin' trip two years ago, the feet are itchy. In early June 2016, there's a date in Singapore for the second reunion of St. John's School alums. Asia redux takes the long way to Singapore with side trips to Taiwan and Vietnam: new places to explore. Temples, cities, countryside, night markets. Old friends and Tiger beer!

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Last photo of the trip - taken by Giselle at the Raffles Hotel. My first and probably only visit.

The supertrees! Crowds gather each evening for the light shows and sit or lie on their backs in the tree grove. A fun evening out!

#supertrees

Went into the Garden Dome as the sky was darkening so enjoyed the flowers by interior lighting ... many many species of lily as well as display gardens from various geographies. Curiously, lots of retro music playing.

#Gardendome

Impressive waterfall from the bottom ... and from the top of the cloud walk. Plantings change as you go higher up, reflecting what happens in true high altitude forests. Beautiful spreads of orchids and many other flora .. it’s a gardener’s dream. Loved the fake Lego flowers mixed in among real pitcher plants. The cloud walk is amazing and full of visitors with selfie sticks. Carved animals and icons are everywhere.

#cloudforestdome

Fun hall of mirrors at the Bayfront MRT. Gardens by the Bay is a beautiful confection built on landfill. The Cloud Forest Dome is one of two giant conservatories - fantastic views from on high especially as the sun was starting to set.

#gardensbythebay

Clarke Quay is dazzling by night but soft pastels by day. Took the harbour boat cruise down the Singapore river to Marina Bay, passing old-style houses. The Marina Bay Sands dominates the skyline even with its embedded trees. The bay is edged by business district monoliths and the “Durian” - the Esplanade theatre complex. Visitors and fans crowd round the Merlion, the most popular gathering place on the waterfront.

#clarkequay

Elegant afternoon at Raffles Hotel, for a delicious silver-service high tea. Mike and I amicably shared the cake stand contents (no fighting) - as well as perfect little sammies there was a huge spread of curry puffs, dim sum, scones, and even bread pudding. The elegant ladies are Hilary, Lynne and Jean; and lovely Dee. Once-in-a-lifetime treat for a mere SG$76.

#RafflesHotelhightea

Here’s me in a state of being very hot.

#GillmanBarracks

Impossible quests in Gillman Barracks: Tony, Dave, Mike and Giselle think these were the start of the steps to Alexandra Secondary Modern. In 2014, Val found the entrance to the hill walk up to Alexandra Grammar, but it is now blocked by a big fat fence. We found the AKC cinema, but Gillman swimming pool and Gillman youth club are long gone. So Jean, Freeda, Val, and the rest of the gang went to Mason’s for ice cream and sang a verse or two of Do Wah Diddy.

#GillmanBarracks AlexandraGrammarSchool AlexandraSecondaryModernSchool

Pix from around Chinatown - Val, Diane and I visited the Chinatown Heritage Centre, which is set up as the building might have been occupied in the 1950s. The audio tour and the re-created cubicles and shopfront tell an eye-opening story. As a youngster who first arrived in Singapore at about that time, I would have had no clue how many people were housed in these buildings or how they lived.

#Chinatown

On the building’s upper floor were multiple cubicles for tenants and their children: rickshaw drivers, a clog maker, a carpenter, samsui women, black-and-white women, a seamstress, and a physician all lived on the second floor and shared one kitchen and outhouse. At night, more cots were put out on the landings.

#ChinatownHeritageCentre

Mr. Cheong the tailor had his shop and home on the main floor - including kitchen and outhouse. Living and sleeping quarters were cubicles: one for himself and family, one for the apprentices. The setting is mid-1950s - about the time my family first arrived in Singapore.

#ChinatownHeritageCentre

From the Singapore Art Museum: the 5 Star Exhibit includes curated and commissioned work celebrating peace, justice, equality, democracy, and progress. Two selections: Bloodlines for Peace by Suzann Victor; Passage III: Project Another Country by Alfredo & Isabel Aquilizan.

#SAM SingaporeArtMuseum

Looking across the Esplanade to the Theatres by the Bay; Victoria Concert Hall and a raintree; the National Gallery; and as always, football and cricket on the Padang.

#Padang

Built in 1877 on the 50th anniversary of Queen Victoria’s reign, the building features 50 stained-glass panels in the cupola roof. Now home to the National Museum of Singapore, just a hop and a skip from my hotel. Enjoyed a tour of the History of Singapore exhibit with a guide who went to McGill University. Fantastic to learn more, especially about Singapore’s brief participation in, and departure from, the federation of Malaysia (1963-1965). Lee Kuan Yew’s speech on August 9, 1965, is still extremely moving.

At a time when immigration is a hot topic especially among the group I’m travelling with, I love the wording here: building a nation “out of a disparate collection of migrant sojourners”.

#NMS