Singapore, Singapore
Saturday, June 17, 2006
Hadn't slept too well so didn't get up until 10am and wasn't ready to leave until midday. The first thing I did was to go to Singapore train station so I'd know how to get there for my train to Malaysia on Tuesday. It was pretty easy to find, but looks really different to the MRT stations - old and crumbly. On my way back to the MRT I looked around the area and saw an ornate Hindu temple. I got the MRT to Harbourfront and took a cable car over to Sentosa, an island resort a five minute ride away. My ticket (20SGD) got me a round trip on the cable car, a trip up the Sky Tower and entrance to the Merlion. The Sky Tower was right outside the cable car station so I went there first. A rotating disc carries around 30 passengers up above the trees with a commentary on the island and Singapore. Next I walked to the Merlion along paths bordered by beautiful flowers and greenery. The Merlion is the symbol of Singapore, a fishes body with a lion's head. This one was a massive statue that I went inside of, where Disney-like music played as I walked through rock-like tunnels to a cinema screen which showed a cartoon about the origins of Singapore and the Merlion
. Then up to the 10th floor in the lift to the head and mouth lookouts, with good views across the island and Singapore. Behind the Merlion is a little herb garden; I looked around and bought a cold hibiscus tea drink for 1.50SGD. I wanted to go to the edge of the island to 'The Southernmost Point of Continental Asia', and although I had a map I wasn't quite sure where I was going. I walked along a path and saw a monkey pulling the bag out of a bin and trying to open a Pepsi bottle. Realising I wasn't going to find the Southernmost Point without a little help, when I got to a bus stop I took one of the island's free buses to the beach and walked over to the Point.
I stayed on the cable car to the other end of the loop - Mount Faber - and walked to Faber Point at the top of the little hill. A fairly steep half hour walk took me back down to Harbourfront station and I MRT'd back to Lavender and to the hostel.
Comments
Very Idylic
Hibiscus drinks...spinning discs are a weird concept, loved to have seen that. (;
Photos
Liked the photos. Especially the Merlion and you at southernmost point of continental Asia.
M+D