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Post by kerouac2 on Dec 13, 2022 18:51:21 GMT
This is certain to be a sloppy report more or less served in stream-of-consciousness style. No planning went into my trip. I just needed to go somewhere and only got my standby unreserved tickets about 5 days before departure. It is always a long and miserable flight from Europe, 12 hours to get there, 14 hours to return due to the headwinds. I was out of practice. I used to do this sort of thing regularly and don't remember it being such a pain. Then again we have entered a new era since back then. I had to upload my covid vaccination QR code to even obtain the right to fly to Singapore as well as lying on the questionnaire. Had I coughed, sneezed or had a runny nose in the week before travel? Of course not. What happens if you admit anything? Are you taken to an interrogation cell, stripped and examined? I preferred to say, if necessary, that I had absolutely no symptoms of anything until I boarded the plane. In the end, entry to the country was completely automatic. Put your passport in the machine. A barrier opens. Advance to area 2 and stare in the camera so the programme can determine if you match the passport photo. Place your thumb on the scanner for an electronic print. A second barrier opens and you are in the country with no human intervention. Of course this only works for the passports of certain countries. Other people have to queue up like they always did. It was quite early, so I had no reason to go directly to the city yet. I peed for the first time in about 13 hours and then I went to see "Jewel," the new pride and joy of Singapore-Changi. It is actually just a shopping mall (mostly restaurants), but it is situated right next to Terminal 1 and connected to 2 and 3 and pretends to be part of the airport. Yes, it is impressive.
They claim it's the tallest indoor waterfall in the world. Probably true, but I would check with the Emirates and Qatar first.
As for the shops, just about everything seemed to be Japanese or simili-French.
I'm sorry, but the overwhelming Christmas decorations in a place like Singapore get nauseating after awhile.
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Post by kerouac2 on Dec 13, 2022 19:18:14 GMT
Okay, enough of this. I saw my first cleaning robot. I saw many more in other malls in the succeeding days. Some of them wore Santa caps. I went to the MRT station to get to the city. The signs directed me to take the rail shuttle to Terminal 3. I did so. It was a long trip. And then I discovered that Singapore is much less efficient than I had always believed. The ticket machines do not accept foreign cards. When I went to the ticket office, I was informed that they did not sell the tourist pass that I wanted. That was only available from the ticket office in Terminal 2. So I trekked over there. The ticket office there would not take foreign cards either -- cash only! Luckily, I always have some Singapore currency on me whenever I arrive there, so I had enough for the tourist pass. You pay S$30 for 3 days, but you get a $S10 refund when you return their precious card to them. Oh, and I was glad that I was there at a "normal" time, because the ticket office hours were quite limited. No photos of the MRT yet, but there are more than enough later on. I went to the Bencoolen station where my hotel was located. This was my first trip to that station even though I have stayed on that street many times in the past. Last time it was a complete mess because the MRT line was under construction. The MRT allowed me to learn how to say Bencoolen correctly. I have gone there for more than 30 years but never had to say the name out loud, so I thought it was pronounced how it is written. Not at all. The announcement is Bank-uh-lin.
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Post by bixaorellana on Dec 14, 2022 1:35:51 GMT
I know you have covered Singapore before, but this report promises to be more expansive and possible somewhat jaundiced, so I am looking forward to it
The big waterfall reminds me of the waterfall fountain in the Anthropology Museum in Mexico City except much, much bigger.
My abiding impression of Singapore is of a place that is totally tight-assed, so I'm interested to see if I'm proven wrong.
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Post by kerouac2 on Dec 14, 2022 5:49:06 GMT
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Post by bjd on Dec 14, 2022 6:38:46 GMT
I'm sure there is more to Singapore but it does look either plastic or overcrowded -- or maybe both. Anyway, I'm interested to see these photos since it's a place I'll never go.
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Post by bixaorellana on Dec 14, 2022 7:28:31 GMT
I'm interested to see more captions on some of the pictures.
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Post by kerouac2 on Dec 14, 2022 16:43:00 GMT
Since it was my first evening in Singapore I stepped into one of the countless shopping malls, which I generally ignore. Singapore has "only" double the population of Paris but Singapore must have about 300 malls compared to fewer than 20 in Paris. Even if it is purportedly Japanese, note that it is still called "patisserie." Most of the items look "exuberant." This particular mall boasted these restaurants. Some shops just look inappropriate for southeast Asia, I'm sorry.
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Post by kerouac2 on Dec 14, 2022 16:54:27 GMT
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Post by questa on Dec 14, 2022 17:08:59 GMT
If I had known you were coming thus far East I could have met up with you. Hawkers Corner for street food then a quick look in Bugis area...a poor shadow of its raunchier past. South East Asia hotel, Waterloo St now closed in. Everywhere - garish plastic and coloured lights, No...I think I will stay here and tread water and see what floats past. Selamat tinggal, Pulau Singapura.
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Post by mickthecactus on Dec 14, 2022 17:18:04 GMT
I went to Singapore in 1971 on the way home from Australian cricket tour. This was just before it was sanitised and I certainly recall walking back from Bugis Street market at dawn. A very interesting evening...
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Post by kerouac2 on Dec 14, 2022 17:38:20 GMT
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Post by kerouac2 on Dec 14, 2022 19:18:32 GMT
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Post by kerouac2 on Dec 14, 2022 20:53:43 GMT
Early in the day, many underground passages are deserted, but that doesn't keep them from being spotless. Some professions are more important and urgent than others. I didn't visit this supermarket yet, but when I went back I bought some spices here. Okay, and some beer. It is impossible not to be impressed by the MRT stations. Even at rush hour, you never feel crowded. The advantage of a recently built transit system is that it is much bigger than necessary. And totally air conditioned of course.
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Post by kerouac2 on Dec 14, 2022 22:03:27 GMT
My next destination was Chinatown. Chinatown barely existed 30 years ago. My Singaporean friend Gerard took me there (not even my idea) but back then, the only thing to see was an old fashioned multi-level shopping mall (not even air conditioned). The whole area was run down and on the verge of demolition. Not any more. Now there is an MRT station called Chinatown, so that's where I went.
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Post by cheerypeabrain on Dec 14, 2022 22:23:17 GMT
Oooh very interesting Kerouac...another adventure. It looks very clean....
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Post by biddy on Dec 15, 2022 2:42:12 GMT
Great photos K2. I've heard that Singapore is very clean and has very good food options.
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Post by kerouac2 on Dec 15, 2022 4:04:12 GMT
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Post by bjd on Dec 15, 2022 7:42:53 GMT
Your pictures are interesting but it has confirmed my desire to never go there. It all looks too clean, too clinical and too boring.
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Post by kerouac2 on Dec 15, 2022 13:22:08 GMT
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Post by tod2 on Dec 15, 2022 14:16:27 GMT
Loving it! You mentioned right at the start the flight was 12hrs going. What airline did you fly with?
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Post by mossie on Dec 15, 2022 15:10:03 GMT
Thanks for showing us, but it doesn't appeal to me
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Post by mickthecactus on Dec 15, 2022 15:50:25 GMT
When I went there were things like the Tiger Balm Gardens and orchid gardens. Are they still there do you know?
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Post by kerouac2 on Dec 15, 2022 17:23:29 GMT
Loving it! You mentioned right at the start the flight was 12hrs going. What airline did you fly with? I took Air France.
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Post by kerouac2 on Dec 15, 2022 17:37:18 GMT
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Post by kerouac2 on Dec 15, 2022 19:40:54 GMT
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Post by kerouac2 on Dec 16, 2022 3:35:04 GMT
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Post by kerouac2 on Dec 16, 2022 3:43:03 GMT
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Post by bjd on Dec 16, 2022 6:20:27 GMT
Jeez, when you mentioned "gardens", I thought I would see plants.
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Post by mickthecactus on Dec 16, 2022 8:49:21 GMT
There will be real gardens bjd, I’m sure....
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Post by kerouac2 on Dec 16, 2022 16:04:22 GMT
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