SINGAPORE STORY – CHINESE NEW YEAR 2011
THE YEAR OF THE RABBIT

Dr Bob with Sandra
February 2011

Introduction

More of Dr Bob's travel writing can be found on this website at: The Dr Bob Collection.

In February 2011, the exchange rate was about 2 Singapore Dollars to the UK Pound.

After several delays and postponements it was finally time to leave our Spanish cottage on our mountain outside Las Norias, Almeria, Spain, travelling first to Alicante and then by Monarch to Manchester. Family were waiting and we were soon in 'sunny Blackburn' to visit Sandra's family for 2 weeks prior to departure to Perth, with a stopover in Singapore.

The time flew by and early on the morning of Friday 28 January we taxied into Blackburn for the National Express coach to Manchester Airport. Manchester to Heathrow on BA and then hours kicking our heels at Heathrow (probably our least favourite airport). Ticket Price £1,250 per person: a huge increase from 2006 (our first trip to Oz) when we paid £1,300 for the 2 seats (but with the option to visit 5 cities in as many countries), and 2007 when the 2 adults fares were £1,500 in total.

The Qantas flight to Singapore left 10 minutes late at 10.10 and we were finally off on our third one-year trip to Australia.
What a difference when flying intercontinental today! You are able to access the in-flight movies as soon as you have made yourself comfortable, with your own personal screen set in the seat in front of you. The powers-that-be seem to have finally realised that having something to watch during take-off and landing (the most dangerous times) does occupy people's minds.

Wherever possible we fly Qantas, as we find the food better than good and the service excellent. The 747 was full but that was to be expected, given the destination.

We arrived at Changi Airport at 14.00 hrs local time, after a flight of 12 hours 30 minutes and a flight distance of 12,000 km. Your in-flight VDU gives you all this information.

We just love airports on the Pacific Rim - their cleanliness, spaciousness and the staff, most of whom are unfailingly friendly and helpful. None of the squalor you see at Heathrow. In addition you have free Internet stations everywhere, although the airport itself is a Wi-Fi hotspot so you can log on if you are carrying your laptop. Passport and luggage controls were uneventful and we were soon in a taxi on our way to The New Happy Hotel in Geylang: a 35 minute journey for S$24.

Must say we were disappointed with the hotel and certainly would neither recommend it nor stay there again. In 2006 our friends and mentors MagBaz recommended Hotel 81 Group and we ended up staying in the 81 Palace, Geylang. That was far, far, superior, but by the time we managed to sort out flight details, all the Hotel 81's were fully booked. At Hotel 81 we had a larger room with en-suite, wardrobe and A/C. Every day we would be provided with bottled water, soap, shampoo, toothbrushes, pot noodles, Milo (chocolate/malt drink), tea, milk and coffee sachets. The room was also equipped with a jug-kettle and a hair-dryer. None of this at the New Happy Hotel! They advertise that they have hair-dryers and free Wi-Fi: both of them spurious claims, as it turned out, since the Wi-Fi was non-operational for the entirety of our stay. Luckily Sandra travels with a hair-dryer. The room was cramped and badly in need of re-decoration and, facing the street, was noisy way into the wee small hours. There was no wardrobe, which meant that our floor space was occupied by our luggage for the full 2 weeks and in consequence we lived out of our suitcases. OK for an overnight or two but not for 15 days!

To offset these negatives, the staff were friendly and requests for new towels, sheets etc were filled within minutes. The room phone would only connect to the front desk and other rooms, but the staff were happy to make and confirm bookings for us at the front desk. Hotel 81 rooms had a local phone line. Both hotels have the same room charges; S$50 per night and S$60 on weekends and public holidays.

Even our taxi driver offered alternative accommodation at a similar price, laying out the evils of Geylang; but then you come to expect this. Geylang is Singapore's Red Light District, although there appeared to be far less activity as compared with 2006. Still, as a couple we were neither bothered nor approached; indeed we saw very little indication of sex-trade workers. Having said that, all the local hotels offer one-hour rates, so there must be passing trade!!

Malay culture has held sway in and around the adjoining suburbs of Geylang and Katong since the mid-19th century, when Malays and Indonesians first arrived to work in the local 'copra' (coconut husk) processing factory and later on its 'serai' (lemon grass) farms. Many of its shop-houses, restaurants and food centres are Malay influenced (less so the trade in prostitution). Geylang Road itself runs east from the Kalang River; off the road are 42 Lorongs, or lanes, down which clusters of brothels may be recognised by the discerning. They used to be decked out with fairy lights, but we saw no such buildings in Lorong 10, 12 and 14, which we traversed daily, nor in those others in whose restaurants we ate. Geylang is a truly multi-national and multi-cultural area with wall-to-wall restaurants to match. During the first 3 days of heavy intermittent squally showers we identified several restaurants, (Chinese, Indian, Malay, etc) where we dined repeatedly during our 15 day stay - and Yes, it's quite normal to have curry for breakfast or as a side dish when you order fruit and ice cream prata as dessert!

Author's Note

We had decided to visit Singapore on the way to Australia specifically to participate in Chinese New Year. This Festival lasts a full 4 weeks but we could only afford a 2-week stopover and so we decided on the last 2 weeks, so that we could enjoy the Chingay Parade which marks its conclusion. On our last visit to Singapore in 2006 we had stayed only 5 days - a huge mistake and one that only allowed us to visit Fort Siloso on Sentosa Island, Chinatown, Little India, the Orchid Gardens and Singapore Zoo and Night Zoo. Although some we revisited on this occasion or, as with Little India and Chinatown, passed through, we have restricted ourselves to detailed commentary on other districts and attractions. Quite frankly both Chinatown and Little India are nothing other than tourist traps, as is much of the centre of the city itself. Singapore is noted for tax-free 365 days/year shopping, but if there was ever a pointless existence that's it!!

Chinese New Year at the Marina

Singapore's Chinese community springs spectacularly to life to welcome in the new lunar year. The festival's origins lie in a Chinese legend telling of a horned monster that was awoken by the onset of Spring, terrorizing nearby villages until they discovered it could be held at bay by noise, lights and the colour red. Essentially, Chinese New Year is a family affair - old debts are settled, friends and relatives visited, mandarin oranges exchanged, red envelopes ('hong boa') containing money given to children, and red scrolls and papers bearing the character 'fu' pasted to front doors as a sign of good fortune. Even so, there's still plenty to see in Chinatown, whose streets are ablaze with lanterns and fairy lights.

Chinese Opera and Lion- and Dragon-Dance troupes perform in the streets, while ad hoc markets selling sausages and waxed ducks, pussy willow, chrysanthemums, lanterns and mandarin oranges spring up everywhere. Particularly splendid is the flower market. On and along the Singapore River, the Hong Bao Special takes place, an extravaganza of floats, fireworks, music, dance and stalls that lasts for the first 2 weeks of the month-long festivities.

After 3 days of squally rain the skies finally cleared, leaving only an escalating humidity. This first rain-free evening was to feature the opening Festivities of Chinese New Year, but at the Marina and not in Chinatown itself. So it was the MRT (public transport system) to Marina Bay and then a lengthy subterranean walk through shopping precincts and underground car parks to Marina Bay and the Esplanade-Theatres on the Bay.

Rarely has a building caused such ripples as the $600 million Esplanade-Theatres on the Bay project, which occupies 6 hectares of waterfront land to the east of the Padang. Esplanade boasts a concert hall, theatre, recital studio, theatre studio, gallery space and outdoor theatre. Esplanade Mall threads round these various auditoria, offering shopping, eating and drinking and making the complex as much a social hub as a cultural landmark. From the waterfront restaurants and bars on the south side of the complex, there are unbeatable views across the bay. On the third floor is Library@esplanade, a performing arts library with a wide range of arts-related resources.

Opinion is split over whether the two huge spiked shells that roof the complex are peerless modernistic architecture or plain indulgent Kitsch. They have variously been compared to hedgehogs, kitchen sieves, golf balls, huge microphones, even mating aardvarks; locals have taken to calling them 'the durians' after the spiky and pungent fruit, though they perhaps are best described as resembling two giant insect's eyes.

The idea for an integrated national arts centre was first mooted in the 1970s. The project's radical architecture was unveiled to the Singaporean public in 1994 and work began officially in 1996. The gala opening night, in October 2002, saw thousands of Singaporeans turn out for a spectacular firework display. In giving this ambitious project a green light, the government had upped the ante in its attempts to nurture a unified Singaporean culture. Interestingly this was the theme of the Chingay Parade on Saturday 12 February, which was to mark the end of Chinese New Year 2011.

Monthly schedules are well publicised throughout Singapore and include a cornucopia of offerings: jazz, visiting solo artists and groups, Asian dance, pipe-organ recitals, classical ballet, musicals such as 'Singing in the Rain' and contemporary drama. The offerings were just legion and would beguile even the most jaded palate.

Our passage through the Theatres' concourse was delayed at the box-office where we collected our tickets for the Chingay Parade at the end of the following week. The tickets had, unbeknown to us, gone on sale in the October and we had been lucky to purchase on-line two of the few remaining adjacent seats, albeit on The Esplanade side of the route and at the start of the Parade itself.

Another fortuitous event was our striking up a conversation with a delightful young man who, we were to find, was the lead singer in one of the groups that entertain the crowd before and after the opening ceremony. He kept waving to us, which certainly enhanced our stature with the surrounding audience.

Thousands of free seats were available, although there was a roped off area of some hundreds of seats for VIPs. This New Year ushers in the 'Year of the Rabbit' and so the concert area in front of the free seating was ringed by primary school children all dressed as rabbits and waving carrot-shaped torches. We noticed them flagging visibly after about 15 minutes, as they and the assembled throng waited for the arrival of the Minister - don't ask me of what -  who was to open the Official Launch. In the interim we were also entertained by the Singapore National Orchestra playing a medley of works by European composers.

Finally the Minister arrived and pressed the button which ignited the fireworks on the pontoon floating in the Bay itself. The night sky came alive with a multi-level display which, whilst impressive, was also of extremely short duration. There would have been booing at any major Spanish fiesta and, after all, the Chinese did invent fireworks! Still it was impressive, as was the CBD backdrop to the display. Leaving the Orchestra to play on, Sandra and I made our way pack to the Concourse and a rather more intimate American duet - he on piano and she on vocal. A memorable half hour before retracing our footsteps through the labyrinth to the MRT, Geylang and an excellent Indian meal in the street next to our Hotel.

Jurong Bird Park (www.birdpark.com.sg)

Geylang MRT to Boon Lay and then the 194 Bus, which both takes and returns you to the MRT.

The Jurong Bird Park on Jalan Ahmad Ibrahim contains 9,000 birds from over 600 species, ranging from Antarctic Penguins to New Zealand Kiwis, making it one of the world's largest bird collections and the biggest in Southeast Asia. A ride on the panorail is a good way to get your bearings, although somewhat disappointingly you only get one full circuit (3 stops) with you entrance ticket (S$26 pp) and then have to pay for any additional ride/s.

A truly inspiring wildlife extravaganza, where you are free to wander the many distinct areas and their occupants and/or to attend the various 'Bird Spectaculars!' Believe me, you will require the entire day if you intend to walk the enclosures and see all the performances:

Early Bird Breakfast Show - purchase any breakfast item to enjoy the show at Hawk Cafe

Fuji World of Hawks (Birds of Prey Show) on Fuji Hawk Walk

Bee-Eater and Starling Feeding at the African Waterfall Aviary (the world's largest walk-in aviary with more than 1,500 free-flying birds from over 60 species - and the tallest man-made waterfall in the world)

Penguin Feeding at Penguin Coast

Birds and Buddies Show at Pools Amphitheatre

Hornbill Chitchat - Hornbills and Tucan Exhibit

Thunderstorm Experience at SE Asian Bird Aviary

Children's Parrot Show at Pools Amphitheatre

Flamingo Encounter at Flamingo Pool

Ostrich Feeding - Dinosaur  Descendants

Pelican Chitchat at Pelican Cove

These demonstrations run morning and afternoon, with the exception of the Early Bird Breakfast show!

There are several in-house restaurants, snack and drinks bars which were all scrupulously clean, if horrendously overpriced. We had Bongo Burgers and Slushies with Ice Cream - so large we needed 'time-out' before we could return to our wanderings. The entire Bird Park was immaculate and the staff uniformly helpful and smiling. The only negative, yet again, was the weather and the late afternoon Kings of the Skies (Birds of Prey) had to be cancelled due to a torrential downpour.

Still, as a recompense, the keepers brought the raptors to a covered public area to answer questions related to their charges and to allow photographs.

Back to the Hotel and a rest before Chinese New Year in Chinatown!

Chinese New Year in Chinatown

WHAT A DISAPPOINTMENT - AND WHAT A RELIEF THAT THIS WAS NOT THE PROPOSED HIGHLIGHT OF OUR VISIT TO SINGAPORE!!

Late evening and the MRT to Chinatown (Chinatown MRT station). The weather was still iffy and before too long it started to rain. The crowds were horrendous and we trudged along various streets trying to find the focus of the evening's celebrations. Basically there wasn't one and so we spent 2 extremely unpleasant hours sheltering in shop doorways until midnight. The fireworks can only be described as 'damp squibs', more smoke than substance (and not metaphorically). After 10 minutes it was all over and we rejoined the mass of humanity shuffling slowly back to the nearest MRT station. Oh how we wished we had 'celebrated' at Marina Bay but then it wouldn't have been Chinese New Year in Chinatown.

Still, once back in Geylang we had another excellent meal before drying out in our hotel room.

Breakfast with the Orang Utans at Singapore Zoo

This was to be one of our personal highlights. Another email booking, £54.96 which entitled 2 adults to Breakfast with the Orang Utans, entrance to Singapore Zoo and unlimited travel on the Zoo buses.

In that we had not slept until 2 am, it was only 5 hours before we were up and waiting for our shuttle bus pick-up from the hotel. On to The Singapore Flyer (Singapore Eye), where our tickets were processed and punters from numerous hotels boarded the coach to take them to Singapore Zoo. There was an on-board guide who droned on monotonously, attempting to instil some excitement into a largely elderly group of individuals.

Arriving at the Zoo/Wildlife Park, which we had visited last time we were in Singapore, our guide procured the tickets and escorted us to the Elephant Feeding. No huge surprises there! Back to the Restaurant where an immense breakfast was available. It really was VFM (value for money) and you were able to eat until 10.30 with no rush to finish. The restaurant is adjacent to the lush tropical enclosure that houses the Orang Utans, separated by a deep moat.

We watched as apparently dead palm stumps pivoted in a dance, aligning until there was a walkway from the forest into the restaurant. First down was a mother and baby followed by 2 immature males; the trees then returned to their original position. Unfortunately, as at Sepilok, you are no longer able to hand feed or touch the animals, you merely admire at close quarters and then stand adjacent so that photos can be taken. The Keepers are more than happy to take photographs on your behalf using your camera so Singles are not disadvantaged. Ample time is given for everyone to participate; there is no great pressure from the staff who are feeding titbits to the primates. With the cessation of the feeding and with the palms again forming the walkway, the Orangs exit stage left - literally. As well as the Orang Utans there are Capuchins to photograph and Royal Pythons to be handled and photographed. All in all an enjoyable time and everyone seemed delighted by the repast and the experience.

As mentioned previously, we visited Singapore Zoo and The Night Zoo in 2006 but, having finished the Breakfast Extravaganza, we had two and a half hours until our coach returned us to our hotel. Singapore Zoo advertises itself as a Total Ecological Adventure with over 3,000 animals inhabiting lush tropical rainforest. Boasting over 40 animal feeding sessions, photo-opportunities, shows and rides, the 'fun never ends at the Singapore Zoo.' On this, our second trip, we were just amazed at how small in area the zoo actually is, especially as the discrete animal enclosures are open areas and not cages.

For further details of the Zoo please access www.zoo.com.sg

Just a final word: in 2006 we found the Night Zoo a novel experience, only slightly spoiled by fellow passengers on the Tram Rides talking instead of listening to the recorded commentary. It never ceases to amaze me how thoughtless and rude paying customers can be, totally indifferent to fellow travellers. Still, on that occasion at least, a skilfully worded expletive not only shut up the extended family concerned but drew a round of applause from those on the tram of like mind to ourselves. Never tolerate ignorance or bad manners. We share this planet equally - although some may think themselves more equal than others!!

Fort Canning Park and the Battle Box

Archaeological excavations prove the vitality of Fort Canning hill's history as far back as the 14th century, when it was the seat of the Malay Kingdom, Temasek. According to the Malay Annals, the site was chosen for settlement by Sri Tri Buana, ruler of Temasek, as the one reputed to have seen the fabled lion for which he named the island 'Singapura' (Lion City). Beleaguered by attacks from the Siamese and Majapahit, the last known ruler of Temasek, Iskandar Syah, fled from the settlement. Except for minimal portside activity, little was known of the island until the arrival of Sir Stamford Raffles in 1819.

The Malay locals who received Raffles pointed him to the hill they called Bukit Larangan, which means in Malay 'Forbidden Hill'. They were fearful of climbing the hill as they thought the palace of their ancestor kings had once stood there. Raffles had part of the hill cleared of jungle, revealing the ruins of ancient brick buildings which gave support to the legend.
Because of the beautiful view the hill commanded, Raffles chose to build his bungalow and to establish the first botanical garden here in 1822. Until the mid-19th century, Singapore's governors were resident here; thus the epithet 'Government Hill'.

Around 1860, the colonial government turned the hill into a fort bearing the name of Viscount Charles John Canning, Governor-General and the first Viceroy of India. From that time until the 1970's, Fort Canning was used as a military base - first by the British, then by the Japanese during the Second World War, and lastly by the Republic's armed forces.
Once the Forbidden Hill of ancient Malay Royalty and later the Far East Command Centre of the British, today's Fort Canning Park beckons visitors to a tranquil green oasis. Capitalising on the rich historical assets of the old citadel, the National Parks Board has revitalised Fort Canning into a unique city park with many popular art performances, events and concerts to serve the populace of Singapore.

Fort Canning Park has become a green refuge from the city's hustle and bustle, a verdant oasis set in the heart of the Civic and Cultural District. Within easy reach of the city-dweller and tourist, the park provides a haven for those seeking communion with nature.

Majestic trees, some gnarled with age, spread their branches to cast deep pools of shade over sprawling green spaces. Like guardians of this one-time citadel, the magnificent fig tree (Ficus Variegata and other species), Saga (Adenanthera Pavonina), Silk-cotton Tree (Ceiba Pentandra) and Yellow Flame (Peltophorum Pterocarpum) stand watch. The Bird's Nest Fern (Asplenium Nidus) and other epiphytic denizens reside on the broad branches of the Rain Tree (Samanea Saman), protected by its shady crown.

Lilting bird song greets the visitor upon entering the vicinity. The trills of the Black-naped Oriole may be heard over the hum of Cicadas. Collared Kingfishers, Coppersmith Barbets and Yellow-vented Bulbuls lend flashes of colour as they flit from tree to tree. The park is not only a gathering place for birds but also a home and hunting ground to populations of squirrels, bats and lizards. For those prepared to wait to enjoy the peace and tranquillity of the park, there is a lot to discover.

The Park Walk

The Keramat Iskandar Syah - Meaning a sacred place in Malay, a Keramat is the burial place of a revered leader. A 14th century-style Malay roof called a Pendopo, supported by 20 wooden pillars carved in a fighting cock motif of Javanese origin, shelters this structure.

Archaeological Excavation Site - Begun in 1984, the numerous artefacts discovered are now housed in an actual archaeological excavation site, the only such exhibition in modern Singapore.

The Parit Singapura - The fabled Moat of Singapore, although whether the current moat is related to this is uncertain.

The Singapore River - The western part of Fort Canning Hill offers some relaxing views of the Singapore River, the trading hub of Old Singapore.

The Reservoir - The site of a natural spring: a place reserved as the bathing place of 14th century Malay Royalty. The reservoir itself was constructed in 1926.

Fort Canning Centre and Green – Built in 1926 as a British Army Barracks, then  converted to squash courts and offices in the 1970's. Today it has been restored to provide a Visitors' Centre, various function rooms and theatre facilities.

Fort Gate - A remnant of the fortress that once occupied Fort Canning Hill from 1861-1926.

The Legends - Built by the British in the 1920's, this grand edifice was HQ for the Far East Command and the office of Lt-General Percival. In 1966 the Singapore Armed Forces converted the building into its premier training institution, known as the Singapore Command and Staff College. Today it has been renovated into a town club.

Asian Sculpture Garden

The Cupolas

Spice Garden

No 21 Lewin Terrace – An Old Colonial black and white house built in 1908. Now a restaurant.

Raffles Terrace – Sir Stamford Raffles chose to build his bungalow here in 1823 during his third and last visit to Singapore.

The Battle Box

This was really the reason why we had visited Fort Canning Park, although we arrived just before the last guided tour in late morning and then had to wait until the first afternoon tour at 1.15 pm. You can also wander around individually but would miss all the information on the tour. S$8/adult, S$5/Snr, which includes the guided tour and headphones.

On the north-west flank of Fort Canning Hill lies the Battle Box, the underground operations complex from which the Allied war effort in Singapore was masterminded (or not). The complex uses audio and video effects and animatronics to bring to life the events leading up to the decision by British Officers to surrender Singapore to Japanese occupation, on 15 February 1942. Authentic, if a little clunky, it provides an engaging enough context to Singapore's darkest hour.

Conceived as a gas- and bomb-proof operations chamber, the Battle Box was completed in October 1939, after which it became a part of the Malaya Command World War II HQ. So well protected was it against gas attack, that its residents were forced to hack the tops off internal doors in order to increase circulation and combat the stifling heat. Following faithful restoration of its 26 rooms, the complex now conveys a palpable sense of the claustrophobia and tension suffered by the British as the Japanese bore down on Singapore.

The experience gets off to a low-key start, with a history lesson on a small TV set whose muddy sound is barely audible over the buzzing AC unit. Thankfully, things look up once you proceed to the chambers themselves. First stop is the switchboard and exchange room, where an animatronic signalman is hard at work patching through messages from bases at Changi, Pulau Bukum and Pulau Blakang Mati (modern day Sentosa). Next door in the cipher rooms, the air crackles with the rat-tat-tat of Morse sets and the furious tapping of typewriters, cipher machines and coding machines. Meanwhile, soldiers shift Jap fighter planes around a huge map of Malaya in the Operations Room, like croupiers raking up chips in a casino.

The Battle Box reaches a theatrical climax in the conference room, where more life-sized figures act out the debate that convinced Lt-General Percival that surrender was the only option open to him.

Following this, your guide disappears and you are free to wander the rest of the rooms at leisure and indeed to revisit those rooms already visited, but without your headphones.

The Japanese initially occupied and used The Battle Box but then abandoned it as being too claustrophobic for their tastes. Japanese characters and low furniture still remain visible. The site was then abandoned, first by them and then by the Allied Forces following the Japanese surrender. Slowly the hill was reclaimed by rain forest and it was some 20 years before the site was rediscovered and re-opened, to be found partly flooded. Gratefully its historical importance was recognised and hence its position today as one of Singapore's 'Must-Sees'.

Raffles Place

From Fort Canning Park it was just a short walk back to the MRT station and an equally short ride to Raffles Place MRT station. The purpose of this side trip was simply to take skyline shots of Raffles Place, the most striking way to experience the giddy heights of the Central Business District. Exiting the station to surface level, one looks up to gleaming towers, blue skies and racing clouds. To your left is the soaring metallic triangle of the OUB Centre, and to its right the rocket-shaped UOB Plaza 2; in front of you are the rich brown walls of the Standard Chartered Bank; and to your right rise sturdy Singapore Land Tower and the almost Art Deco Caltex House.

Changi Prison Museum and Chapel

Infamous Changi Prison was the site of a WW II POW Camp in which Japanese jailers subjected Allied prisoners to the harshest of treatments. The prison itself is still in use (drug offenders are periodically executed here) and its terrible past is marked in the hugely moving Changi Museum, just up the road. Bus No 2 actually stops opposite the Museum itself and it is this (and not the prison) that you ask for.

A recent appeal for artefacts by the Singapore Tourist Board to Australian veterans' associations mustered a samurai sword, a prisoner's chipped enamel mug, ration cards, a Nippon-Go primer and other assorted relics. In truth, though, the Museum's power lies more in the many cruelties it portrays than in the miscellanies it has amassed. Sketches, photographs and information boards plot the Japanese occupation of Singapore and the fate of the soldiers and civilians subsequently incarcerated in camps around the Changi area. Most movingly of all, though, is the board of remembrance, where children, wives and compatriots have pinned messages to the dead.

Novelist James Clavell was a young British artillery officer in Singapore at the time of the Japanese invasion; later he drew on his own experience of the “obscene forbidding prison” at Changi in writing King Rat, never forgetting that in the cells of the prison camp “the stench was nauseating. Stench from rotting bodies. Stench from a generation of confined human bodies.”

You can get the merest sense of what Clavell means by entering the Changi Cell, a dark stuffy alleyway that approximates the cramped confinement suffered by POWs and in which the voices of former POWs recall enduring the “howling, crying, shouting” of fellow inmates being tortured in the middle of the night.

Clavell's recollections are borne out by the selection of photos by George Aspinall, in a cabinet at the entrance to the Museum. Aspinall, then a young Australian trooper, recorded the appalling living conditions and illness suffered by POWs in Malaya and Thailand during the occupation, using a folding Kodak 2 camera and later developing his shots with a stock of processing materials which he found while working on a labour gang in Singapore's Docks.

The Museum's gallery section showcases the work of various prison artists, among them W R M Haxworth, who produced over 400 paintings and sketches during his internment. Haxworth's tongue-in-cheek sketches of daily Changi life reveal the dry sense of humour and stiff upper lips that sustained internees in the face of adversity. Elsewhere there are full-scale reproductions of the murals of Stanley Warren, who used camouflage paint, crushed snooker chalk and aircraft paint smuggled in by fellow POWs to paint Bible scenes on Changi chapel walls. There is a huge write up and documentary regarding the Changi murals, their discovery and the tracing of the painter, and then Warren himself. Before his death, then in ill-health, he even returned to Changi to undertake repair and repainting of the murals.

Outside in a courtyard is a replica of a simple wooden chapel, typical of those erected in Singapore's wartime camps; the brass cross on its altar was crafted from spent ammunition casings, while its walls carry more poignant messages of remembrance penned by visiting former POWs and relatives.  There is an Offertory Box, where one can leave donations and purchase candles, and cards on which to write a simple message to join those tacked to the boards. The candles when lit are placed in simple open box containing sand which originates from the beach at Changi Village, the site of many thousands of executions of POWs and civilians alike. The chapel is still used today, on Anzac and Remembrance Day respectively.

During our visit we were saddened to see the tour buses arrive, disgorge their punters for half an hour, and then sweep them off to the next 'Must-See'. The Changi Museum deserves far more than this; we spent a full 3 hours and felt we should have stayed longer. There is no entry charge, although a headset for commentary costs S$8 pp or S$13 with one unit and 2 headphones. You will miss so much without the commentary.

Subjects covered

Introduction

Two Malarias with a Cholera (painting)

Invasion

Unprepared Surrender

Living Under a Japanese Flag

Living in Fear

Rumours, News and Letters

Darkest Days

The Changi Cell

The Changi Quilts (see http://www.quiltersmuse.com/changi_quilts.htm)

The Changi Murals

The Painting of the Murals

The Art of War

Changi Industries Incorporated

Surrender

Heroes of Our Soil

Angels of Mercy

The Corporal and His Pal

Singapore's Schindler

Comfort Women

Keeping the Spirit up

The Changi Chapel

The Changi Cross

Farewell

Photographs are not allowed in the Museum but Changi has its own website (http://www.changimuseum.com/)  and photos and information can be downloaded from there.

Changi Village and Beach

Back on the No 2 Bus for a very short ride to its terminus at Changi Village. It's a sleepy, clean and interesting area with an excellent Food Court/Hawker Centre, where we later ate a superlative meal. We were also fortunate enough to catch a large troupe of Lion Dancers performing in a nearby shopping centre; we rather formed the impression that they were paid for by the local Chinese businesses to bring luck to their establishments by driving out evil spirits - just an observation.

From Changi Village you can catch a boat from Changi Point for Pulau Ubin, an island just offshore, or for the coast of Johor in Malaysia. The left hand jetty is for Ubin, the right-hand one for bumboats to Johor.

A stroll over a footbridge to the right of the 2 jetties takes you to Changi Beach which, at the time of our visit, was anything but quiet with campers, fishermen and swimmers. This beach was the execution site of many thousands of Singaporean civilians by Japanese soldiers during WW II. As a beach it wins few prizes but one can rest under the palms and watch the busy harbour or the constant to-ing and fro-ing of humanity. It certainly proved more than worth the time to visit (and we intended to return, but time ran out on us).

Kranji War Cemetery and Memorial

An MRT ride to Kranji Station, a map from Customer Services, then a 10-minute walk and you are there.

The Cemetery is a resting place of the many Allied troops who died in the defence of Singapore. As you enter, row upon row of graves slope up the landscaped hill in front of you, some identified only as 'Known unto God'. Of the identified grave-stones, some had messages from families carved into them as well as their name, date of birth, age at death, Forces information and Service Motto. The graves are bare: flowers are banned, as still water encourages mosquitoes to breed. In front of one of the grave-stones had been laid a single orchid. A simple stone cross stands over the cemetery and above is the memorial, around which are recorded all the names of more than 20,000 soldiers (from Britain, Canada, Australia, Sri Lanka, India, Malaysia, The Netherlands, New Zealand and Singapore) who died in this region in WW II. On the monument itself is carved:

1939-1945

ON THE WALLS OF THIS MEMORIAL ARE RECORDED THE NAMES OF TWENTY- FOUR THOUSAND SOLDIERS AND AIRMEN OF MANY RACES UNITED IN SERVICE TO THE BRITISH CROWN WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN MALAYA AND NEIGHBOURING LANDS AND SEAS AND IN THE AIR OVER SOUTHERN AND EASTERN ASIA AND THE PACIFIC BUT TO WHOM THE FORTUNE OF WAR DENIED THE CUSTOMARY RITES ACCORDED TO THEIR COMRADES IN DEATH.
THEY DIED FOR ALL FREE MEN

Two unassuming tombs stand on the wide lawns below the cemetery, belonging to Yusof Bin Ishak and Dr Benjamin Henry Sheares, independent Singapore's first 2 Presidents.

There are a number of vaults at the Cemetery containing Books of Remembrance and many people have penned emotional yet proud and grateful memories to those fallen.

Now, only the sounds of birds and insects disturbs the silence of the immaculately kept grounds.

Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve

On to Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, a 15-minute (S$6) taxi ride from the MRT Station.

This is the island's only protected wetland Nature Park. Beyond its visitor centre, cafe and video theatre, walking routes thread through an expanse of mangrove, mud flats, orchards and grassland, home to kingfishers, herons, sandpipers, kites and sea eagles and, in the waters, mud skippers, needle fish and archer fish. The Reserve's 500-metre-long mangrove boardwalk offers an easy means of getting a sense of the shoreline environment. Everywhere is the sound of cicadas and birdsong. Walks ranging from 3-7 km into the Reserve are available and clearly signed. All are on the level. Visiting as we did between September and March, one is able to spot migratory birds roosting and feeding.

The richness of the mangroves was once harvested by prawn and fish farmers at Sungei Buloh. Since January 2002, Sungei Buloh has been protected as a Nature Reserve in recognition of the valuable biodiversity that it harbours. It is a member of the East Asian-Australasian Flyway Partnership and Singapore's first ASEAN Heritage Park.

Commencing in the Visitor' Centre, our tickets were S$1 for Sandra and S$0.50 for myself as a senior. There are a number of exhibits and also a small restaurant/refreshment bar where we had a less than impressive meal. There are cold water drinking fountains and so one is able to recharge drinking flasks without purchasing pricey cold drinks.

Across the river bridge and into the Reserve proper, we noted the number of cameramen present all waiting, apparently, for sighting of an alligator. There was a super-abundance of Malayan Water Monitors but that was it.

The Reserve consists of a number of walks and over the next 3 hours we managed all of them. The walks overlap to a greater or lesser extent and a map is available with your ticket which shows the walks, the hides and the toilet facilities. No drinking water is available on the walks.

The Mangrove Boardwalk - approx 500 m. A 30-minute walk.

Route 1 - approx 3 km. Mangrove habitat.

Route 2 - approx 5 km. The longest walk, which takes you through the Mangrove Arboretum.

Route 3 - approx 7km. More of a freshwater habitat.

A fascinating experience, although the walk back to the bus stop was less than awesome. The bus only runs to the Reserve on weekends and no taxi was available at the Reserve or on the road walk back to the bus stop.

Harbour Cruise on the Imperial Cheng Ho

We had spotted this cruise advertised at the Singapore Flyer while we waited for the bus to take us to the Zoo and 'Breakfast with the Orang Utans'.

More than 600 years ago, the renowned Chinese Admiral Cheng Ho (Zheng He) embarked on a mission to discover new lands and peoples. Between the period 1405-1433, as commander of the Chinese Imperial Fleet numbering more than 300 ships and 27,000 men, he sailed across the oceans and seas, spreading China's influence to South-east Asia, India, the Middle East and Africa. Some accounts say that he even reached America, several years before Columbus!

The modern day Junk, the Imperial Cheng Ho, was designed and built to emulate the Imperial splendour of centuries ago. The vessel is modelled after the famous ship Da Fu (No 4) of the Ming Dynasty, when Chinese naval power was supreme.

The contemporary junk has a pagoda roof, ornately carved Imperial dragons, and tiger's head at the bow. The 43 m long steel-hulled vessel takes 200 passengers comfortably, although on our cruise there were less than 20 which meant there was no rush for the free beverages and biscuits which are served mid-morning. We opted for the two and a half hours 'Morning Glory Cruise', although also available are the afternoon 'High Tea/Dragon Cruise' or the 'Imperial Dinner Cruise' - an International Buffet on an evening cruise garnished by the firework display at 'Songs of the Sea' on Sentosa Island.

The cruise begins from Marina South Pier, which is also known as The New Clifford Pier. The cruise takes in the entirety of Singapore Bay, affording sight of numerous vessels of all sizes, The Singapore Flyer, Sentosa Cove, Tan Jong Pagar Container Port (the busiest in the world by shipping tonnage), and the coastline of Singapore's pleasure isle, Sentosa. Highlights of the trip include:

1. Singapore Flyer (like the London Eye) from the sea. This giant Ferris Wheel reaches 42 storeys high. 22 air-conditioned capsules, each seating 30 passengers, are attached externally to the spokes of the wheel.

2. Half-hour stopover at Kusu Island.

3. The massive petrochemical complexes constructed on Bukom and Jurong Islands.

4. Further south, across the Phillip Channel, you can see the Riau Islands of Batam and Bintan in Indonesia. Phillip Channel is an international passageway where all shipping between the Indian and Pacific Oceans passes.

5. Kusu Island (also known as Turtle Island) has an ancient Chinese Temple, a terrapin sanctuary and a Malay shrine. During the ninth lunar month this island is swamped by pilgrims visiting the temple. At the time of our stopover we were the only visitors. The island's lawns and environs are immaculate and there is a cafe for refreshments.

The trip cost S$27 pp and we felt it was VFM. A gloriously sunny day with a flat calm sea within the anchorage.

Sentosa Island (www.sentosa.com.sg)

The most developed of Singapore's southern islands, it is ironic that its name means 'tranquility' in Malay. Sentosa has come a long way since WW II, when it was a British Military Base known as Pulau Blakang Mati, or the 'Island of Death Behind'. Today it's a contrived and potentially enjoyable experience.

Access is by bus from the nearest MRT station, cable-car from Harbour Front, or the Sentosa Express monorail again from Harbour front. Ticketing includes entrance to the island. We travelled by monorail which was S$3 pp return fare.

Although we had spent a full day at Sentosa Island in 2006, our interest then was focused solely on Fort Siloso. This time we determined to explore and enjoy the other attractions on offer, although it has to be said that we enjoyed Fort Siloso far more than all the other attractions lumped together!

Fort Siloso - actually a cluster of buildings and gun emplacements above a series of tunnels bored into the island - guarded Singapore's western approaches from the 1880's until 1956, but was rendered obsolete in 1942 when the Japanese moved down into Singapore from Malaysia. Today, the recorded voice of Battery Sergeant Major Cooper talks you through a mock-up of a 19th century barracks, complete with living quarters, guard room, laundry and assault course. There are the Surrender Chambers where life-sized figures re-enact the British and Japanese surrenders of 1942 and 1945 respectively.

The tunnels and gun emplacements are open to inspection and you can sit in on the Battle for Singapore, when British soldiers were forced to surrender to the Japanese.

Unlike the time of our previous visit, structured free tours are now available (Fri, Sat, Sun and Public Holidays at 12.30 and 3.30 pm- but only 20 per tour group and you have to pre-book), although we chose to wander at our own speed, the better to absorb the signage and atmosphere. Nowadays there is even a Fort Tram where the driver gives a quick overview of Fort Siloso and the different Zones you can explore.

Other Attractions at Sentosa

Tiger Sky Tower (previously Carlsberg Sky Tower) - S$10 pp. This is Singapore's tallest viewing platform at 110 m. From the top you can even see all the way to Indonesia and Malaysia. The Tower is located at Imbiah Lookout and rises a total of 131 m above sea level, giving views of Sentosa's beaches, the city skyline and the Straits of Singapore. The air-conditioned cabin rises slowly, rotating gently as it goes, to stop for 3 minutes at the top of the Tower still rotating slowly to give you a 360 degree view.

Images of Singapore - S$10 pp. This is divided into several sections each charting the emergence and development of Singapore, the City and State, as follows: Ticketing Office-Four Winds Trading Office-Four Winds of Singapore-Singapore Adventure-Singapore Celebrates-Tastes of Singapore Restaurant and Images of Singapore Shop.
Here, life-size dioramas present the history and heritage of Singapore from its early days as a 14th century trading post through to the surrender of the Japanese in 1945. Although a little ragged, the total effect is fascinating.

Butterfly Park and Insect Kingdom with Museum - S$10 pp.

Sentosa 4D Magix - State of the art audiovisual systems, environmental effects and synchronised motion seats combine to good effect. We tried the 'Log Flume' and 'The Pirates', each of about 15 minutes' duration. A pricey experience and, in our opinion, neither VFM nor 'breathtaking'!!

Sentosa in Bloom - Gardens in bloom.

Sentosa Beaches - and a walk to the most southerly point in Asia.

The Merlion - S$8 pp. Singapore's national icon, standing at 37 m tall, the Merlion lets you dive right into the myths and legends of the deep!

Underwater World - Visited last time, as were the Dolphins at Dolphin Lagoon.

Songs of the Sea - A replacement for the Musical Fountain. It didn't start early evening and Sentosa was so crowded due to the Public Holiday that we decided to give it a miss.

Sentosa is an expensive entertainment island and much busier than we remember it from 2006.

Bukit Timah Nature Reserve

And so to our penultimate day of sightseeing and a trip to Bukit Timah Nature Reserve. From our hotel in Geylang it was the No 67 bus which dropped us virtually opposite the road leading up to the Reserve.

Bukit Timah boasts Singapore's last remaining pocket of primary rain forest. Today the Reserve, established in 1883 by Nathaniel Cantley, who was superintendent of the Botanic Gardens, is a refuge for the dwindling numbers of species still extant in Singapore. Only 25 types of mammal now inhabit the island. Creatures you're most likely to see in Bukit Timah are long-tailed macaques, butterflies and other insects, and birds like the dark-necked tailorbird which builds its nest by sewing leaves together. Scorpions, snakes, flying lemurs and pangolins still roam here too, although we were only lucky in spotting a flying lemur mid-way up a huge tree and obviously disturbed by the wandering macaques.

There is an informative Visitors' Centre with extremely helpful staff. There are displays, specimens and photos relating to the Reserve's flora and fauna. Several paths leave the Centre, twisting and turning through the forest around and to the top of Bukit Timah Hill, which, at 163 m, is actually Singapore's highest hill. We managed most of the walks, although the lowest boardwalk walk to the Reservoir turned out to be the most interesting by far. There were macaques everywhere, being driven from the lower slopes by gardeners working with power tools. There are signs everywhere in the form of cartoons insisting that you do not feed the monkeys. For those caught doing so there is a fine of S$5,000.

An extremely interesting day, although we were sorry not to have spotted a pangolin. You need to carry sufficient drinking water, although there are drinking-water fountains adjacent to the Visitors' Centre. We noted many people using the hilly walks for exercise, even walking backwards downhill. Rather them than us!!

The Chingay Parade

And so to our final day of sightseeing and the extravaganza that is the Chingay Parade (actually occurring on the last 2 days, but we had chosen Saturday 12th February - the last day). We had walked the 2 km Parade route some days previously and determined where our seats were situated (S$35/seat). MRT to Promenade Station and then a 10-minute walk, tightly controlled by both Police and volunteers, to the venue itself. We had allowed ourselves sufficient time to walk the Pit Building and environs and so were able to photograph the floats and performers as they readied themselves for their second and final evening. As we ascended to our seats, we and all the other spectators were given 'goody bags' with pompoms and battery-operated candle lights. The Parade was set to last for 2 full hours but there was an additional hour's warm up, with 3 MCs placed along the 2 km route exhorting the crowd to perform 'Mexican Waves' with the pompoms, shout out the letters of CHINGAY, etc. All very jolly!

At this stage I would suggest that for images and more detail you look at (http://www.chingay.org.sg/)  where various web pages give masses of detail, photos etc. We found the spectacle awesome and wouldn't have missed it for the world. Put simply, a dazzling extravaganza of colours and cultural diversity with the theme UNITY. The Parade is known for its resplendent floats and multi-cultural local and international performances. The word Chingay is from the Hokkien dialect meaning 'The Art of Masquerade'. The festival began as a neighbourhood parade with only Chinese elements in 1973. Today the Parade has evolved into the grandest street and floats parade in Asia, showcasing the rich vibrant multi-culturalism of Singapore and cultures from all over the world.

The Parade proper started at 8 pm with 88 m long Dragons in the Sky from Xi'An, China, and a Dragon entwined with firecrackers. Then we had an entourage of Gods of Fortune - Harley Davidson Bikes and Vintage Cars. The various groups are just too numerous to mention by name and we were told there were more than 7,500 participants; an immense number but one I would not choose to challenge when measured against the 20,000 spectators. So we had Animal Dancers, Chinese Cultures, Indian Cultures with flower pyramids, Indian Puppets, and a grand beautiful peacock float, Malay Cultural contingents, PA National Travelling Competition dance groups, 2,000 energy-charged hip-hop youths, 40,000 candle lights, and 20,000 seated audience.

The performers went round the circuit once, passing right to left in front of us. With the circuit divided into 3 sections, 2 for the plebs and one in the middle for the VIPs (seats here were the most expensive but had sold out by the time we requested tickets), each group would have to perform on 3 separate occasions. Having completed the first tour, they then circled to the rear of the Pit Building returning en masse for the grand finale.

The climax consisted of all the performers with the 2,000 hip-hop youths leading the assembled throng in the Parade Song 'The Passing of the Lamp'. (This song was created 28 years ago and again took centre stage at this Parade - full lyrics are also on the website).

Then we saw 4,000 lamps raised by performers against the night sky and tens of thousands of lamps raised by spectators. In addition there were hundreds of illuminated paper lanterns floating in the night sky, many of which broke loose, deliberately or otherwise, to float towards The Singapore Flyer and Marina Bay to the left. The Parade ended with a spectacular firework display - in fact the best seen to date.

At the end of the Parade the audience and performers slowly left the venue, with the Police and volunteers controlling crowd and traffic flow. There was no pushing or shoving and by the time we returned to the MRT station you would hardly have known that a major celebration had decanted 30,000 people towards mass transportation.

We would not have missed it for the world!!

14 February 2011

And so it was finally time to leave our hotel for the 9 am Qantas flight to Perth. Our morning call was forgotten by the night staff, but then we always set our mobile phones to Alarm just in case. Then our shuttle failed to materialise, so we hailed a passing taxi - and there were enough of them - and S$22 later we were back at Changi Terminal 1 where we had to wait for the desk to open. Once you check in and pass security, there are Internet stations everywhere and we killed an hour emailing family and friends. Even the Gate waiting area had 2 Internet stations, although by then most people were emailed out. The flight left on time and five and a half hours later we were descending into Perth, after 2 in-flight movies and an excellent lunch.

Another Australian adventure was about to begin.

(Continued at: Dr Bob and Sandra in Australia 2011)