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Thursday, April 22, 2004
Two nights in the Lion City
By Nelia G. Neri
The luminous lights of Singapore came into view when Superstar Virgo docked on a sultry Wednesday night after our four-day cruise to Langkawi and Phuket. Upon the invitation of the Singapore Tourism Board (STB), our media group was to stay two more nights to get a chance to appreciate the flourishing Lion City.
There was no time to lose if we were to make the most of our short stay. Swissotel Stamford was our home for the next two nights, and it was just perfect. My 19th floor window afforded a breathtaking view of a city all aglow. Swissotel Stamford sits in the heart of Raffles City, right next door to shops, boutiques and little cafes, and a short distance away from the bewitching Singapore river and the vibrant life around it.
For dinner that first evening we went to the House of Sudanese Food in Boat Quay. There, by the riverside, we took our fill of Indonesian yummies - ayam (chicken) barbecue, deep-fried fish spread out like a butterfly, vegetables in coconut gravy, prawns, squid and other specialties. We then decided to stroll along the riverbank to walk off the calories. The ambience was pure magic!
Because the night was still young, we hopped over to Mohamed Sultan Road for a few drinks in a popular disco pub called Madame Wong. The place was pulsating! Not quite ready to call it a day, we proceeded to the 24-hour Mustafa Centre for some quickie midnight shopping....only in Singapore!
*****
Wake up call the next day was early because STB arranged a “Jungle Breakfast” for us at the Singapore Zoo. Can you imagine having your coffee in a “forest clearing” where the air is fresh and soothing?...hmm...lovely! And have you ever experienced eating breakfast just a couple of meters away from a pair of naughty orangutans demolishing a mound of bananas?...ahh...novel! One more thing...there was this huge python (absolutely harmless though) within petting distance, ready for photo ops. The Singapore Zoo, all 28 hectares of it, shelters 490 animal species in beautifully landscaped enclosures which simulate their natural habitat.
*****
Somehow a trip to Singapore is not complete without a visit to Sentosa Island, the wooded resort isle connected to the Lion City by a bridge. Sentosa is an ideal getaway because it has something interesting for everybody...history enthusiasts, nature lovers, beach bums, health buffs, marine devotees and all kinds of fun-seekers! Among its attractions are the Butterfly Park and Insect Kingdom, Fort Siloso, Images of Singapore, Sentosa Orchid Gardens, the Merlion and the Merlion Walk, the Musical Fountain, the Sky Tower, the Underwater World, and more.
We were given a tour of Spa Botanica, the tranquil garden spa in the Sentosa Resort and Spa complex. It offers extensive spa treatment with 20 treatment rooms including private VIP pavilions in a garden setting. Very enticing!
To get a bird’s eye view of the island and its surroundings we boarded the Sky Tower and enjoyed every minute in its rotating cabin. Of course we couldn’t leave Sentosa without a visit to its famed Underwater World. This state-of-the-art attraction (a moving walkway inside an acrylic tunnel) takes its visitors on a “voyage to the bottom of the sea” so that they come face to face with all kinds of underwater creatures.
Lunchtime found us at Seafood Village Restaurant by the foot of the bridge that
connects Sentosa to Singapore. The setting was rustic and the food quite exotic! Think tangy, flavorful soup...Singapore chili clam, Thai pineapple curry fish, Vietnamese beef stew...spicy, aromatic, sweetish-sour sauces...dessert with coconut cream, among other yummies.
*****
Back in the city, we were all set for an afternoon of shopping. Orchard Road with its line of shopping plazas and boutiques was our main destination.
For that second night, the Singapore Tourism Board arranged a Peranakan (or Straits Chinese) dinner at the well-known The Blue Ginger. Housed in a restored shophouse in Tanjong Pagar rd., the restaurant is best known for its Assam Puteh (a Peranakan version of Thailand’s Tom Yum soup), Ayam Panggang Blue Ginger (deboned and barbecued chicken thigh flavored with coconut milk and spices), and homemade Durian Chendol served with pandan flavored jelly (a real yum!). A superb dining experience!
*****
It was our day of departure and since our flight was in the afternoon, STB saw to it that we made use of whatever time we had left. First on the agenda was a traditional Singaporean breakfast of kaya (hot buttered toast slathered with coconut jam and dipped in half-cooked egg), and a steaming hot cup of local coffee at Ya Kun in Far East Square. At first glance I found the combination of half-cooked egg and coconut jam on buttered toast appalling so I thought I’d pass, but curiosity got the better of me and I decided to give it a try. What do you know?...I found it OK after all. It was a new addition to my list of unusual food tasted while traveling.
Our next stop was the imposing Esplanade-Theatres on the Bay along the beautiful Marina Bay waterfront. Though I had attended a concert there during a previous visit, I was once again all eyes during the tour of the place...the 2000-seat theatre spread over four levels with its two full-sized stages and a large orchestra pit... the concert hall with its pipe organ, its acoustic canopy and acoustic curtains...the grand lobbies...the Esplanade shops... everything spelled IMPRESSIVE!
On our way to the airport we found ourselves musing over the two nights we spent in the Lion City. We couldn’t believe that we had covered so much ground in less than 48 hours, and we credit this to the Singapore Tourism Board who arranged our sked.
Singapore is a continuing work in progress and in spite of its insignificant size as an island, it has made a significant mark in the world tourist map.
(April 22, 2004 issue)
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