Marina Bay Sands and Little India

This morning we took Singapore's MRT (mass rapid transit i.e. subway) system to Marina Bay Sands - an incredibly opulent and architecturally amazing multi-towered hotel complex. We paid 66 Singapore dollars (about $90NZ - Charlie got an over-65 discount) and took the lift to the observation deck on the 56th floor. The views from the top were amazing, and no doubt would be even more so on a sunny day. Part of the top deck has a large swimming pool... this is only open to hotel guests. Not sure I'd like to be up there in an earthquake!

Coming back down to earth, we took the MRT to Little India, where we were meeting our neighbour Blanka for lunch. She is on her way to Hungary for Christmas with her family. As we were a little early, we wandered along the streets jammed with market stalls selling fresh produce and all things Indian. Ernie and Blanka lived in Singapore for 6 years, and she was eager to show us some of the things she loved about the place. One of these was the little restaurant she took us to, where she ordered the most amazing array of delicious southern Indian food, most of which we had never before tried. And to drink, coconut water from freshly-opened coconuts!

Blanka was telling us about how tightly controlled things are in Singapore. For example, they want to encourage people to use public transport, so if you want to buy a car, you can't just go out and buy one. It costs about SGD 100,000 to get a permit first, and it's not a one-off: you have to renew it from time to time. And a taxi driver said a car like his Toyota Prius would cost about SGD180,000 - that's about NZ$240,000!! So the government buys them and leases them to the taxi drivers...

Next stop was Orchard Road, Singapore's iconic shopping street, lined with mall after mall after mall ... and heaving with traffic and people. What Blanka actually wanted to show us was Emerald Hill, one of the most beautiful streets in Singapore according to our tour guide. This is the heart of the Peranakan culture, which originated in the 15th century when Chinese merchants married Malay women, with their descendents inheriting a fusion of cultures. The houses in this street were built during the late 19th and early 20th centuries for the wealthier merchants, and many have since been renovated inside while retaining the charming exteriors.Читать далее