Monday, Nov 27

Yesterday I took a walk around the central area of Singapore from my hotel to the old colonial section and then on across the small Singapore River to Boay Quay at the edge of the new financial and business center. And then returned via the Esplanade, a new Performance Arts Center on Marina Bay.
The walk took me by the Padung, a huge green playing field used for soccer, and rugby games as well as some lawn tennis.This was preserved from colonial days and is a nice green space surrounded by skyscrapers.

I stopped into the Asian Civilizations Museum which is housed riverside in a former colonial administrative building. It was quite nice with collections of items from all the SouthEast Asian areas as well has very informative displays of historical information about migrations throughout the area during history. We don't learn much about the rich culture and history of this area in our American educations---mine was focused on European things.

From there I crossed a bridge to the other side of the river to find lunch at Boat Quay--a redeveloped area of former shophouses that used to take delivery and store and transfer much of the shipladen commerce in the 19th and early 20th centuries. It is now riverside restaurants/bars that are on the edge of the new financial and business center, so much after work drinking and dining is accomplished there.

I ate at an Indian Restaurant and had a nice Tandoori lamb and vegetable steamed rice.

Then I walked along the Quay towards Marina Bay, observing Sunday afternoon strollers and even skateboarders.
Then I ended up at the Esplanade before walking back to the hotel. The Esplanade resembles a sleeping porcupine or armadillo on the exterior.
I then rested at the hotel for a few hours and went to Chinatown for the evening where I walked the narrow old streets and ate at Chinese restaurant.