Saturday, February 14 – Singapore

I didn’t sleep very well after my late arrival last night. Probably due to the 4 hour time difference from Fiji. A little jet lag.

My plan for today is to do my usual roaming; eventually heading to Chinatown to check out their New Year’s pop up shops.

Before hitting the road though, here are a few more pictures of my hotel…

This morning’s view from my room. The complex to the left is the Orchard Central Mall; also the location of the Somerset metro station, where I arrived last night.

This is a nice shared kitchen area…

…with some tasty treats!

The rooftop pool.

A view from the rooftop (opposite side of the building from my room).

The hotel’s exterior. The entrance is up the staircase on the left. My room is on the 6th floor.

The courtyard adjacent to the hotel’s reception entrance.

I’m on a mission to procure the first souvenir of my trip. The acquisition point is a 20 minute walk away.

Passed by this cute New Year’s display.

Interesting street art

Pretty!

I’ve reached my destination! And notice the Ferrari driving by; this is the land of the Crazy Rich Asians, after all!

I arrived right around opening. Took a look around, but wasn’t very impressed with the memorabilia they had on display (spoiled by London’s vault!). To be fair though, the upper level had not yet opened today. Would they keep the good stuff up there? Probably not.

Mission accomplished – my souvenir is a pin commemorating Chinese New Year 2026! Care to guess which animal is represented in this year’s Chinese zodiac cycle?? You’re close; specifically it is the Fire Horse.

My next stop will be a place I’ve wanted to check out since hearing about it from Holly after she visited Singapore a few years ago.

But first, a few scenes from along the way…

More cool street art. And a popular spot for group selfies, apparently! (see lower right)

Children’s Museum Singapore

We have arrived at The Armenian Church of Saint Gregory the Illuminator.

This is the oldest surviving Christian building in Singapore; constructed in 1835 and consecrated in 1836.

And there’s a wedding taking place here later today! (See the tent set up off to the left)

While here, I met an Armenian family of 4 also visiting Singapore. They are originally from Iraq, now living in China. Interesting. I would have liked to talk to them more, but they were leaving as I was arriving.

A nice visit. Thank you for telling about this all those years ago Holly!

Okay, next stop Chinatown! But first…

Located across the street from the church is the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce, displaying its Year of the Fire Horse banners.

This row of shops caught my attention as I made my way to Chinatown.

I like the mix of traditional and modern in Singapore.

New Year’s trinkets

Only a couple days until New Year’s – there are deals to be had!

The queue outside this shop seemed worth investigating.

I later learned that Lim Chee Guan dates back to the 1930s (see sign) in Singapore, selling bak kwa (barbecued meat slices).

The menu

I made my way back to the hotel via the River Walk…

A lot of walking today! (21k steps) Got back to my room around 3pm and promptly hit the pool!

(it’s fairly warm here, but not as severe as the islands!)

Sunday, February 15 – Singapore

This morning I worked on a Journal Entry and made a grocery run. Following that, I was ready for some more exploring.

Close to my hotel is Fort Canning Park; this will be my point of focus.

The Park covers approximately 44 acres, with a 156 foot high landmark hill, located in Singapore’s downtown core. The park is a major green space for the central business district and is known for its steep, scenic walking trails.

(for a size reference, Central Park in NYC covers 843 acres)

Let’s check it out!

I entered the park through this tunnel and was surprised to find this queue. And it wasn’t moving! I decided to head up to the front to see what was holding things up…

…and came upon this. The people in line were waiting for a photo op on this stairway. The Instagram Effect…

Well, I climbed up the stairs (without waiting) and came upon this nice trail into the park, called The Canning Walk.

Fort Canning is named for Charles John Canning, a British politician and Governor-General of India during the Indian Rebellion of 1857. He was the first Viceroy of India after the transfer of power from the East India Company to the Crown of Queen Victoria in 1858, after the rebellion was crushed. This victory occurred around the same time as the construction of the Singapore fort; hence it was named in Canning’s honor.

This was originally the headquarters of the British Far East Command (ca. 1926). It is now a hotel.

Beneath the ground here lie the foundations for the Old Gunpowder Magazine.

This structure once served as an escape shaft from the Headquarters Malaya Command Operations Bunker. The bunker was used by the British for strategic planning during World War II.

This is the original entrance gate to the fort.

There are nice walking paths throughout the park.

A view of the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce, and the steeple of the Armenian church.

One of a pair of cannons that was meant to shoot 9-pound balls. Playing a decorative role rather than a defensive one, the cannon was fired three times a day to announce the hour. It was also fired as an alarm, signaling town fires.

This Keramat (shrine) is a sacred place dedicated to Iskandar Shah, the last ruler of 14th century Singapore, before he fled to Melaka to escape an attack from the Siamese.

Fort Canning Lighthouse, originally built in 1903, was one of the 13 important lighthouses guiding ships crossing the Strait of Malacca. It was decommissioned in 1958 due to the increasing number of high-rises in Singapore blocking its visibility from the sea. This is a replica.

This is Raffles House (3rd iteration). The original building was a wood and atap structure built in 1822 that was used as a place of residence by Sir Stamford Raffles*. It was later rebuilt as a neoclassical-styled Government House as the residence of subsequent colonial governors, but it was demolished in 1858 to make way for the construction of Fort Canning. The present structure – built on the same site – is a brick and tile building constructed in 2003.

*Sir Thomas Stamford Bingley Raffles (1781-1826) was a British colonial official who secured control over the strategically located Singapore from local rulers in 1819, thereby securing British access along the Strait of Singapore and the nearby seas in the region, particularly the Indian Ocean and the South China Sea.

While Raffles was largely credited for the founding of contemporary Singapore, the early running of day-to-day operations was mostly done by William Farquhar, who served as the first Resident of Singapore from 1819 to 1823. Raffles legacy remains significant in Singapore however, with his name adorning numerous entities and institutions throughout the country.

The view from the house (with the iconic Marina Bay Sands in the background).

Gateway Entrance to the Fort Canning Green. Dating to the mid-1800s, this gate (and its twin across the Green) is one of the oldest examples of Gothic Revival style architecture in Singapore.

The green space was used as a Christian burial ground from 1822 to 1865. Over time, the gravestones became dilapidated and were removed.

Over 200 tombstones were chosen to remain; these were incorporated into a brick wall bordering the former graveyard.

Fort Canning Arts Centre on the Green

The Centre was originally the barracks of the British Army. The British chose Fort Canning as the headquarters of its defense bases in the 1920s to protect British interests in Southeast Asia.

A New Year’s display inside of the Arts Centre.

On the way back to the hotel, I passed by this building with…

…some colorful shutters!

It turns out this is the former Hill Street Police Station (ca. 1934).

Wait! What? Are you telling me that the classic 1980s TV police drama, Hill Street Blues, was based on this Singapore department! No way!

(BTW, I digress, but HSB had one of the all-time great TV theme songs. Check it out here.)

Monday, February 16 – Singapore

Today I’m going to head down to the waterfront, where the Singapore River empties into Marina Bay. It’s about a half hour walk from my hotel.

This attractive building is the former Methodist Publishing House (ca. 1908). It is located on the corner of Stamford Road and…

…Armenian Street. The street is one of the oldest in Singapore, dating back to the founding of the nearby Armenian church. It was turned into a pedestrian-only thoroughfare in 2019.

Cute shops on the street.

Originally the Tao Nan School (ca. 1912), this is now the Peranakan Museum.

St Andrew’s Cathedral (ca. 1862)

There was a service taking place, so visitors were not allowed inside.

The Singapore Cricket Club (est. 1852)

View from the Cricket Club grounds.

The Victoria Theatre and Concert Hall.

The Victoria Theatre and Concert Hall was originally the Town Hall (ca. 1862). In the early 1900s, a second public hall was built next to it, joined by a clock tower to form a larger complex.

Statue of Sir Stamford Raffles in front of the clock tower.

Asian Civilisations Museum

The grounds adjacent to the museum.

On the right is the Jubilee (pedestrian) Bridge connecting to Merlion Park.

View from Merlion Park

I’m now back on Jubilee Bridge, approaching the Waterfront Promenade, and the Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay. The latter consists of two rounded structures: one housing a concert hall with about 1,600 seats; and the other a theater with a capacity of about 2,000 for the performing arts. It is nicknamed “The Durian”.

A Durian

View from the Waterfront Promenade.

As I made my way around to the other side of the Esplanade Theatres, I came upon this wedding photo shoot.

And outside the Theatres was this fountain. I was ready for a break on this warm day. So tempted to…

…cool off a bit! Felt great!

One side of The Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay.

As I went inside the theatre building, I came across this. Fresh squeezed orange juice, from a vending machine? I had to try it!

Orange squeezing in progress…

Filling up my cup!

Tasted great! And only 2 SGD (1.60 USD)!

I made my way up to this nice rooftop deck at the Theatres.

This venue is also part of the Theatres complex. It is the Singtel Waterfront Theatre, with a seating capacity of 550.

I’m now heading back along the River Walk. I like this sculpture alongside the Cavenagh Bridge!

Yes, that’s Sir Stamford Raffles.

Elgin Bridge (ca. 1929)

A cafe along the River Walk pulled me in with a Happy Hour special: two drinks for 24 SGD (19 USD).

I had to go with a Singapore Sling! Twice!

The Sling was created sometime between 1899 and 1915 at the Raffles Hotel (there’s that name again!). Originally designed to look like fruit juice, it allowed women to consume alcohol in public without social judgment during a time when such behavior was frowned upon.

When Holly visited Singapore, her well-traveled grandfather insisted that she head to the Raffles for a Singapore Sling, his treat! A very nice gesture Jack! (BTW, The Raffles Hotel, founded in 1887, is considered an iconic, historic five-star landmark in Singapore) Here’s a link to the Long Bar at The Raffles Hotel. The price for their Singapore Sling is 44 SGD (35 USD).

The view as I enjoyed my Slings.

Another view from my River Walk seat. This one may look a little hazy. That’s because it’s pouring rain! The timing of my Sling break could not have been better! And I’m in no hurry…

Travel Note: Today is New Year’s Eve. The place to be tonight is Chinatown, where there will be a countdown (a la Times Square in NYC). I know it’s going to be packed. In fact, I read that the police restrict access to the area once a certain capacity is reached. I will not be attending. That begs the question: Considering my abhorrence of crowds and tourists, why did I want to be in Singapore for Chinese New Year? I just thought it would an interesting time to visit; taking in some of the less crowded sights and activities.