Page 9 - Van Wig & Associates Newsletter, Lakewood Village ~ October 2019 Issue

world destinations

Singapore TRAVEL

BEAUTIFULLY MODERN

by Doug Hansen blossomed in just six decades explained a local man, “we Chinese home built in 1895, it fountain show with sound
from a place of strife and all get along well because gave us a glimpse into the lives and lights, while the city’s
30-foot-long, red and relative poverty to a global from the earliest days our and traditions of a wealthy signature Singapore Lion
yellow cloth dragon powerhouse for entertainment, country focused on policies Chinese family in that era. spouted a massive stream of covered with plants. In some
Awith daggerlike education, finance, health care, that ensured that people Our next lodging, the five- water from its jaws as hidden areas, pastel-colored, historic
white teeth blocked our manufacturing, technology, from different countries and star Capitol Kempinski Hotel, lights painted the statue in shophouse rows stood in stark
way as my wife, Shirin, and tourism and transportation. cultures could live and work had recently opened after a endlessly changing colors and contrast to the surrounding
I strolled down Singapore’s During our visit to the together peacefully. That’s restoration that combined patterns. modern buildings with their
famed Orchard Road, a tree- National Museum, we were why every year on July 21 two historic structures. This Small tour boats festooned stunning architectural designs.
lined boulevard known for struck by the magnitude of the we celebrate Racial Harmony location placed us within with colored lights twinkled One of our taxi drivers
its upscale stores and hotels. country’s accomplishments, Day, to remind ourselves of walking distance of several in the water while in the boasted, “Dining is our
Drums beat rhythmically as displayed in what could how important this is for our major museums, the famed background, the three towers national pastime,” and
a dozen men maneuvered the be called “the bragging success.” Raffles Hotel, St. Andrews of the iconic Marina Bay it certainly seemed true,
undulating dragon along the rights room”: Singapore is My wife and I opted for Cathedral and the spectacular Sands Hotel loomed large, based on the number of
broad sidewalk. This symbol consistently rated as one of an unorthodox way to bayside Merlion Park, all topped by an enormous lintel international restaurants and
of strength, power and good the world’s safest and cleanest explore the city by staying within a 10- to 15-minute shaped like the bow of a ship. the 114 hawker centers that
luck in Chinese culture was countries; it has the world’s in hotels in three different walk. When we visited that lofty offered every kind of food
part of the lingering festivities top rated airport and airline; areas. Our first hotel, the Six For our initial outing, perch, the 360-degree view of imaginable.
following the Chinese New its students year after year Senses Duxton, placed us we headed first thing in the Singapore was overshadowed For our final exploration
Year 10 days earlier. As we rank No. 1 in the world for near Chinatown, the elaborate morning to the 160-year-old by the enormous infinity pool of the city, we decided to
paused to watch the colorful science, reading and math; it Buddha Tooth Relic Temple Singapore Botanic Gardens, that seemed to float in the splurge and stay at the five-star
show, I thought to myself, is the world’s second busiest and across from the Maxwell only 10 minutes by taxi from air 57 stories above the city. Capella Singapore on exclusive
“You have to expect the container port, third largest Hawker Center, one of the our hotel. Being plant lovers, Below, the giant lotus flower- Sentosa Island, known for
unexpected in Singapore.” global foreign exchange city’s best places to try tasty we had looked forward to shaped Art & Science Museum its beaches, golf courses
Our five days in Singapore market and third largest added to our sensory overload and attractions including
were meant to be a warmup oil and refining center; and as constantly changing colors Universal Studios Singapore.
for our six-week Southeast Singapore ranks as the eighth and textures painted the petals Our room overlooked the
Asia tour, but I discovered healthiest country. of the unique structure. cargo ship-filled South
belatedly that Singapore As we toured various parts Behind the Marina Bay, on China Sea and a nearby
should have been the grand of the city, invariably we a 250-acre man-made island, Indonesian island bristling
finale, since it proved to be found the Singaporeans to be is another of Singapore’s must- with oil refinery structures. A
one of the highlights of our kind and helpful. Fortunately see attractions, the Gardens by path behind the hotel led us
five-country trip. In fact, for us, English is their main the Bay. We visited the site down to a sandy beach and a
Singapore has become my official language, followed in the late afternoon in order free shuttle that transported
favorite major, modern city in by Malay, Mandarin and to appreciate it during the visitors around the island. Our
the world. Tamil. We never perceived daylight, especially the glass- sense of contentment with our
Modern Singapore was any tension as people from enclosed Flower Dome and elegant room was enhanced by
founded by Sir Stamford Malaysia, China, Indonesia, Cloud Forest, with the world’s an exquisite meal in Cassia,
Raffles in 1819 as a trading Philippines, India and Europe yet inexpensive Singaporean visiting these gardens, and tallest enclosed waterfall. As the hotel’s Cantonese-food
post for the British East India mixed freely everywhere. dishes. The boutique hotel is we weren’t disappointed. We the night sky darkened, a restaurant.
Company. The island city “Even though we have a located in a row of carefully delighted in exploring this sound and light show began As we prepared to leave
state (just 279 square miles) very mixed population,” restored trading houses, UNESCO World Heritage in the Supertree Grove where Singapore and continue our
which accounted for rooms site, whose 203 acres of a stand of hundred-foot-tall, Southeast Asia sojourn, Shirin
named the Opium Room and tropical gardens offered miles man-made trees changed and I agreed that someday
Shophouse Room. of hiking and jogging trails, colors to the rhythm of the we will return, stay longer
While much of Singapore three lakes and a spectacular music, glowing majestically and savor even more of the
has been rebuilt with towering orchid garden. in hues of lavender, orange, specialness of Singapore _ a
modern buildings, the city The area surrounding our purple and magenta. bold, vibrant, attractive and
now rigorously preserves the hotel was attractive during the Wherever we walked, we innovative city-state with
remaining historic homes daytime, but after nightfall appreciated Singapore’s efforts pleasant surprises around
and shops as heritage sites. the city transformed itself into to create a more eco-friendly every corner. n
We made a reservation to a nocturnal kaleidoscope of environment. As a result,
see a good example of this color, especially down by the large, lovely trees graced ©2019 San Diego Union-
protection, the NUS Baba bay. The horseshoe-shaped most streets, while many Tribune Distributed by
House. As a carefully restored bay presented a Las Vegas-like buildings had walls and roofs Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

WWW.SUPERBROKER.COM

562-882-1581 | ALLISON@SUPERBROKER.COM

9