Images from Singapore
Before I get into the meat and bones of this blog, I would just like to give a little background before proceeding.
I always feel a sense of caution when I write about Singapore as I fully appreciate I do so from the point of view of an expatriate. Expats and locals often lead different lives - our social activities, the foods we eat, the homes we live in. The images I take and the thoughts I share need to be seen in that context.
However, I have lived here for over fourteen years now, I have both locals and expats in my social and work groups and I do try to experience local foods, areas and activities.
Simply put, I love this city and truly believe there is far more here than many people may realise. I love living, working, eating and taking photographs here - and I love using Singapore as a travel hub to visit other remarkable destinations. At least, during non-pandemic times…
Sadly, as much as I enjoy life here, I am aware that the time will one day come when I leave here, but not yet. Not yet.
“The world’s best kept secret” is how one visitor described Singapore to me not long ago. And I believe he is correct in many ways. I shall share a collection of images and comments that go some way to summing up Singapore from my perspective. To do so fully would take up more time and space than this blog will allow, but I shall try to share some diverse images showing different sides of this Little Red Dot.
The term “Little Red Dot” was initially used disparagingly by an Indonesian government official during the Asian Financial Crisis back in 1997/98. “…but there are 211 million people [in Indonesia]. All the green [area] is Indonesia. And that red dot is Singapore”.
Although the term originated as a dismissal of Singapore's importance, it has since evolved into a badge of pride for Singapore, given the nation's remarkable economic showing, despite its physical limitations.
When Singapore celebrated the 50th anniversary of its independence, the logo used was a simple red dot with the words "SG50" depicted inside it. I like this story very much.
Final comment - there is so much to see and do in this city, please look upon this as the first in a series of blogs covering Singapore…
OK, on with the show!
One of the modern images of Singapore that gets seen around the world is the Marina Bay Sands Hotel. It’s huge. It had 55 floors, 2,561 rooms, opened in July 2009 and is one of the 40 largest hotels in the world. I’ve no idea who complies these lists or how deep they go. I mean, who’s the 249th largest hotel in the world, and would anyone care? Not me, bucko.
Front left of the hotel, shaped like a hand(but supposed to be a lotus leaf) is the Art Science Museum. It’s really very good, has lots of exhibitions coming through, well worth checking out if you’re ever in town. Just behind the museum, stretching along most of the waterfront, is a massive shopping mall - “The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands”. Annoys the living wotsits out of me that they used “Shoppes” instead of “Shops”, god knows what they were thinking. It’s a weird archaic world that high end shops - yes, SHOPS - sometimes use to sound quaint or something. Well, Dickens, you can do one.
Oh, it also has a casino and lots of restos, including a high end steak house (Wolfgang Puck) and a Gordon Ramsay bistro place. At the top of the hotel is an infinity pool, you may have seen pics of people posing from up there. Not me though, never been in the pool there. Seems to be for beautiful people and I don’t qualify.
Behind the hotel and over an expressway is Gardens By the Bay - that’s a lovely spot to spend a few hours.
Gardens By The Bay. I really like it here, especially early morning, when you can catch the gardens lit up as sunrise starts to kick in. Also, not many people around at 6am and that suits me just fine as well. They get in the way, end up in your photos and don’t take loud tutting as a hint to move their backsides. Irritating and does my blood pressure no good whatsoever. Sorry, I’m being a bit moany today, not sure why - I’m normally the life and soul. OK, cheer up, Fatman, cheer up!
Right - GBTB - here it is, or at least part of it. The big things are “Supertrees” and there are more of them dotted around the park. Behind them is one of the Domes - think “big greenhouses”. Apparently, they are the world’s largest “columnless greenhouses”. Again, who measures and documents these things? Regardless, they are lovely attractions in their own right and provide a welcome break from the heat if you are wandering around here at a more sociable hour. There are also cafes and restaurants in the Gardens - as well as “Satay By The Bay”, an open air hawker centre. Oh, a small water playground for the young ‘uns as well.
Another view of the Hotel and Gardens, just to give an idea of location and scale. I’ve no real facts to add, so I’ll just say that this image was taken at 6.08am on 5th December, 2015. Shutter was open for 13 seconds, the longer shutter speed helps smooth out the water.
6am in the morning - that’s dedication right there. Either that or a guilty conscience and resultant sleep issues.
OK, let’s move to a more sociable time of day, I’m guessing around midday for this one. Here you can see the Museum more clearly and the view towards the main business district of Singapore. The low building on the right, with the red roof, is the Fullerton Hotel. Many years back this was the General Post office and effectively sat on the seafront. So the museum, the hotel(one of the 40 largest in the world, don’t forget), the gardens and a whole bunch of other things are built on reclaimed land.
OK, that’s enough of the fancy, polished world of the Marina Bay area - lovely though it is. Let’s move towards Chinatown. It’s over the back of the Fullerton hotel and a bit further down that way. Pre-COVID, I’d head there quite often at weekends to do some street photography.
Behind the Buddha Tooth Temple, a main attraction in Chinatown, there is a small outdoor area where elderly locals gather to meet their friends and play board games, chat and sometimes drink. It’s a great glimpse into the lives of a different generation, a generation largely untouched by the rapid development seen elsewhere in the city. Scratch the surface of Singapore’s glossy exterior and underneath there is another world that most expats and visitors do not see.
I recently had an article published by the Royal Photographic Society, an article based on the lives of the elderly in Singapore. I shall not dwell on that in this blog, but perhaps shall cover the issue at a later date. For now, suffice to say that there is disparity and a generational gulf in many ways. This lady is sitting right outside the Buddha Tooth Temple. I wonder how many of the visiting tourists pay her any attention.
OK, moving on…
The interior of the Temple. Looks like it may be old, but in reality was only finished in 2007. Built to house the left canine tooth of Buddha, recovered from his funeral pyre in Kushinagar, India and is displayed within the Temple.
Inside the Temple…
Singapore is well known as a foodie destination - everything from cheap hawker centres with meals from a few dollars right up to Michelin star level. So let’s have a look at some of it…
Crab dishes are hugely popular in Singapore, with Chilli Crab possibly being the best known variety. However, you can also get the following; black pepper, white pepper, salted egg yolk, crab bee hoon (noodles) and this one - garlic crab. That’s just some of them, there are others.
I’d completely forgotten I’d done a brief video - that saves my adding lots of food photos! Please do have a look, gives some brief insight into the food scene here, the types of dishes on offer.
As for “Singapore Noodles” - forget them. Made up dish.
Oh - if you could see your way to subscribing to the YouTube channel it would make a Fatman very happy! Thank you :-)
Murals are popping up all around Chinatown - can also be fond in Little India as well. They add a bit of fun, I think - quite cheerful!
Talking of Little India, here you will find Tekka Market - a wonderful local fresh food market. A dish you will find in Little India, and elsewhere in Singapore, is fish head curry. That stuff will blow your socks off and no mistake.
Heading back outside. The street around Sultan Mosque are known for a good number of Arabic restaurants as well as the quirky shops that can be found in Haji Lane. Lot’s of textile shops around this area. Nice spot for a wander, with the old traditional shop houses.
I’ll finish this blog with a shot of the Shaw Foundation Symphony Stage at the Botanic Gardens. The Gardens are a great spot for a stroll or a picnic - concerts are often held on this stage.
OK, time has rolled on and I need to finish this blog here for now. I was looking through my Singapore photos and there are so many to go through! Way too many to include more than a tiny fraction in this post - but plenty of material for future blogs!
Hopefully these snaps have given some insight into life in this Little Red Dot, and maybe even an idea of why I like it here so much.
Until the next time, stay strong, stay safe and be kind!
Fatman xxx