After a depressing yesterday, I got up knowing there was little I could do today. With my right hand slightly injured, enjoying the rides at Universal Studios Sentosa was ruled out. I couldn’t go to Marina Bay Sands either because I needed my 70-200mm lens, which I had to give for repair.
After freshening up, I sat at the dining table to have a cup of coffee. I picked up a newspaper and decided to actually read about what goes on in this tiny city state. I couldn’t help but notice the real estate property ads, not because of how good the properties looked, but mainly because just about every condominium advertised cost over a million dollars! And I thought to myself: “How on earth do the locals even afford to buy property here?”
Surely not everybody lives in the posh condos being advertised. That’s when I decided on what to do today – take the bus and see inner Singapore. Now, I didn’t know where exactly to go, but today I didn’t have anything else planned until I got the call from John 3:16 to come pick up my lens from their store.
I laid open my map of Singapore and just pointed to the centre of the island. My finger landed on some area called Bukit Timah. So Bukit Timah it was. Off to the nearest bus stop I went (the MRT doesn’t cover every nook and cranny of Singapore, thus the decision to ride the bus)
I hopped on a bus at around 12:30pm after an early lunchDidn’t seem like many were on their way to Buikt TimahI know wages in Singapore are obviously higher than say, India, but the cost of living here is extremely high too. Extremely high is also how you can describe most residential buildings. They have to be, developmental land is scarce in Singapore.I honestly had no clue if I was even on the right way or where to get down
These all looked like privately built apartment buildingsAnd they’re building moreThe Housing Development Board apartment buildings often look like that red and white building in the photoThat said, I did notice that there is still a lot of open land space still available. It’s just that government ensures there’s enough greenery in every district — which is nice.Looked like we were on an expressway to Bukit Timah
I didn’t really know where to get down, so when I saw a sign pointing to Bukit Timah Shopping Center, I got down at the next stop.
The area didn’t look that exciting. To the left was the construction of a new MRT station.I presumed malls in inner Singapore weren’t going to be as flashy as the ones in the CBD, but this was Bukit Timah PlazaWent all the way up to the food court/open area where the hawkers wereI don’t quite remember if this section was another part of the Bukit Timah Shopping Centre, but every floor had nothing but maid service businesses — most maids being from Indonesia and PhilippinesI was honestly quite bored hereI just walked around the area to soak up what life in these parts must be like. Not quite the residential area I hoped I would see, but it was okay.
Unlike the Geylang area, which has a sizable Malay population, I’m guessing inner Singapore has a lot more of citizens of Chinese descent
Just then my friend Aimee called, saying she might be coming to Orchard Road and that we could meet in the evening. But since I still had a few more hours to kill, I wondered how to spend it.
I hopped on a bus going towards the Orchard Road sideNanyang Girls High schoolDrove past what looked like a rather posh area. Very few people in Singapore live in villas.
The bus drove around and as it neared Orchard road, it passed by the Singapore Botanical Gardens. In a split second, I decided to get down at the very next bus stop.
Singapore’s Botanic Gardens wasn’t on my list-of-things-to-see actually… but I had to see something!
There is no entrance fee, it’s like a public parkIt’s a public park, but there are quite a few no-no’sI hadn’t even shot enough photographs today, so I needed to justify carrying my camera around
No feeding allowedThis is called the Swan LakeShot on my Canon 450D
Turtles
Sadly, because my telephoto lens was undergoing repair, I couldn’t zoom in much
Oh look Pacmen…
The Tembusu tree
I saw a way in
You have a few restaurants hereWent in hereThere’s a SG$5 (Rs.200/$3.8/€3) entry ticketDidn’t really know what to expect as I know as much about flowers as I do about neurology
Went inside this huge cage
Walked up towards that bungalow, named Burkill Hall
Orchids here are in honour of special guestsThis orchid was named in honour of Jean Chretien, former Prime Minister of CanadaGhastly looking flower…Oh that’s whyThis one is honour of Princess Masako of Japan
This one is in honour of some royals from QatarThese flowers were in honour of former Indian president K.R. Narayanan’s visit
The designs by Mother Nature I tell you
The plant was named in honour of the great Nelson Mandela
I left the VIP Orchid house
Sigh, even in Singapore there are idiots who do this
Went in here next
Coolhouse? Sounds promising!
Oh my god it was SO relaxing in here!It was so cool in here… Singapore’s humidity was killing me!But just then I get an SMS from Aimee informing me she’s on her way to Orchard Road. Damn, I had to leave this place.I quickened my paceBut I just had to stop to take a snap of myself
This is a park for everybodyThere’s even a huge picnic area
Dogs walk, humans jog… cats… sit and do nothing. Typical!
They have concerts here every week
I wasn’t the only photographer there
I was trying to figure out how to get out of the park
I was trying to get out as quickly as possible, Aimee had already reached Ion Orchard
I was finally out!
But this exit didn’t have a bus stop anywhere nearby, so I hailed a taxi and made it to ION Orchard mall.
Aimee, a reader turned dear friend, who was of great help to me in PhilippinesAimee introduced me to Daiso, and I quite liked the offerings. Picked up a mini-vaccum.
After checking out a few stores, we stepped out on to Orchard Road. I promised Aimee I would make her look good this time, as neither of us were happy with the photos I took of her in Manila.
So here’s Aimee at Orchard Road
Went in here to collect my ticket for the Chemical Brothers show after the Sunday raceAimee took thisWent to Ngee Ann City next
Here’s Aimee at Lucky Plaza, where I went to exchange some currency
Here’s Aimee going down an escalatorWe walked to Suntec City towers where Aimee’s fiance was waiting to meet usHere’s Aimee.. oh, the camera focused on the background. Oops.
The view from one of the floors at Suntec
Given how the day began, I quite liked how it eventually ended. I’m glad I visited the Singapore Botanic Gardens, it was actually quite nice! I hadn’t done much macro photography since my visit to the 2010 Lal Bagh Botanical Garden Flower Show and I liked how most of my photographs turned out today. It would have been nice if I had my 70-200mm lens but I wasn’t going to get it until tomorrow.
Once back in my area, I had dinner at the Malay Indian restaurant in my block. Had a few pratas and beef curry, cost SG$6.20 (Rs. 250/$4.7/€3.7)
I felt better knowing, despite my injury, I wasn’t going to leave Singapore without some great photos. I wasn’t going to give up. Tomorrow, I visit the Marina Bay Sands Casino – my first time gambling!
Sunday, the concluding seventh day of my first week in Philippines. Today’s itinerary involved meeting my friend Aimee, and then letting her show me around Manila’s famous landmarks.
Aimee asked me to get down at U.N. Avenue MRT station (taken on my Nokia E72)
After meeting her at a nearby 7-11, we stocked up on fluids and Aimee told me why its named U.N. Avenue.
The World Health Organization has an office here
Aimee first took me to Rizal Park, one of Manila’s largest public parks.
It's also called Luneta ParkThis used to be filled with water. When viewed from higher ground, it's the geography of the Philippines
We just walked through the parkThe National Museum buildingThat's a statue honouring Lapu Lapu, considered to be Philippines' first national heroThe Orchidarium and Butterfly Pavilion
More national heroesThe Chinese Gardens. They have a Japanese garden too.This monument is in honour of Philippines' greatest patriot, Jose Rizal. It was on these grounds the revolutionary was executed by the Spanish, who colonized Philippines at the time.
Aimee checks where we are
It was time to leave Rizal ParkAimee took one of photo of me and we moved onThe clock structure you see on the left is called Kilometer Zero. It serves as a point from which every road is measured.They have horse cart rides around this area, in which they take you all the way to Intramuros and other tourist attractionsThe oldest hotel in Manila. Manila Hotel has seen everybody from The Beatles to John F. Kennedy among other famous guests. In other words, a very expensive place to people like you and me.We walked to Intramuros nextThere's a golf course just outside IntramurosIt was scorching hot by the way
There is no entrance fee for IntramurosPanorama comprised of 9 shots
Intramuros literally means “walled city” and was created during Spanish colonial rule. It’s the oldest district in Manila and one of the city’s biggest tourist attractions. It was built to keep invaders away, although, it eventually failed to do so as years progressed).
There are many colleges and other educational institutions in Intramuros
This building was formerly the Colegio De Santa Potenciana, the first girl's college in Manila. Now it's used as the office for the Philippines Red Cross.This is a really popular venue for weddings and eventsOffice of the National Commission for Culture and the ArtsA few people still call Intramuros their homeThere are two main attractions inside Intramuros. One, the Manila Cathedral and two, the above -- San Agustin Church, the oldest church in Manila.
Intramuros still retains many of the colonial architecture
Despite the modern offerings, the overall classic look is still retained
I wanted to check out San Agustin church, but unfortunately (for me) there was a wedding scheduled for today, being a Sunday that too.San Agustin church is a UNESCO World Heritage SiteHotel Intramuros inside
We walked towards the Manila Cathedral
We went inWhile Aimee prayed, I continued shootingI love gothic architecture. Heck, I like all good architecture.
Panorama comprised of 8 shotsPanorama comprised of 4 shots
Panorama comprised of 6 shotsI have always been enamored by glass art like thisA little bit of history about the very old pipe organThere's a section of the church dedicated to historical trivia and relics
More wonderful glass paintings
Panorama comprised of 5 shots
We decided to leaveCarvings on the heavy wooden doors of the cathedral
Attempted the fish-eye look
Walking out of the cathedral and past some of the ‘No to RH Bill’ banners around, I couldn’t help but turn the conversation about the controversial RH bill. Aimee told me how, even to this day, the Catholic church has such an influence over the people and policies in Philippines. The RH bill is basically aiming to promote the use of contraceptives and family planning in a bid to control population growth.
But what was even more shocking news to me was when Aimee told me divorce is yet to be legalized in Philippines! I mean, I considered a predominantly Christian country to be far more progressive in many regards, besides being educated. Clearly that wasn’t the case in Philippines. Now all the single pregnant women I saw across Philippines made sense. It’s like men abuse the law (or the lack of it) because they know there is little the woman can do.
Aimee took me next to Fort Santiago. Entrance fee was a steep PHP75.
The fort is of historical importance because it was where national hero Jose Rizal was imprisoned before his death
We walked along the wallsThe view from the FortChambers used to hold prisonersGot distracted by Pasig riverThere were children jumping into the river for a swim
Anyway, back to Fort Santiago.
People throw coins into these chambers now... I don't know whyWalked around to the side where you had these dungeons
The man himself, Jose Rizal
They re-trace Rizal's final steps before he was executed by the Spaniards
We left Fort Santiago
We walked past Manila Cathedral again
We walked back to San Agustin church hoping the wedding would have been over by now…
... but it wasn't. So I took a photo of the door and left.HQ of the Associated Marine Officers and Seamen's Union of the PhilippinesWe decided to have lunchStepped inside a small eatery and had some Filipino food. Totally came to PHP62 ($1.4/€1)We resumed our walk
We finally decided to leave IntramurosWe left via another exitManila Post Office buildingThe Manila Metropolitan Theater, renovated many times over but hardly in use nowadaysAimee and I now walked towards 'Chinatown,' known locally as BinondoWe walked across a bridge
The bridge was decorated with lights...and graffitiPasig riverNot a very glamorous entrance, but apparently Manila's Chinatown is the oldest in the worldThis is the most famous street in ChinatownOngpin is what it's calledA lot of jewelry stores hereBetting on horse races is a popular pass time for many (broke) locals
We (okay, okay... I) got distracted by the sweet smell of fresh hopias (mooncakes) being made at this bakery. Ended up buying a pack.Aimee, my wonderful 'guide' throughout Manila. She enjoys walking a lot just as much as I do.
Those photos make them look like wanted criminals. Oh wait, politicians, same thing.One shot of yours truly before leaving Chinatown
Chinatown gets cool looking purple fire trucks!Since a lot of affluent businessmen in Manila are Chinese, kidnappings are high. Aimee told me they have security cameras installed on this street.At the end of Ongpin street is Binondo church, also known as Minor Basilica of St. Lorenzo RuizToday was Easter SundayThe church was first erected in 1596, making it one of the oldest churches in Manila
Aimee decided it was enough of walking. She and I got into a jeepney and we thought of watching the sunset at Manila Bay.
We got down near Pedro Gil MRT and walked up the roadPassed by the Supreme CourtWe went inside one of Manila's most popular mallsPlus we felt like soaking up some a/cDespite being a few years old, Robinsons Place is still very popularWe stepped out of the mall and made our way towards the bayRoxas boulevard
We sat on the ledge and gave our feet a break.
The white building is the United States EmbassyA big thanks to this girl for making the most of my day. I don't think I could have seen everything that I saw today for less than 100 pesos if it weren't for her.That's Hotel H2O, part of Manila Ocean ParkThe sunset was wonderful, as always. Look how golden the water is.The whole experience is a nice one, even for dogs
Except for a tiny incident which abruptly disappointed me… but I promised Aimee I wouldn’t mention it in the blog. So anyway, time to leave.
We walked back to Malate.
Malate ChurchEaster Sunday prayers still going onWe went back to Robinsons Place because I now needed to look for something for my lens *cough*Aimee'sfault*cough*Scanned a lot of electronics stores but no luckBy the way, saw this at some store at Robinsons. I get everything mentioned here... except for the 'chicken' part. Could somebody tell me what it is?
We eventually left the mall as it was getting late for Aimee. We said our goodbyes and she told me which jeepney to get into to head back to Pasay, where I was staying at the Kabayan Hotel.
So that was my Sunday in Manila. Lots of photos, I know! Tomorrow, I begin the second leg of my journey across the Philippines and for the next seven days, it’s all islands. So here come the blue waters!
The bus drove around and as it neared Orchard road, it passed by the Singapore Botanical Gardens. In a split second, I decided to get down at the very next bus stop.
