The Anderson's target Asia: Singapore

Day 2 started with breakfast at the hotel. Then we mapped our way to Chinatown where our bike tour started at 2pm. We decided to walk - it was only 2.5 km. When we arrived in Chinatown it was only noon - so we decided to do a bit more walking to see more and kill time until our bike tour. Here are some of the sights we saw:

Sri Thendayuthapani Temple

What looked like a boat on top of a building is the top of the Sand's casino.

Cute colonial street

The snake in Chinatown. Gwen stood in the middle of the road to take his picture.

Nagore Durgha Shrine

Snake in front of Tian Hock Keng Temple. All the snakes are so "friendly"

Another Hawker center - the menus looked good, but very few were open.

Sand's Casino - more on this later.

Race stands for the Formula One race.

Patrick posing in front of the Sand's

Patrick posing in front of the race stands and the Singapore eye (weather was not good enough to ride it)

Street signs advertising the holiday.

Found our way back to the snake in Chinatown

Patrick posing with the snake.

Gwen posing with the snake. Maybe this will bring good luck???

Up close with the happy snake

Sri Mariamman Temple

Another view of the temple.

Found our way back to Chinatown a half hour early and found Victor our guide sitting in front of the meeting place. We were the only two people signed up that afternoon, so we had a private tour - and it was awesome.

This is the bike we rode - they are made in Singapore - he quoted about S$400 (US$320) . They are folding bikes - pretty nice.

One of the first paths was behind some store fronts with housing above. These are the fire escapes.

This is the Tiong Bahru Housing Estate - public housing built by the British.

A stop to peer into the windows.

Took a picture int the window to see inside - it was designed as a bomb shelter.

Another shot of the bikes.

This was to be a snack stop, but the hawker center was closed due to the holiday. This is the inside of a typical "Wet Market". They have all the live animals / fish etc. and just hose it down. It's all tile.

Beautiful tree outside a "nature" stop.

Patrick talking about biking with Victor.

One of a few places we had to walk - it was in front of a government building.

Stumbled upon some holiday celebrations.

Stopped and listened to the drums. It was a traditional Lion Dance, but I could not get the camera out fast enough. It brings good luck.

Masonic Temple - Yep in Singapore.

Peranakan Museum - We were told that Peranakan are the offspring of Malaysian ladies and the Chinese men who arrived to help rebuild after WWII.

Snack stop. Tea, soft boiled egg and kaya toast.

Patrick enjoying his snack.

Raffles Hotel - which was on the beach at one time - it is far away now - a lot of reclaiming. Trivia - The Singapore Sling Cocktail was invented that the Long Bar at the Raffles Hotel.

The Esplanade - WWII monument. Locally known as the "Chopsticks"

Looking up the center of the monument.

Another view of the Marina Sand's - which we visited this evening,

Tunnel we had to walk through.

Path leading up to the Cavenagh Bridge

Sculpture of kids jumping into the Singapore river.

Posing by a statue by Fernando Botero. The "butt-bird" - or that's what Victor called it. I don't think Fernando called it that.

Boat Quay

Then the rain picked up and we road back to Chinatown - no photos. Due to the rain there was a lack of taxi available - so we used the MRT to go back to the hotel.

At this point Patrick was hungry and Gwen wanted a shower. Patrick when back to the hawkers by the hotel with the camera. Here are before and after pictures of his spicy crab.

The MRT (subway) worked so well get back to the hotel we used it to get to the Marina Sands that evening to check out the casino. No photos in the casino, but Gwen checked out the rest of the complex and watched a pretty cool water show. They used water plumes as screens to show short clips which went with the music playing. And they used a lot of bubbles.