Cutlural tour...done

Took the tour.  It was basic, not as informative as I was hoping. But hey, that's me. Always expecting more....It was nice since they took us to the main regions which people want to know about and visit: Kampong Glam, Little India, Chinatown, and of course Merlion Park.
We started at Little Indian with a large wet market. These are basically daily farmers markets which have veg, fruit and meats, which are on ice. As the day goes on, the ice melts, creating a wet floor. Hence the name. It is a staple of daily life for the locals and many expat, who enjoy the haggle atmosphere involved in transactions. I do not. Tell me what you want for it, bottom line. But that is not how the game is played here...

just one stall...

offerings for the Hungry ghost festival this month

We are in Hungry Ghost Festival month. It's a time for offering food and monetary gifts to your ancestor who need it in the underworld. They burn paper money, planes, cars and items representing status to their relatives. They also burn incense sticks on the ground, so watch where you step. It is considered extremely rude to step on someones offering.
Back onto the bus, and down the street to Kampong Glam, which is the Muslim area and where Arab Street is located. I had heard so much about this, and how fab it is. A bit disappointed on seeing it. Yes, it is beautiful. I think I got more pleasure at looking at the architecture of the area, than the shops. The street itself is two blocks long and sells mostly fabrics ( silks, batiks, and high end glamour fabrics), rugs, haberdashery and of course has eateries.

Kampong Glam flavor

local shop

details

don't know...but it is beautiful

It was overwhelming, visually and  mentally, trying to soak this all in quickly on a tour. These areas need to be explored slower and not on a timeline. We were then off to the downtown area and Merlion Park. The Merlion is a symbol of Singapore using the historical legend of the lion and combining it with the seafaring heritage ( mermaid tail). Singapura, Singapore's original name means "lion city", as a lion was originally seen here eons ago by visiting Burmese prince. The park sits at the edge of the newer devolved reclaimed from the sea area on the south shore. The Marine stadium is there, next to many new buildings. This part of the island is ultra modern!!

Marina Sands hotel

the Flyer. like London's Eye

Merlion, not spouting water

I will need to take pictures of this area again in about a months time. Many things, including the merlion were housed in scaffolding and fences. The Formula One races are in two weeks time and the downtown area is all under preparations for it. The fencing really inhibits good photo taking.
We were getting hungry and it was time to eat in Chinatown. Just south of Singapore River, Chinatown begins. It is a huge area and we saw just a small section.

Moon Cakes festival lanterns

native clotheslines, look closely...

First stop was the Buddhist temple, which is in the hub of the area. It is also across from Maxwell's a huge hawker market. This is where Anthony Bourdain had his show film when in town. Tain Tain chicken rice stall ( where Anthony ate) had a giant queue. So a few of us opted for other fare. I enjoyed laksa ( finally) from a aged, toothless Chinese gentleman. It was so good. My first laksa in Singapore. Yum!
After lunch we wandered through the many ( and I mean many) stalls which surround the temple. They sell all kinds of touristy stuff. Again this is an area which needs closer investigation and I'm sure that when one ventures out a bit, the finds get more interesting!
Last stop was the temple itself. Huge ( four floors) and old 1800 something...., it is a lovely imposing building. We got a tour from our guide. I believe she said there are over 100K Buddhas in the temple. Did not catch if they were placed as thank yous or answered prayers. On the upper floor is a room devoted to the relic of Buddhas tooth. Yes, it is there on display ( no photos allowed). But this culture really understands beauty and decor.

Temple Exterior

one room, as example

wall detail

ceiling detail

What a wonderful, yet exhausting day. Back onto the bus and an hour trip home to the north end of the island. I should mention that the island is 26 x 14 miles and has 4.7 million people........think about it. After Monaco it is the most populated country per land mass, I'm told. Who am I to doubt this.