Singapore Day 1

Oh no it's Singapore.

_1-(1).jpg

It's been a decade since I spent much time in Singapore.

From 1992 to 2004 I was a regular visitor, interviewing International students and lecturing for a month at a time. My friends commiserated, as for them, Singapore was a boring place of transit. I always loved coming here.

Because I lectured in the evenings I had the days to really explore the areas that tourists  didn't go to. Also when work finished at around 10.30pm I would hit the town with the students and they would show me the Singapore side of life.

Sleazy bars and low life cafes, oh what fun.

I'm looking forward to seeing the changes a decade brings.

_2.jpg

The first morning started off really slowly. Preparing for a teleconference.

And then three hours on the phone. Just as we were going out a fabulous Singapore thunder storm hit with spectacular lightening hitting the tall buildings around us.

_3.jpg

Finally we headed off to hunt and gather as we were both starving.

We ended up at the Crossroads Cafe on Orchard Parade.

Singapore was noisy back then. that hasn't changed. Although now the local mosque was using a very loud sound systems to try and unsuccessfully drown out the sounds of shopping and cash registers.

_4.jpg

The Singapore hobby of shopping till you drop has certainly not abated.

New shopping malls are replacing old ones at a rapid rate.
The unfortunate thing is that they are filled with Prado, Chanel, Dior, Burberry, Zara, Top Shop and all the likely culprits. Surely there is a limit to how many branches of Dior there are on two blocks.

_5.jpg

Zara could be in Melbourne or New York with absolutely no nod to the local culture.

_6.jpg

Tangs Orchard was showing some creativity using Rootstein mannequins in oddly domestic settings.

_7.jpg

Lucky Plaza hadn't changed a bit and is still the place to go to for cameras and electronic equipment. I left with an interesting Steinzeiser wide angle/macro 0.5 x 72mm lens.

_8.jpg

Because Singapore is an island, and they can't create much more land, buildings are continually being replaced with taller ones. The architecture of the city has become more adventurous and the city is looking different

_9.jpg

Dior

_10.jpg

Chanel

_11.jpg

Chanel

_12.jpg

Mui Mui

_13.jpg

Ion, a new complex that has been opened although it is still under construction. And yes it's full of top-end European labels.

_14.jpg

_15.jpg

In Singapore they are willing to play with design.

This is part of the roof of the interior of the Ion complex.

As you look up shadow sharks are swimming above you.

Maybe it's just an editorial on the state of the retail industry

_16.jpg

Regent Hotel Singapore. Still not sure about large hotels.

_17.jpg

_18.jpg

_19.jpg

The we finished the night at Dan Ryan's Chicago Grill. Very Asian.

_20.jpg

 I'm looking forward to tomorrow. Saturday, no work, and time to explore.

 


Find me on