Singapore - Day 1

Sunday 22/12

It’s an early start as we’re first off the ship at 7.45. This is a day that’s been long in the planning. Originally, we’d booed to sail from Mumbai to Japan - a back-to-back cruise - but due to restrictions on taking ships through Suez and the Red Sea, the first leg of our trip was cancelled; having to sail ships around Africa has meant major restructuring. So, the first part of our journey was on Silver Whisper, the second on Silver Dawn. Dawn is docked across the quay from Whisper, but we have to take our luggage through Singapore customs and immigration then wait until we can board the Dawn. This would mean basically wasting a day - and we’re eager to visit Singapore as the last time we were here was 44 years ago. So I set about finding a tour that would take us and our luggage and show us the city state. 

Once through very efficient Singapore immigration, we meet up with Alfred, our guide for the day and transfer to a minibus o accommodation us and our not insignificant luggage! Alfred takes us in a walking tour of the old colonial centre, grand buildings beautifully maintained, set in areas of greenery. We’re delighted to see the old houses on the north bank of the river are still there - back in 1980 we envisioned they would soon be demolished. Obviously, most of them are now restaurants, but they’re there lending character to this city where old and new stand juxtaposed. We stop to photograph the iconic Merlion, and look over onwards the equally iconic symbols of Singapore - the Marina Bay Sands Towers. The city scape is stunning.  

It’s then onto the Orchid Gardens. We remember our visit to the Botanical Gardens back in 1980 when the beautiful orchids were even more exotic to us than they are today.  I just love the varieties and colours - and of course take just so many photographs! 

Lunch is next - taken at the food court in the old market. The variety of food available is mind blowing - but we avoid Alfred’s recommendation of chicken feet and settle for the most delicious satay accompanied by beer. 

From here it’s on to Chinatown and a visit to the BTRTM there - a relatively new building with a gold plated reliquary allegedly containing Buddha’s tooth (Buddhist Tooth Relic Temple and Museum!) Less than 20 years old, it’s a beautifully constructed building built in Tang Dynesty style with a complex arrangement of tiles roofs. We wander on our own through the traditional style streets of Chinatown, inevitably busy and tourist, but full of character. I particularly love the colourful murals which represent traditional shops in earlier times. 

By now it’s time to head back to the Cruise Terminal to embark our new ship,and after checking in our luggage is back through immigration and customs! It’s quite a significant walk along seemingly endless corridors to get to the ships, but eventually we’re there, find our suite, meet out butler, watch the safety video, visit our muster station, and head up to get something to eat! 

We’re in port overnight and we can’t miss the opportunity to to see the city lit up, so it’s time to head out again to meet Alfred - back through those same  long corridors, the same immigration procedures …….

First stop is to board a river cruise which enables us to see the city lights - always beautiful, but even more so in the lead up to Christmas; since Mumbai, every stop seems to have made more and more of Christmas decorations, and Singapore certainly goes to town! 

I really want to see the Supertrees lit up in Gardens on the Bay, so we join the heavy traffic heading in the sane direction. Alfred has made much of Singapore’s lack of traffic jams - largely because car ownership is limited by cost and government restrictions. He’s a great believer in the efficiency of the city state which clearly has a huge number of rules and for us would see as limiting the freedom of the individual. But its success is unquestionable- and its ability to set long term visions enviable. Freedom does not come without a price. 

Anyway, the traffic is indicative of the fact that the nightly light shows here are now supplemented by the Christmas World taking place in Gardens by the Bay. Eager to see the 8.45 display, Alfred suggests we get out of the car and walk. We’re happy to do so, but it soon becomes clear that Alfred is lost and we end up following him through undergrowth and hedges to finally realise that a) we’re.too late, and b) we can’t get in without paying to enter the Christmas World - which we do. We’re also worried about Alfred who’s looking as if he might be having a serious health incident. He’s not the fittest - and he looks exhausted. He assures us he’s alright and we get him some water and leave him sitting on a bench while we explore. 

There are many additional festive lights around - similar to the light installations in the UK, but in a smaller area - but we’re waiting for the Supertree light show, and it’s worth the wait.  The man made trees are really magical with their living plant trunks and variety of colours - all to musical accompaniment. Then when this show is finished, it’s time for snow to fall in the crown-like Christmas structure central to the seasonal park. It’s that soapy type of artificial snow, and I just love watching the Singaporeans enjoying this with wide-eyed, open-mouthed excitement. 

Show over, it’s time to leave, find our car and driver and move on to the lights of Orchard Road. Fortunately, there’s a direct route back to where our driver’s waiting. 
Orchard Road lights are fabulous - probably putting Oxford Street to shame.  There’s no time to get out and walk so it’s a case of photos through the car windows. 

We’re deposited at the terminal, bidding a fond farewell to Alfred before we set off on the long trek back to the ship - and going through immigration yet again! We’re very happy to have made the most of this changeover day, but I’ve reached over 21,000 steps and we’re both exhausted when we reach our cabin, order some tea, and just collapse into bed. 

It’s been a massive day in terms of photography, so really difficult to select a main - or extras. In the end I’ve gone for the Supertrees with extra collages of orchids, Chinatown and the Chinatown murals. Finally there’s a roof scape  of the temple ad another shot of the Supertrees.