Jogging should be considered my favourite pastime now as I do it on an almost daily basis; to the extent I would even bring along my jogging shoes when I go on staycation.
It's the same process when I had my staycation at the utterly stunning Parkroyal Collection Pickering Hotel (Chinatown); my running shoes actually got wet but the enthusiasm of having a run around the area meant a new pair of running shoes!
Good thing about jogging in the city; there are always underpasses / bridges and we don't have to spend time waiting for traffic lights. A major time-saver and best of all; it doesn't ruin the jogging momentum.
It doesn't help when the underpasses are not boring as I did slow down my pace and took some photographs. Should I be walking leisurely, making the underpasses more vibrant is definitely better than leaving them all in plain colors.
Site of the GX-5 Extreme Swing; a new yet similar ride would be coming soon and it would allow riders to be "catapulted almost 70 metres into the air, at speeds of up to 160km per hour"! I have been wanting to take such rides and hope I could do so soon!
Refurbished Chinese junk boats that acted as extension for seating for restaurants. It's a great experience I guess but Singaporeans, in general, prefer air-conditioning, especially when we are paying more for food.
The iconic Liang Court building had been torn down. I had many memories there as it used to be pretty near my workplace when I was working for Starhub; the vanilla cream puff from tampopo, kinokuniya book store, audio house, the first Saizeriya restaurant in Singapore etc.
Works along the river bank. In Singapore, it appears that continuous development is the norm, which isn't a bad thing as it's exciting to find something new every now and then.
Good weather on that day with blue sky and flames of clouds that looked so pretty!
Sky illuminated in a different color by the setting sun.
Jogging alongside River Place condominium; must be nice to stay within the city. And it did seem like there are quite a number of residential estates in the area. Well, I can only afford public housing on the outskirts.
This is a bridge I have often seen on the internet yet this was the first time I looked at it in real life. Reason being it can't really be spotted from roads! Known as Alkaff Bridge, it's a boat-like footbridge that stood out from the rest due to its loud, colorful pattern.
Oh oh oh, I do recognize that building with two satellite-dish-lookalike things on top; it's Grand Copthorne Waterfront! That's pretty near the original Zouk right?
Hotel Miramar Singapore - while I have never stayed there before, I did patronize one of its resident restaurants before, maybe about 10 years ago. Ikoi Japanese Restaurant that was renowned for its sushi buffet; not so sure if it's the same now.
See, even the moon was up!
Okay; decision made.
The Quayside - located on what used to be known as Robertson Quay, this area gained notoriety during the circuit breaker when people were found to contravene existing safe management measures and resulted in anger directed towards non-locals.
Alkaff Bridge again; apparently very popular among social media influencers and photographers. As can be seen from the design, the 55-meter long bridge is built in recent times, in year 1999.
Can slowly see the buildings that made up the amazing Singapore's skyline; including UOB Plaza, the former OUB Plaza and Swissotel The Stamford, which, at one time, was the world's tallest hotel.
Pity the Parkroyal Collection Pickering Hotel remained hidden;
Refer to red arrow.
He cannot tahan that I kept stopping! Technically, I didn't stop as I was just jogging on the spot but for Alex, he cannot break his momentum! So inflexible.
Meandering river means the landscape changed every quickly and even I had to admit I got confused with the bearings; maybe because I am no longer as young as before. Nevertheless, just continue down the pathway and I would be safe.
Clarke Quay area again; this time with Riverside Point lighting up its main signage. It's another beautiful sight at night but my poor photography skills can't present it as well as what you can soak in using your own eyes.
Canopy at Clarke Quay that helped to shelter people from the rain; I can just imagine the eye-rolling by historians when they saw the modern abomination in an area with significant history.
Many of you would think this apparently old looking building could be a recently built structure as such buildings, built in traditional Chinese style, are not common here. Wrong, it's one of the oldest buildings in Clarke Quay!
In the past, Clarke Quay was more popular with those who drink. However, I noticed a significant shift in visitor demographics when Haidilao opened it first branch in Singapore, at Clarke Quay!
Area slowly getting more alive with nightfall. Of course, it's likely a ghost town now with Singapore going into heightened alert, when dine-in is not allowed until after 13 June; subject to government's update.
Another happy and colorful underpass.
Ministry of Culture, Community & Youth (MCCY) - with its painted windows that spread out like a rainbow, it's a guaranteed hit for likes on social media! Can't imagine that about two decades ago, it's a building no one would give a second look to.
Underpass for Elgin Bridge; this artwork depicted the timeline in the key events of the history for Singapore River; from the arrival of Sir Stamford Raffles and present day.
I always thought this building next to Elgin Bridge housed offices. Turned out it's a condominium aptly named as The Riverwalk! Its location can only be typed in one word; superb.
Boat Quay being dwarfed by the skyscrapers; as the one nearest to the mouth of Singapore River, Boat Quay is also the earliest to gain prominence right after Sir Stamford Raffles signed the paper granting "the British the right to establish a trading post on Singapore".
A closer, panoramic view of Boat Quay. Strangely, I have never ventured to Boat Quay for a drink or for meals. I think I did once for new year countdown but the pub is in a building at the back, not facing the river.
UOB Plaza; one of the tallest buildings in Singapore at the moment and I actually spent 3 months there as part of my polytechnic industry internship in 1999.
White polymarble statue of Sir Stamford Raffles; technically the founder of modern Singapore and this location was chosen for the placement as it's the original landing site when he first arrived in Singapore.
A relaxing moment.
The Fullerton Hotel - at one time Singapore’s General Post Office, this 400-room heritage hotel looked imposing even from far away. Should I consider a staycation here?
Asian Civilization Museum (ACM) - known as the Empress Place Building, I have only visited the ACM once in my life. Maybe it's time for a revisit since "permanent galleries are free for Singaporeans & Permanent Residents."
Cavenagh Bridge - the oldest bridge in Singapore to retain its original form, the 79.25-meter bridge is also the only historical, suspension bridge in Singapore.
Mirror balls outside Asian Civilization Museum (ACM); the installation is known as 24 Hours in Singapore and you may read more about it here.
Victoria Theatre and Concert Hall - I remember going for a performance in my teens and it was old, with wooden seats. Completed in 1905, this is Singapore's "oldest performing arts venue". There's actually another statue of Sir Stamford Raffles but this time, made of iron.
One of the entrances for The Fullerton Hotel.
Another view of Anderson Bridge; a morbid fact about the bridge was that during the Japanese occupation, "the severed heads of criminals were hung on Anderson Bridge as a warning to discourage citizens from breaking the law".
This gigantic chick never fails to bring a smile to my face. Inaugurated in 1990, this was a sculpture by one of the most celebrated Latin American artist; Fernando Botero.
Boat Quay again; I was born too late as this area was said to be filthy and smelly before the 1980s. Must have been quite a sight then as Singapore is now known worldwide to be a "clean" city.
Quieter scene at Boat Quay. I still remember the days before the pandemic, when tourists and office workers would crowd the clubs, the pubs and eateries along this scenic stretch.
Back alleys of the shophouses; for a moment, I thought I said the word "blood" on top of the parking sign. Turned out it's a code for paying your parking fees online. Times have changed since I scrapped my car five years ago.
For review of my staycation, click here!
No comments:
Post a Comment