Another Week Finished!

Weekend Update – Monday, January 31st, 2005
This weekend was a pretty “touristy” weekend; I visited three of Singapore’s main tourist attractions - Orchard Road, the Zoo and Sentosa island.

Friday, January 28th, 2005
This past Friday, I worked all day and then decided to make an impromptu trip to visit to Singapore’s tribute to commercialism - Orchard Road. Orchard Road is an amazingly modern place with large hotels, stores of every kind, and large trees that are the only remaining tributes to the orchards that used to line central Singapore.

I walked the length of the road and was treated to the signs of success and excess. You can buy pretty much anything here, as long as you can afford it. Gucci, Louis Vuitton, BOSS, Ralph Lauren, Rolex, Mont Blanc were a few of the brands that I saw. I looked at at pen that cost S$32,000 (Approx. C$25,000). The Rolexes didn’t have price tags, and I didn’t bother to ask. While browsing around, I saw one of my favorite symbols of the rich and famous – the Lamborghini. Considering that a car that normally costs $30-$40,000 in Canada costs about $140-$160,000 here, it’s no surprise to hear that the Lamborghini (a Mercielago for those who care) costs around C$1,000,000.

While I have mentioned a few of the brands that are well known to North America, perhaps a little closer to my heart are the brands that have brought a smile to my face. A few of my favorites are:
S S – Sporty look (a knock off of Calvin Klein)
Long Stroke jeans
124 Eating Place (restaurant)
Kill Fire (fire extinguisher)
and . . . my most favorite of all – Canadian 2 for 1 Pizza

Saturday, January 29th, 2005
Saturday morning I slept until around 11am and then decided I should go see the Zoo before my triple park pass expired. I got on the bus and then the train. After seeing the Lamborghini yesterday I decided I wanted to see if I could find the dealership. I knew that it was at the train transfer point so I alighted (they never say exit) the train and took off on a walking journey to look for the Alfa/Lamborghini dealership. About an hour and a half and 3 MRT stations later, I realized that not only was I not going to find the dealership but also my plan to walk to the nearest MRT station was not that well thought through. I eventually caught the train again and eventually transferred to the final bus that would bring me to the zoo.

The Zoo itself was a great time. The exhibits are really well designed and it has a very natural feel – easy to accomplish in the tropical climate. My favorite animals were the tigers, followed closely by these HUGE crocodiles that float delicately in the water. Probably the best part was the lake that was next to the Zoo. It was such calm and peaceful scenery and a nice escape from the city.

After taking the bus, the train, the train, and the bus, I arrived back at NTU, met up with some friends and got back on the bus, and then back on the train. We went out to Holland Village to celebrate one of the exchange student’s, Serena’s, birthdays. Interestingly enough, we ate at a Mexican restaurant and it was way better than the Mexican food in Edmonton or Calgary.

Sunday, January 30th, 2005
Sunday morning I slept in again, got some food, and headed off to the bus and the train. This time my destination was Singapore’s resort island – Sentosa. Sentosa is a unique blend between the natural and the artificial. The main portion of the island is real, but the beaches, and small outlying islands, are completely artificial. The government has turned the island into a resort area with hotels, a golf course, ornate gardens, an underwater theme park, and other small attractions. I was there to watch the NTU sports competitions where students competed in beach volleyball, beach soccer, and a hunk and babe competition. I have to say the “hunk and babe” competition was quite funny because Singaporeans are so shy by nature. The people participating didn’t even speak loud enough in the microphone to be heard. Once again, it was very much a contrast between the shy participants and the loud host.

Following the competitions a few of us stayed around for the magic fountain and light show. This free attraction was quite entertaining with music, a laser light show, and an animated monkey. The show is very much a family show and I think I would have appreciated it a lot more had I been about 10.

After that, I headed for home, ate some food on the way and was in bed by midnight. All in all, a good weekend.

Check out the pictures below (or above, depending on how quickly this post loaded).