Driving in Singapore Part 4

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Clark Quay

Think relaxation is overrated? Are you always burning the candle at both ends? Then Clark Quay is for you. After dinner at Boat Quay, well-heeled party goers stroll towards Clarke Quay. Night live here will keep anyone charged till dawn. Latin, Jazz, and Disco bars give head-spinning options. So, most people choose to go bar hopping here.

This epicenter of nightlife has many themed bars and clubs. Clinic Bar features a hospital ambience complete with hospital wheel chairs, white linen room dividers, and operating room lights. The drinks are served from the dripping intravenous (IV) tube that is attached to a blood bag on a pole. The famous London based Ministry of Sound dance club is located here as well. On weekends, it is common to see Audi R8’s, Lamborghini’s, and Bentley’s parked here since this is where the to-be-seen crowds gather.

New Bridge Road

From Clarke Quay, New Bridge Road leads to Chinatown. Scenes of traditional old Singapore are preserved here. Old colonial small houses dominate the architecture of Chinatown center while large multi story malls occupy the edges.

What’s interesting about this Chinatown, distinguishing itself from other Chinatowns in the world, is the fact that it not only has Buddhist and Confucian places of worship, but also Mosques and Hindu temples. The 1823 Thian Hock Keng temple on Telok Ayer Street is the oldest Chinese template in the country. Gilded and lacquer decorated beams and panels, painted doors, and granite dragon sculptures adorn this south Chinese temple architecture. A few block away from the temple, on South Bridge Road, is the colorful and highly intricate high tower of 1843 Sri Mariamman Hindu temple. If you look closely on its intricate carvings, you will find 72 deities.

At sundown, Smith Street is closed and hawker stalls spring to life. Tables and chairs are setup in the middle of the road. Food vendors are greeting passerby with menus and chanting their specials. This is the best place to find local flavors in a historic ambience...@driving-vacation

More pictures...

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