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Published: March 12th 2015
GIRL with PANDA
We bumped into this cutie in Little IndiaIn five days we were in four ports in three countries. That is a lot of different cultures to absorb in a short time. Singapore stands in stark contrast to our last port of Bangkok. Everyone has heard the stories of the strict laws in this city state. The ones about littering really work as Singapore’s streets and subways are spotless. The first sign we saw when we disembarked the ship was that all drug use is punishable by death. Not too much wiggle room on that one. This modern city works and is very tourist friendly. We heard that Singapore just surpassed Las Vegas in gambling revenues. This is surprising since Singaporeans are not allowed in the casinos. So it is foreigners who travel here to give their money away…I mean to gamble.
As modern as Singapore is, it is still a very diverse city with Chinatown, Little India, an old colonial section and a Malay quarter. Our favorite is Chinatown as there is a great market, antique shops, tailors, old buildings and temples. Most of the imported trinkets and souvenirs are cheaper here than in China. We took the MRT subway to Chinatown. It departs right from the
cruise terminal and is very easy to use.
Singapore is renowned for its international cuisine and for the hawker stalls where it is sold. There are many of these hawker stalls throughout Singapore and they consist of maybe 30-40 small restaurants serving every kind of food imaginable. The stalls surround a common eating area. We picked one that specialized in roasted poultry and noodles and enjoyed a nice Asian lunch. I am reading a book "Crazy, Rich Asians" which mostly takes place in Singapore. It gives some good insights into life in Singapore including the social hierarchy. It also writes a lot about the food and the Singaporean preoccupation with it.
We took a break in Port Klang and stayed in the port area. Our next stop was in George Town, Penang, Malaysia. George Town is one of the best preserved colonial cities in Asia. The trishaw is still a favorite form of transportation here. Penang, which translates to Betel Nut Island, is connected to the mainland by an 8 mile long bridge span.
We hired a taxi in the morning to take us around the city and its near environs. We always like to take a
CHINESE LANTERNS
New Year's decorations still on display stroll on the Chew Jetty. In the past, a large portion of the population lived in these clan houses built on stilts above the sea. The Chew Jetty is one of the last remaining piers and it has been turned into a tourist attraction by the enterprising residents. Each house is now selling souvenirs, food or artwork.
Ali, our driver, told us that the whole economy on the island of Penang is pretty much controlled by the Chinese. That includes the stores, restaurants, property, taxies etc. Ali took us to the Botanical Gardens where there are wild monkeys roaming the grounds and around the new and old residential sections of town and we ended up at the Eastern and Oriental Hotel on the water’s edge. This old colonial building has slept many noted writers, celebrities and heads of state in its storied past. I expected to see Rudyard, Somerset or Noel stroll across the luxurious lobby at any minute.
Phuket, Thailand is also an island and is famous for its pristine beaches and turquoise waters. Tin, rubber and coconut are the main sources of the local economy along with tourism. There is a very strong taxi union in
SINGAPORE MRT
Clean, fast and efficient public transit Phuket and they do not allow ships to provide shuttle service for their passengers. Thus the cab rates are quite high. We took a taxi, after much haggling, to the Radisson Beach Resort for lunch and a swim. It was a nice way to spend our last day in Southeast Asia.
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Mary Ann & Bobby
non-member comment
Your Cruise!
Love reading all! Thanks for sharing! Brings back memories! Mary Ann & Bobby