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Walking through Singapore’s Marina

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If you’ve walked through The Panang, Little India, and Chinatown, you might want to also try walking through the Singapore marina, in order to keep up your cardio health as well as see some sights.  Some tours will meet up at the Tourist and Transit Hub next to the Singapore Flyer, which is one of the world’s biggest observation wheels (also known as a Ferris Wheel).   No doubt you won’t have trouble finding it.  The wheel stands at a height of 165 meters or  541 feet.  Naturally, the first sight to see here is the Singapore Flyer.  It reaches up 42 stories high and employs 28 air-conditioned capsules, each capable of holding 28 passengers.  It’s 98 feet taller than the London Eye.  A complete rotation takes about 27 minutes.  At first it rotated in a counter-clockwise direction as viewed from the Marina Center, but the operators changed the direction in 2008, under the suggestion of masters of Feng Shui.

As you walk through the area, you’ll note St. Andrew’s Cathedral, which was consecrated in 1870, and is Singapore’s Neo-Gothic Anglican Cathedral; Padang, which is a large area used for recreation, such as sports and other social events from colonial times up until the present; City Hall, which was built in the 1920s.  This structure was called the Municipal Building until 1951, which was when Singapore was granted its city status.  Nearby, you’ll also see the Old Supreme Court Building which was built in the 1930s, and contained until 2005 the Singapore’s Supreme Court.  The building for the New Supreme Court is close to the old one; however, the Old Parliament House, which was home to the Parliament from 1965 to 1999 is now a center for the arts.

Also in the marina area, you’ll discover the Victoria Theatre and Concert Hall.  There’s the Raffles Statue, too, a bronze of Sir Stamford Raffles, who founded today’s Singapore.  The bronze may be found in front of the Victoria Theater.  You’ll also see a Cenotaph, which is dedicated to those Singapore soldiers who died in World War I, as well as to those who died in World War II.   There’s also a Civilian War Memorial, as a tribute for those dying during the Japanese occupation of Singapore, which was from February 1942 until September 1945.

The Marina Bay also contains a Merlion, a statue with the head of a lion and the body of a fish, celebrating Singapore’s emblem.  It seems that this spot is the most popular place in the entire city to have your picture taken.  Finally, you can see the 77-year-old Clifford Pier (1933), which was a landing spot for sea passengers and immigrants, Marina Bay itself, which was created by land reclamation, and, finally, the Esplanade, which contains Theatres on the Bay, a state of the art concert venue and waterfront theater.

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The Colors of Delhi

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Green, yellow, orange, pink, blue…all these ultra bright colors hit you from everywhere. The clothes, stores, advertising, shoes, buildings and bangles the women wear mix to form a psychedelic kaleidoscope that is the country called India. I’m not a morning person and all these colors have made me feel like I’m on a drug trip. I arrived at 7am in Delhi, after being on a 24 hour flight.  This meant I was not really feeling the incredible India vibe. The soothing voice that sings the little jingle of ‘Incredible India’ on the ads turned into a blaring annoyance.

I arrived at the hotel Delhi India and was greeted by 3 incredibly happy Indian men. I went straight to my room and crashed out. After some what recovering, I went to explore the heart of Delhi, Connaught Place. My guide book told me that this was the hub of India, but it’s a tourist trap now. I still hadn’t woken up enough for the all that was coming at me. So, after grabbing a bite to eat, I decided that all of this whole incredible ‘India’ thing is not going to capture me until I get some more sleep, but I had to pick up Tara at the airport.

Still feeling groggy for having to be up so early, I was waiting for the ‘Incredible India’ like a boxer expecting a punch in the face. But that wasn’t happening. My head was sticking out, face poised and ready…but no punch yet.

What amazed me at times in India, was how these magnificent historical monuments appeared out of nowhere. Just like the cows walking down, up and across the streets without people, cars or bicycles paying any attention or giving any recognition to them. The monuments are given no grand introduction and just appear. Like the Jama Masjid, the biggest mosque in India is no different or the Lal Qila. Both of these are massive statements in history and size, but cannot be seen until relatively close up. The Taj Mahal is the same. I thought I’d be able to see the Taj Mahal from miles away, that it would dominate everything around it. But, nope. Even when you are at the site, you still cannot see it until you enter the compound. It’s completely hidden by the soft red sandstone walls around it. Then all of a sudden ‘Woosh!’ there it is, right in front of you.

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Hot Tubs and Community

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Sometimes it’s difficult to enjoy relaxation.  Even when all the signals are there, and the body is calming down, the mind doesn’t stop its endless loops, anxiously repeating the usual lists of things to do.  This might be the result of an over-burdened life, where it’s simply a busy agenda that makes us attuned to being always on the go.  But it’s also sometimes a sign of disconnect from the world at large, and it’s hard to feel relaxed when it seems as though there’s so much to worry about.  When you work with choosehottubsdirect.com, you’re working with a company that’s also very conscious of the world at large.  Last year, when Hurricane Ike hit, they started donating part of their profits to help the victims of this disaster.

This can make relaxing in the gorgeous hot water, with the exquisite massaging jets, much easier.  Working with a company that has a conscience is always a pleasure, and it’s something that can put the mind at ease.  For a small business to donate to a cause means that they care about the local community, and instead of the usual disconnect we feel when we use products where it’s difficult to see the human face, this is connected deeply to the community’s concerns.  It’s a wonderful thing to feel a sense of absolute calm after a long day, and you can enjoy your perfect moments of relaxation knowing that you’re helping to contribute to something that matters.

At the same time, it’s difficult to find a more easy way to relax than with a personal spa.  The sense of calm is immediate, when you’re submerged in the water, and it starts to work its magic.  As the body starts to calm down, the mind starts to relax, and you can feel an exquisite ease with the moment at hand.  Whether you’re enjoying some moments by yourself, or spending time with loved ones, when you’re relaxing in a spa, the only thing required at the moment is to enjoy, and that’s something spectacular.

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Jurong Bird Park in Singapore

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I promised myself that the next time I was able to take one or two vacations Singapore was going to be my destination, and the Jurong Bird Park was where I was going to spend at least one day.  I’ve been there once before and it was terrific.  If you’re a bird lover, there’s no way to pass this park by, because you’re able to see birds you’ve never even imagined!

When you first arrive in the park, I suggest you take the monorail ride to get an overview of the entire place, then start exploring on your own.  The monorail will give you an idea about the size of the area; it has to be big, because most of the birds are kept in the open.  At least, that’s true of the birds that live in the wetlands; any birds of prey, though, are kept inside cages, for the protection of the other animals.  Make sure you go to the birds show around feeding time for the pelicans at the Pools Amphitheatre.  Make sure, too, to go to the lory loft in order to feed lories.  They’re fantastic.  You might wonder if the lories would run from you, but they don’t.  If you stand still, they’ll come up to you — as long as they see in your hand that cup of food.  Did you see the movie Happy Feet?  You’ll get a strong reminder of those cartoon penguins when you watch the real thing.  Happy Feet live!

The shows at the bird park are simply brilliant.  You’ll find the park a very peaceful place, with birds everywhere.  Even the artificial waterfalls are interesting.  It’s a great place to take the family or just a fun time out with friends.

You may not believe it, but I have a friend who went to the Jurong Bird Park when he was eight and found it such an unbelievable place that he chose Singapore as his honeymoon destination and took his wife to the park, planning to spend the whole day there!  And whatever you do, don’t miss the Lory Loft!  There’s about a thousand of these extremely friendly and playful birds It’s just amazing to be surrounded by them.

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EMFA and Andalusian Experiments

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Travel in Seville is a fantastically heady experience for anyone who wants to look into the heart of Spanish style and sensibility.  It’s one of the most interesting places in the country, having been host to a number of invading civilizations over the centuries.  In Andalusia, generally, there is a magnificent sense of style, and over the time periods when other civilizations were nesting here, they never lost their fierce individuality, but they also have a marvelous capacity to adapt to any situation.  This can be seen today in the spectacular way that cultural influences have worked their way into the architecture and art, but at the same time, there’s never any doubting that you’re in Spain.

The sense of style and hospitality is certainly pronounced here, and no better evidences than in the exquisite lodgings in Seville.  Hotels are plentiful here, offering a terrific array of choices for travelers, and there’s surely something here to suit your style and budget.  It’s a deep pleasure to wake up in luxury, greeted by splendid decor, and fresh food prepared by world-class chefs who excel in the cuisines of the region.  The culinary scene here is very highly developed, having adapted to many cultural influences, and maintaining the best of Spanish tradition.  And it always has an impeccable way of making it entirely local, so that there is never any question that you are experiencing a meal that is entirely Andalusian.

This sensibility certainly makes its way into the art forms here, and anyone with a bit of curiosity about the history of music here would appreciate the efforts of EMFA.  The acronym stands for Experimental Music from Andalusia, and this is a group of heavyweight intellectuals and artists who make new music, and are fascinated with the possibilities for experimental music in the new century.  There are some fascinating artists working on the project, like Tsukiko Amakawa, who was born in Tokyo and now makes her home here in Spain.  There is a high degree of play and adventure here, and you’ll find some lovely sounds that reflect the here that is Seville, with all of its cultures and influences making something local and global all at once.

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Jakarta’s Heri Dono

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Indonesia is one of the most fascinating places on the earth, with a fascinating and complex history, where civilizations have inhabited the area for thousands of years.  Its contemporary scene is extremely lively, with a blend of cultures meeting every day, and Jakarta is the largest city here, and one of the largest in the world.  If you’re looking for an endlessly interesting urban scene that’s also close to incredible natural areas, temples, and a host of other attractions, then this has some wonderful things in store for you.  There are amazing galleries, fantastic restaurants, and gorgeous luxury hotels.  Jakarta is an amazing city, and seeing it from a place of splendor is an excellent introduction.

Jakarta is constantly on the move, and constantly evolving.  It is the culmination of years of cultural fusions, and it always feels like it’s on the brink of another evolution.  There are some amazing artistic and intellectual developments that happen here every day, and the galleries are particularly suited to show off the fruits of creative labors.  If you spend even a little time here, you’re likely to come across the work of Heri Dono.  He was born south of Java, in Yogyakarta, in 1960, and is now one of the most prolific artists living here.

His work is seen widely, not only in Jakarta or Indonesia, but all over the world, in places like the Walsh Gallery in Chicago, Illinois.  The work of Heri Dono belongs to what critics call the new Internationalism.  It is intensely local, drawing on Indonesian indigenous traditions, in the face of, and often ironically juxtaposed to, European art forms.  This gives it a self-consciousness that makes it able to play in all the art world, with references to everything, and allied only to itself.  Marvelously playful and simultaneously challenging, his works cross over into many traditions, and media, working from painting to installation and then into the beyond.

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Singapore’s Botanic Gardens

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In the center of the city lies the Singapore Botanical Gardens, a favorite of mine because that’s where you’ll find the Royal Orchid Gardens.  It’s a respite away from city life with ponds and bridges, gazebos, flora and fauna, and walking paths for anyone fortunate enough to find their way here.  If you want a picnic, this is a great place for it, a place where you can walk on the grass and it’s even encouraged.

Near Orchid Road, the large Botanical Gardens is an easy walk from shopping centers and five star singapore hotels, perhaps just ten minutes or so from Tanglin Mall.  Certainly, it’s a wonderful place to simply sit back and relax and take in all the beautiful tropical plants.  The banyan trees are amazing, and there’s a swan pond, filled with fish and turtles and, yes, swans, too!  If you can spare a few crumbs of bread, the swans will love it.

However, the centerpiece of the part is the National Orchid Garden.  You have to pay a small entrance fee, but it’s definitely worth it.  There’s so many orchids.  I was surprised to see they have a section of orchids with the names of celebrities — although most celebrities seem to be politicians that have visited Singapore at one time or another.

Lots of open space for the kids to run in, and, some nights, there are special events — often performances given by the Singapore Orchestra.  Occasionally, they show movies in the park, too.

The Botanical Gardens have a few restaurants, too, including Halia (which means ginger), and Au Jardin (a fancy French restaurant).  Au Jardin is very nice, but for me the more interesting place was Halia, which was a cafe surrounded by a ginger garden.

If you don’t want to take the ten to fifteen minute walk to get here, you can try out the mass transportation.  Since the MRT doesn’t come here, your best choice is to use the bus.  Arriving from the city?  Try these lines: 7, 77, 106, 123, and others.  If you think a taxi might work best for you, then be sure to have them come to the Visitor Center in back, but when you leave, go to the exit on Holland road, because it’s hard to get taxis from the Visitor Center.  You may be lucky and get a cab as one drops other people off, but I wouldn’t count on it!

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COFA in Sydney

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Australia is a fascinating country, with an enormous variety of flora and fauna, many different distinctive geographic regions, and a fascinating history.  The history is still under construction, being modified every moment by the intensely creative and innovative people who live and work here.  Sydney is one of its most exciting cities, with close access to spectacular beaches as well as other magnificent natural wonders, and also has an amazing energy.  It is both a major financial and creative center for Australia, attracting artists and professionals from all over, looking to contribute to, and benefit from, its thriving scene.

The city is home to a number of cultural festivals that play a big part in the international arts scene, as well as some very local and distinctive things that you can only see here.  There are also many excellent hotels.  Sydney, Australia offers a gorgeous array of choices for travelers coming here to look for something new and exciting, and with a great sense of hospitality.  There is a fantastic array of options for looking at visual art here.  The established museums are quite good, showing classical and contemporary works that reflect the region, as well as international trends.  The galleries have a huge variety, offering anything from the very trendy to the very edgy, and there is an excellent art scene here to feed and support these.  Guests looking for something in between might want to check out COFA.

This is the gallery for student work at the University of New South Wales, and there’s always something interesting happening here.  The art department is one of the more interesting in the world, because they do offer both classical arts, such as painting and sculpture, along with new media arts, like computer design and time based art.  This variety is reflected in the work that’s show here, and there are many resources that will list the current offerings.  They also have a blog that is very well-kept, with up to the minute information about what’s showing here, along with general news about the art department.  Seeing student work is one way of looking at a city’s rough edges, looking at what artists do when they’re trying to push barriers.  It also lends itself to supporting promise, and also at times can be simply great work by great artists who are not yet famous.  But it’s always worth a look, and sometimes can be a very lovely afternoon.

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Mumbai’s Bollywood Inspires Filmmaker

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Louise had always dreamed of being in the movies. From the time she was a child she loved performing and was always in the school plays. She particularly enjoyed musicals talked her parents into giving her singing lessons at when she was seven. In high school she participated in student films and realized her passion for the movies was something she could not ignore. She would make a career somehow once again talked to her parents. Eventually she accepted the deal they offered which was to go to a great film school and then they would support her for the first five years out of school. However, they would only give her that financial support if she graduated from college first. It was too good to pass up and Louise applied to and was accepted in a school with a good program.

Interestingly it was Louise’s love of movies that encouraged her to agree to go with her friend Jesse to Mumbai India. She was familiar with Bollywood and has seen some of the movies that have come out of there. One of the things that happened while Louise was in school was that she discovered she had more of a love for being behind the camera than in front of it. Since then she has earnestly studies as many theories of film direction as she could get her hands on. Bollywood is the largest film producer in the country of India, and also one of the largest in the world. Touring Bollywood in Mumbai would be a dream for Louise so she eagerly accepted Jesse’s offer. Jesse was interested in going because he had received a travel grant for a research paper he was working on. He was interested in touring the Elephanta Caves that are located near Mumbai. Louise agreed to be his travel companion if Jesse agreed to take her to Bollywood. The plan sounded great to both of them so they made their reservations in one of the Mumbai hotels and off they went.

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Going Shopping in Bangalore

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Shopping is a pastime for many people, and when traveling through the Indian cities, one will find not only bargains, and rare and exotic trinkets, art and clothing, but they will be given a view of the city that is different than the opera houses, the museums, the galleries and fine dining restaurants.  The markets are the heart and soul of everyday life, and of the majority of the people of the country.  The markets are varied, but no matter the differences, they are abuzz with energy, often times chaotically so.

From the spice market in Kerela to the water boat markets in Goa, the variety and the charm, the color and spirit, all are amazing aspects of the traditional cultures of the country.  In Bangalore, restaurants found in the markets on Brigade Road, will provide the nourishment necessary for the long days of shopping and bargain hunting.  There are many modern malls in the city such as the Yayanagar Shopping Complex or the Commercial Street Malls, but nothing compares to the street vendors, the food hawkers, the street performers and the diversity.

Bangalore is the Silicon Valley of India, and Brigade Road shops reflect this.  You will find stores selling not only the standard crafts and fresh produce, but ones that offer everything from photography equipment, books and magazines, antiques, electronics, fine silk clothing and textiles.  There are also many funky and artistic boutiques as the local young of Mumbai frequent the markets.  This is also quite a commercial hub, where you will find venues for entertainment, from live music to a plethora of restaurants serving some of the finest, and most scrumptious of Indian cuisine.  Bangalore is known to be a paradise for the shopper, and this is true.  There are many other markets to choose from, such as the one located along side Brigade Road, MG Road, and there will be something for everyone.  Aside from the items, you will leave Bangalore with the experience of the flavor of the culture of this incredible city in India.

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