Rediscover Singapore - The Singapore River

Sail down the river which brings us life, winding through my Singapore this is home truly that's our National Day Theme Song sung by Kit Chan and penned by Dick Lee during the 9th August 1998. The Singapore River is 3.2 kilometres long from it sources from Kim Seng Bridge to where it empties into Marine Bay winding through Jiak Kim Bridge, Robertson Bridge, Pulau Saigon Bridge, Alkaff Bridge, Clemenceau Bridge, Ord Bridge, Read Bridge, Coleman Bridge, Elgin Bridge, Cavenagh Bridge, Anderson Bridge, Esplanade Bridge, Helix Bridge, Bayfront Bridge and finally Benjamin Sheares Bridge. Today the river is part of the Marina Reservoir after damming the Singapore River at its outlet to the sea to create a freshwater reservoir with the building of a dam at the end of the river known as Marina Barrage.

Rediscover Singapore - Clans Street/Mistress Street

Bukit Pasoh Road is home to the headquarters of close to 30 cultural and clans associations with about 70 years of history since 1920, during that time wealthy merchants were said to have kept a mistress in the residences alongside the clan association. The two and three-storey prewar art deco shophouses with wooden swing doors and fanciful moulding of rosettes on the walls and balconies with fluted balustrades and tiled roof, they ooze of old-world charm, along the street there was once the Majestic Hotel occupied unit No 31-37 with 30 uniquely furnished suites, today after 11 years after it began operation it was sold and turned into a Straits Clan an exclusive Club in 2018.

Rediscover Singapore - Visting the Singapore Zoo

Set out yesterday morning with a photography group to visit the Zoo for the first time since the Circuit Breaker which went into Phase 2 and 10 days into Phase 3, there was a great change to the landscape surrounding the Zoo lots of constructions going on to welcome the recently celebrated 50 years of the Jurong Bird Park to their new location to Mandai. Everything within the Zoo had also changed due to the pandemic, visitors are required to book online and also doing safe entry check using apps such as Trace Together or SingPass even dining in at there F&B outlets and something never changes are the animals and their enclosure but there is safe distancing ambassador everywhere non the less we had an enjoying outing.

Rediscover Singapore - Esplanade Theatre on the Bay (The Big Durians)

Theatre on the Bay also known as Esplanade Theatre or simply The Esplanade is a performing Arts Center locating in the Downtown Core near the mouth of the Singapore River and named after the Esplanade Park (previously Queen Elizabeth Walk) it consists of Concert Hall, Recital Studio, Theatre Studio, open waterfront performing area for the free performance. The land was reclaimed for the sea and construction begins in 1996 and completed in 2001 and officially opened in 2002 come 2021 there will be an additional 550 seat venue called Singtel Waterfront Theatre.

Rediscover Singapore - Clarke Quay

Clarke Quay got it's named from Clarke Street and a historical quay situated on the upstream from the mouth of Singapore River and got its name from Sir Andrew Clarke the 2nd governor of the Straits Settlement from 1873 - 1879, at the present-day part of the road was converted into a pedestrian mall at the height of the booming trade the quay was a mooring place for barge lighter and bumboat (Tow Kor) which continue into the latter half of the 20th century and because the river is heavily polluted the present government decided to relocate it to a modern facility at Pasir Panjang. Ten years is all it takes to clean the Singapore River from 1977 to 1987 and Clarke Quay Festival Village the largest conservation project for the Singapore River site which was officially opened in 1993 it was managed and owned by Capitaland. Today the place is full of mix tenants with riverfront dining, nightclub, F&B outlets, G-Max reverse bungee and River cruise and River Taxi and its the destination for nightlife institution in Singapore.

Rediscover Singapore - New Year Resolution

The only resolution which I had made was back in 1/1/1981 was to quit smoking which took effect on that day and today I am free of cigarettes as at 3/1/2021 that was 40 years ago and mark my youngest son 40th Birthday. I was once a heavy smoker during my teenage years, I could consume 4 packets of 20 sticks a day during mahjong session after work till early morning today the cost of a packet of smoke will cost from $10 - $12 a packet compared to 70 cents for a packet of 20s' in the 60s. Ask me how much do I save over the years I say nothing simply you save on smoke but you spend on others. So what your resolution.

From today's Straits Times Newspaper 3/1/2021

Rediscover Singapore - Singapore City Gallery (URA Centre)

Inside the Urban Redevelopment Centre are the Singapore City Gallery featuring Singapore transformation over the past 50 years since our independence to become one of the most liveable cities in Asia. Its tells of Singapore's development  Story with interactive and immersive exhibits the details of our planning challenges and the innovative solution that tackle them.