going downtown

Our walk continued. Actually, we took the Metro from Little India to Clarke Quay and looked at all the colorful buildings all in a row along the water. Shops, malls, and restaurants abound in this area and while we did not stop for anything, it was interesting to meander around. We also visited Boat Quay, and with the hot and humid temperatures, we stopped for a bottle of water at the end of that quay.

The sight most recognizable to Singapore might be the Merlion. There is some symbolism behind it. The lion head represents the original name of the city, Singapura, meaning 'lion city.' The fish, or 'mer' part of the statue represents the city's history as a fishing village. In any case, we found Merlion Park and took a few photos as well!

Andrea and I continued walking through the city and into the Esplanade. This is a strange-looking venue for musical and theatrical events. After a bit of consideration, I feel like it best resembles a durian; this fruit is a large melon sort of food. It smells awful and is banned on public transportation in Singapore. A friend of Andrea's likened it to eating ice cream in the toilet.

The Singapore Sling also found its way onto our agenda for the day. And, it would not be a proper Sling if we did not have it at the Raffles Hotel Long Bar, where the beverage was invented. By the time we arrived there, it felt amazing to sit down in a fanned environment. Peanuts were on the table to be shelled and eaten and we ordered our drinks pretty quickly!

Despite the atrocious cost (tourist trap), I enjoyed my Singapore Sling and spending the day catching up with my college roommate.

We had dinner with a couple of her friends at Chijmes, a church courtyard that was converted into restaurants. It was a long day, but a great day of sight seeing!