Six kilometers in four and a half hours, how's that? That is an average of about 1.3kms per hour haha! For reference purposes, a turtle walks an average of 3.2 kms/hr! Ano laban ka? Eh I usually walk brisk, diba? Anyare? Actually this was a "stroll, tambay, photo-op, sight-seeing, beer, kain, walk" combination!
It was just 8PM when I returned to my hotel after an early 'dinner with friends'. It was not time to sleep yet, of course, and I felt like walking around nearby places, at least for some while, instead of going up to the roofdeck (again), swimming or sitting, viewing whatever could be seen from there, alone. Gosh!
So, I went out to walk about - I 'generally' already know these places anyway.
Just across Holiday Inn Express (HIE) is a 'curiosity' by itself called 'Central Mall' (do not confuse with the nearby "The Central at Clarke Quay" or "Clarke Quay Central"). I headed left towards the river that has a formally designated walking trail - amidst bars, shops, restaurants and OMG many things more!
This little road between the HIE and Central Mall is "Magazine Road". Bewilderingly, both of them use "#1 Magazine Road" for an address. But they're across each other! Ha? Anyway, Central Mall's smaller buildings use #3, #5 and #7 Magazine Road for their address. Next to them is a temple which is #15!
Magazine Road, by the way, is just a very short quiet street, probably a hundred or so meters, although this isn't THE shortest in Singapore. That title belongs to 'Finlayson Green St.' in front of Ascott Raffles Place - mga 80 meters lang daw ang haba. How did I know? Ah, somebody working at Ascott told me!
Hmm, anyway, like my friend, I also think that's contestable (ayan nakialam nanaman) because, on the other side of Central Mall Building is Solomon Street. It seems to be even way shorter than 80 meters!
Hah, I told you this Central Mall block is a curious, even unpretentious place! Go inwards on Solomon St., to the back of the main building, and you stumble upon good (hidden) restaurants and the 'clubs'!
Anyway, I proceeded, passing via Tan Si Chong Su Temple, to the end of Magazine Road which, is the western and narrowest portion of Merchant Road (above the CTE tunnel), which meant, upon crossing I was already by the Singapore River! Yes, at the 'Riverside Point' Mall which incidentally houses five of my favorites in this area - Brewerkz, Harry's, Cafe Iguana, Jumbo Seafood and, wag ismolin - 7-Eleven!
You see those folks on the top edge of the photo above? They're tourists (like me!), having a pictorial, with one of the 'bumboats' as their background. Yes, those boats are called "bumboats" in Singapore..,
Is it different on the other bank of this river? Yes, but not much. I just looked a bit left and saw this..,
That is probably 3 kilometers all the way to Marina Bay Sands via this river. But don't worry, whichever jetty you may hop-on to a boat, the distance covered and sights seen will be all the same. That area is where boats make a u-turn - at the bridge with pinkish lights (left edge of photo), tapat ng Liang Court.
Oh, btw, not even many Singaporeans know this.., that edge at Liang Court (yung maliwanag na mall) is where the real Clarke Quay Street begins/ends - its other end you will see in my next picture below! I took that picture while on Alkaff Quay Street (where River Point is) which also ends in the next picture.
Okay, let's look right and go right, as that is where my walk went. Pero teka tsismis muna: meron daw magaganap sa kanto na yan (Liang Court kasama ang Novotel), I heard kagabi sa 'dinner with friends'!
This is the Read Bridge, not only historic and historical, it now connects 5 streets and 1 roundabout!
Tatlo na yan. Then, on the southern portion of this Read Bridge (right edge of the picture) is where the Alkaff Quay Street (where I came from and where I stood to take that picture), and Boat Quay Street (galing dun pa sa unahan) meet. That's also where the circular drive (rotunda) of Read Crescent Park converges with them. So ayan.., that is why I said Read Bridge connects 5 streets and 1 roundabout!
I went up to the middle of the bridge to take a photo of this livelier portion of the Singapore River..,
Eto story-telling nanaman, and I seem to like this hehe.., In the past, at least during my previous visits, this Read Bridge was a favorite tambayan of the younger set. Not really the very young boys and girls, nor the newbie yuppies. More on maybe what we in the Philippines call as the mga bagets, or the mga tropa, tambay, pakawala, nagwawala.., isama mo na yun mga frat, gang, war-freak, jologs, etc! Ganun.
This was their "domain". I think they even had a hip/popular name for this: "The Bridge"! Ano ang event dito? Ah well, the usual, inuman, hithitan, harutan, landian, alaskahan, minsan sapakan. Syempre pa, di mawawala ang biking, skateboarding since 'no motorized vehicles' ang buong area na ito, remember?
There was a time napag-deskitahan nila yung hagdan. Doon sila mahilig magliparan in their bikes and skateboards at madalas nakaka-abala sa mga restaurant/bar patrons or just the usual people walking along North Boat Quay and Clarke Quay streets. So, me matandang nakaisip: 'ilawan ang tulay na yan'!
Inilawan in the name of safety and tourism beauty! Ayun, nangawala gabi-gabi ang mga damuho! But they only transferred to the other bridges na medyo mas madilim hahaha! Let's see if we can pass by one of those bridges later. But with those seven (or is it 9) pairs of 'park-like' lamp posts, Read Bridge became like a park, now a go-to place amongst night-time strollers, and tourists frequently crossing it!
The drinking though did not stop! But this time, folks who gathered around were the more responsible non-violent white collar type of 'night-cappers' na walang dahilan para magtago sa dilim o magpasikat ng kanilang skateboarding o BMX skills, o kahit anumang uri ng sasakyan! Mainly mga office-workers!
The restaurants and bars caught up with the trend! Pa-minsan-minsan they hold sponsored parties or promotional seasonal holiday events here, like (I think) it was tonight (Chinese New Year?). That's why they have restaurant tables sa gitna ng tulay. But anyone may still cross the bridge as they pleased, be it in the middle (among the restaurant tables) or along the side walking areas like in my picture above.
So, in the middle of Read Bridge, I faced right (to the east) and I got this picture of Singapore River!
To the right of those plants is the main walking street of Boat Quay (bawal sasakyan dito, remember) and further to its right side is already Swissotel Merchant Court and Clarke Quay Central (the mall that we said earlier is The Central Clarke Quay). Sa loob (ilalim) nyan is the Clarke Quay MRT Station(NE5).
That bright building in the middle, I'll describe later (below), and those four (actually lima yan) lighted crane-like structures are an OMG attraction - the G-MAX. No hindi yung prepaid o postpaid cellular line mo, walang kinalaman yan sa talepano! Well, don't bring your phone on that ride dahil baka malaglag!
I remember, when that thing was new in the early 2000s (yung maliit na babae pa ang presidente natin noon), we went to ride that thing ('reverse bungy' daw yan) and OMG, di na'ko uulit! Nevuh! Nibir butig!
This time, I saw that they have another kind of ride (that's why there are already 5 cranes, while before there were only 2) called 'GX5 Extreme Swing'. But looking at it, I think mas nakakatakot yun sa Danao Bohol 'Plunge'. Anyway, on that G-Max thing.., bayaran mo man ako ng milyon.., ah eh.., pag-iisipan ko!
Further left, is CQ (Clarke Quay) Mall. Parang iyang magkakatabing mga building na yan ang naaalala kong ma orig sa lugar na ito. Somewhere in there are famous haunts especially that Zouk is already in there since 2016! Syempre andyan din ang sikat na Hooters, ang kauna-unahan nilang branch in Asia!
Now, I was still at Read Bridge and saw this interesting signage. I told ya, they have a river walk route!
A bit forward, here's what I described above as the "promenade or a lover's lane tambayan whatever"!
Hahaha nakakalibang na pampalipas-oras pag wala kang magawa! Example? Well, foremost, I said in my mind "sige ate, pulaputan mo, lingkisin mo pa at bukas makalawa uuwi na yan sa Russia, goodbye gurl ka na, hanap ng iba! Just in my mind, I don't say it in my mouth baka mapagkamalan akong baliw!
Ah yung sunod.., that girl alone? Pinay sya! How did I know? Easy. Sa ibang bansa, pag nakakita ka ng taong tutok na tutok ang mukha sa phone nya, at 'di magkamayaw ang hinlalaki sa kakapindot, tapos mamaya-maya eh ngingiti o papadyak ang paa sa sahig o kalsada.., alams na, kababayang tunay yan!
In fact, not long after, ayun, nag-ring ang talepano nya, sabay sabi "nasaan na ba kayo, gutom na ako"! See? Tan-awin mo! Of course I didn't talk to her, but I really wanted to say "ate, kung maka-shorts tayo sa wow legs na 'yan.., para bagang inaakit natin ang buong... Sri Lanka! Mind you, di sya mukhang DH.
Yung dalawa dun sa me poste, di ko alam, baka pinag-uusapan yung mga 5-6 nila hahaha! Samantala, yung dalawa pang naka-black sa unahan, mukhang mga barista, di ko alam kung lovers or workmates lang sila on their 15-minute break at pinag-uusapan ilan na ang nabasag nilang tasa during their shift!
Ah, itong dalawang bagets na nasa dilim sa kanan, kasama nila yun group dun sa unahan na me mga nakatayo. They are students on a "night photography" field work. Ang mga dalang gadgets oh my gee gino-o ko, parang hindi mga newbie! Naawa ako sa sarili ko, parang gusto kong mang-hablot ng gamit ng me gamit, sabay takbo! But I wanted to tell them "wala sa baril yan, nasa asinta ng bumabaril yan"!
Lastly on that last picture above, you can drink or eat your to-go food there. But the technic I do para maka-mura.., wag sa restobar bumili, not even at Errazuriz (yung kiosk-style bar sa mismong gitna ng kalsada, akala mo bilihan lang ng yosi). Andyan lang ang 7-Eleven sa me Read Crescent park, likod ng Jumbo Seafood ilang hakbang lang! Learned that from Pinoy friends who brought me here years ago.
Let's proceed...
Still along the front of Clark Quay Central, tadtad yan ng restaurants - all kinds from all over the world hanggan sa dulo ng building where there are a scattering of mga rebulto on the pavement, but I don't know if arte lang sila or merong cultural whatever significance. You'll find Chili's at that corner before going 'underpass' or up to Eu Tong Sen street level, to cross and continue your stroll along Boat Quay.
I stopped at this corner amid the mga rebulto, looking at one of my favorite buildings in Singapore..,
Anyway, nabanggit ito nung 'Free Singapore Tour' guide namin. MICA is their Ministry of Information, Communication and the Arts. That building was originally a police station (1930s yata), the tallest in its time (6 floors) and it was even already called a 'skyscraper', plus, that street facing us is Hill Street.
I'll dig up my files nga one of these days. I know I have a picture of that building on a daytime. It is just so attractive mixing the neo-calssical building style of yesteryears with the vivid paint colors of today!
On with my 'night walk', I crossed the big street (Eu Tong Sen? / New Bridge Road?) via the underpass
These informative clauses make this otherwise eerie 'subterranean avenue' become more interesting!
Natawa ako dito. But what can we do, that's evolution at work.., for 'progress' daw in Singapore's case!
'Wag humalakhak oi! Ganun din tayo, lalo na kayo mga Taglish! Ang important: just don't be "entitled".
This one was very educational (for me). I didn't know there were also Chinese Coolies (slaves)..,
This one reminded of something/someone.., a Pinoy busker that I saw before, in one of these tunnels.
Looking at this, I smiled in agreement! And I immediately frowned remembering my country's officials!
As I walked going out of this tunnel, somewhere in me was debating, if I should have dinner again or if I should resist the temptation! I know, the building at right, immediately upon exit from this underpass, has a restaurant that serves yummy (authentic?) Indian food. Me kamahalan lang at pang-family size!
That building (The Riverwalk) is huge, it occupies the whole block up until the next road, where there's also a bridge that, also has an underpass! By the way, I know Pinoys working in Singapore who usually go to this building for something like a work permit. I'm almost sure it's a government office up there.
But the whole ground level, yes kahit sa likod (andun nga yata ang entrance paakyat e), is full of good restaurants. Next to the Indian resto that I said, there's also a Jumbo Seafood branch, ayayay kalami!
Anyway, I walked fast to the next underpass, so I won't see or smell the food from those restaurants!
Magaling. And very obvious that they properly maintain the lights, and cleanliness. But I wonder, wala bang vandals sa Singapore? Ah let me answer my self: maraming CCTV and they seriously apprehend criminals bata man o matanda! It is difficult to commit crimes in this city, kaya ayun, lahat umaayos!
By the way, thinking of those 'tunnels' or 'underpasses', it is of course hard to believe that they were already like so, even in the 1800s. I think inilagay na lang ang mga yan by the last time they improved or reconstructed the bridge. Which is all the more impressive - meaning talagang they planned wisely!
Let's proceed, back into my night walk!
After the Elgin Bridge underpass, eto na ang mas mahirap hahaha! As you come up the path from that tunnel, you are confronted by a long row of chinatown-style seafood restaurants about 300 meters (or even longer). And these are usually cheaper than most (if not all) of the restaurants I passed-by so far.
The more that I had to speed through this area, as the aroma of all those seafood filling the air is just so tempting! The scent of varied styles of crab cooking makes me salivate! I 'resisted the temptation'! But not my heart nor my stomach said that, it was the wallet that actually ultimately prevailed hahaha!
But I felt "thirsty". Hmm, so.., at the end of this row of seafood joints, I bought a bottle of Corona Beer and rested a while. Any reason why "at the end of this row of seafood joints"? Yes. All stalls have open (roofed) dining areas at the water's edge - across their stores, so the river views are a bit 'obstructed'!
But at the last seafood-restaurant (me McDo sa likod nila), front of the tall UOB Plaza, you have this.
Yep, that white light spanning across the river is Cavenagh Bridge, one meaningful heritage structure that they were able to maintain since the days of old. But, let us get to that in just a while, after this..,
While smoking drinking, I looked across the river to the Asian Civilizations Museum (yellow building)
Yeah, I was just there almost a month (28 or 29 days?) ago, looking towards this very spot where I sit now! Remember that story? Look at the photo above that paragraph, where the tallest building and the edge of the "little red roofs" sit side-by-side, in the middle of that picture, that's where I'm sitting now!
Let's move-on anyway, and I mentioned Cavenagh Bridge earlier, right? Ito yan sya..,
Nice too that they retained the 'original' signage from many years ago, and it says bawal daw gamitin ng sasakyan na more than 150kgs (teka, ako 75kgs na ah!) at bawal din tumawid ang baka at kabayo! Well, wala pa naman kotse in those days!
1 CWT is about 50kgs so 3 CWT is just 150kgs? Baka nga, meaning sasakyan na ganun na agad kabigat mag-isa - baka lumundo o mabutas yung 'sahig' ng tulay. But, mukhang pwede naman yata mga sasakyan o mga tao na hindi aabot ng 3 CWT per individual, as in bawat isa. I think!
This one is on the steel railings of the bridge. Wow, made in Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom!
And I am not surprised why cattle were not allowed during those times with 'weaker' types of bridges. Eh sa atin nga, bawal din naman - click here to see an example in one of my stories last 2012 - eh new millenium na yun! Btw, Cavenagh Bridge daw is now too low for the river tour boats, pero kinakaya pa.
Alright, diagonally across Cavenagh Bridge, 4 or 5 steps lang yata, is already back of Fullerton Hotel.
Still beside Fullerton Hotel, this is the Anderson Bridge, built to ease traffic on Cavenagh Bridge..,
That bridge is interesting in that, it is wide of highway standards, but half of it (the western lane, iyang nakikita sa picture, is permanently part of the sidewalk they call Jubilee walk, while only the other half is used for vehicles. And, the Singapore Grand Prix passes by that bridge, yes the F1 Singapore circuit!
I now give you my permission to laugh at me (again).., I really had a hard time crossing this road..,
So I returned to this corner, watched those people running to cross. Can you see them? I stood a bit and took this photo. Ang gulo kasi (for me at least), pag-stop yung mga sasakyan on the main road, other vehicles were turning from the Fullerton Bridge. Look at that vehicle na tumatawid din, eh this is a drive-left country, bakit sya naka-ganun? Delikado. I waited for 'slower' folks and crossed with them!
Ah, I don't know.., I think I already said this in my other stories.., ang laki ko naman.., ang talino pa (sa tingin ko, dahil first honor ako nung Grade 1), but when it comes to crossing roads, malibog bitaw ko!
Anyway, so nakatawid na, (it's a mall at right) so you need to go down doon sa me mamang nakatayo sa kanan, and there are steps going down to the Merlion. Only to find out, there is also an underpass in this big bridge (nga birat ito hahaha). Look at that photo above again, sa left edge, there is what is called The Fullerton Waterboat House. Sa baba nun ang underpass, not tunnel but a road by the river.
Haruy! Anyway, I think the reason why those 'running people' were buwis-buhay in crossing that wide road is/was, they didn't also know there's such a big nice underpass (kalsada) mismong sa ilalim nila!
Well, maybe Singapore needs more signage before or at that boathouse thing.
Imagine that, if I didn't do this night walk, I would never have known about that pedestrian walk below that Esplanade Bridge! And there are even stores there, even a 7-Eleven to grab a beer if you want. Da!
I realize now, how many times ever you go to a place, if you just keep exploring, you are always bound to find or experience something new. Hmm, teka.., was this another lesson learned? Pwede! Why not?
Now.., here's a nice trivia that I was telling one of you my dear readers just some weeks ago..,
Where is that located? At "Merlion Park". The cutie 'Merlionette' is in the middle of that park. Where is that, where are they? Ah, sa likod nga nung orig! Look at the picture again, yung maliwanag is the big one! I noticed di na gaanong attractive yung garden since they concreted almost all of the grass area.
Okay, done! I thought I should end of my walk here. I rested a while, before 'walking back' to HIE. Nge! Ibig sabihin, kalahati pa lang ng night walk ko! Lalakad pa pala pabalik eh! While resting, I watched the many tourists visiting this place. Grabe, even late at night, there are still guided Chinese tour groups!
Look, that is the Marina Bay Sands viewed from the Merlion Park's vicinity..,
At left is the all-white, lotus-flower-inspired Art Science Museum; further left (edge of pic) is the Helix Bridge; and on foreground is one of the Bumboats cruising passengers on their Singapore River Tour.
While in this place, I looked right at 'One Fullerton' (mall) and said to myself 'ano naman ang gagawain ko dyan'. There are good (Regus) co-working spaces, virtual office + breakout rooms in there btw, just in case you need one! Well, beyond is Fullerton Pavilion, where I was kagabi, on my 'dinner w/ friends'!
So I went to take a photo of the spherical building. I think the restaurant in there is named Monti?
Yung maliwanag sa likod, sa kanan ng pavilion? Ito, Clifford Pier, now a resto by Fullerton Hotels too.
And the 2.5+ kilometer walk back to HIE started. But that irritatingly strong light made me think..,
That is actually some distance. Probably a kilometer (or more?) from the Merlion Park where I stood. But the royal body was still willing to collaborate with the inquisitive mind. So mana sue, arangkada!
I opted to walk via what is called the Jubilee Bridge. And here's another view of the Merlion at night!
Nawili.., here's one more (farther) patalikod shot of the Merlion as I walked on the Jubilee Bridge..,
How did I know about that jubilee jubilee thing? Ah eh.., eto o, nakasulat mismo sa tulay!
The bridge even has commemorative medallions on the pavement spaced at about 2 meters apart..,
My view of the iconic "Esplanade Theatres on the Bay" - the 'Durian', as I approached from the bridge.
The wonderful thing about this place is that it goes beyond just being a 'national arts center". It has so many things else to make sure visitors enjoy their every visit - like I do! From bata to matanda, umaga hanggang gabi, rakista o soyalera, nerdy or tech savvy, me pambayad o wala, there's something for all!
Pagsamasamahin mo ang CCP, Folk Arts, PICC, idagdag mo pa ang MOA Seaside (yung seaside lang) and The Podium (Mall)! Ganun ang dating ng lugar na ito. Ang dami na ring Pinoy na bumida dito - from singers to dancers, models, poets, musicians, choirs, pintor, pelikula, rondalla kung anu-ano pa!
Here is an example of a free performance (concert) at their Outdoor Theatre as I passed by..,
So, the Float@Marina Bay is just beside, and this was where the bright lights were coming from..,
Yes, Filipnos are very familiar with this kind of celebration. Yung gabi-gabi masaya, with all these..,
However, I am just not into eating a lot (btw there's still the Glutton's Bay beside the theatres), I am not also into those tiny fancy bargain butingtings, so I didn't stay long in this 'mala-fiestang night market'!
So I backtracked to the Esplanade Mall where there's a restaurant with a view of the outdoor theatre.
I did not eat here of course. Busog na! But I could smoke at the outside tables, so I had this instead..,
After the beer, I decided to finally walk back to HIE (mga 3km pa yun ah), but not before I did this..,
Alright, I thought of a good idea for my return walk - instead of re-tracing back the path I used coming here, I decided to walk on the other side of the river, for another 'angle' of/to the places I already saw!
First to beckon after 'The Durian' was this multi-stepped boardwalk(?) of mixed wood and concrete.
I do not know if this little corner of a garden even has a name! I think this is (or was?) still part of the QE Walk (Queen Elizabeth Walk). This is the water side of the children's play area on Esplanade Park. The steps give this 'boardwalk' some kind of an artsy new approach to landscaping shorelines. Nice!
Hey, it is not that simple! Some of the "steps" are on the water. I even went to see and feel of they are floating. No they're not. I think those were installed on a sturdy concrete foundation in the water itself.
Aside from being a nice new concept on water's edge structures - than the usual monotonously long concrete (breakwater with steps) - it makes the area feel more dreamy romantic! Pang-IG ang arrive!
Well, if you were seated on any of those steps, the/your front view would be 'debatable' if nice or not.
But the Anderson Bridge at the end of QE Walk, seems to be a nice accent to views from these steps.
I continued walking, keeping my route within just the QE Walk closest to the river. Why so? Because, it is easy to wander away from your planned path due to many interesting things around this expanse of wonderfully nice greens interconnected by park-like walking paths. Napakadali mawala, even at night.
Mawawala ka.., not really lost, but distracted.., mawawala ka sa schedule mo!
Approaching the tunnel (underpass), to cross the Anderson Bridge. Safe, even at past midnight!
And crossing the tunnel (underpass) of Anderson Bridge. Nakakasilaw ang nagliliwanag na ilaw!
From Anderson Bridge tunnel, I reached the 'giant mirror balls' (as they're called by many passersby)!
"Bukas" daw, eh mag-a-ala-una na.., it should be "mamaya"!
So, binilisan ang lakad... from Cavenagh Bridge this was approaching the northern end Elgin Bridge..,
Ayun na nga.., sa dami ng gustong tingnan at pag-deskitahan.., ayun mag-uumaga na.., eh about 1km pa of cadillakad to Holiday Inn Express Clarke Quay, at me plano pang mag-one bottle (only?) of beer!
On that final stretch, I passed by the G-Max thingy. A few folks were still waitinig to ride, but the booth already stopped selling tickets.., closing time na daw! No, wala akong balak sumakay ha, osyoso lang!
Of course, the bars were all still buzzy, though restaurants seemed to be already winding down for the night. I was tempted to turn right at Clarke St. but did not push. Oh, did you know there is a Clarke St., aside from the Clarke Quay St., that we mentioned earlier? Yes, yung papasok sa kanto ng Hooters. I remember, way in there, this Clarke St., intersects with Read St., with many more bars and restaurants!
Hey there's a Harry's bar in there - their Clarke Quay Branch - but I desisted, telling myself it is already late at night / early in the morning, so I continued walking 'home'. Only to find out, I could not resist...
Here here.., my view as I sat watching the river, with my beer at Harry's Riverside Point!
After the beer (na actually sinundan naman ng isa pa), I finally as in FINALLY walked back to HIE..,
And the last few steps that I had to take, to reach my Holiday In Express at 1:24AM. Yes "ng umaga"!
Hmm, that has been a long walk, and this has been a long story. Alas dos na!
See ya in my next article.., ugma pohon!
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