Singapore Day 4: Just wandering around now

Having finished off the temples fairly quickly I decided just to spend the day wandering about. I came across the Chinatown Heritage Center and decided to check it out. No photos were allowed so no pictures. I met a girl from the Philippines who had gotten a free ticket or something. I don't understand why but she was afraid to go in by herself and asked me to go with her. It turns out she was a java programmer and so I talked a little bit about her job, just out of curiosity. It's not so clear to me anymore but I think whatever she was working on used J2EE... yikes. Why anyone would still want to use that overly complicated architecture and technology is beyond me when there are other lightweight ways to do the same thing... but I'm getting off topic here.
The Chinatown Heritage Center was ok if you've got nothing to do. It told the story of the Chinese immigrants that came to Singapore and what their living conditions were like. I'll let you guess.... yep, not so good. I think I probably had the most fun checking out their replica toilets from the old days. It was about the size of a portapotty but made of..... concrete or stone... something heavy. Anyway you stood on a platform about 2-3 feet above the ground and there was a hole under you. I don't think you're supposed to touch it, but since nobody was around I jumped up on it and squatted just for fun. No photos for you... too bad! Maybe I didn't really do it then!

A random sign I saw while walking around... I did not get any since I already had crocodile in Cambodia.

After this it was off the Esplanade again. There was some fair going on, maybe a motorcycle trade show or something so I got to snap a few pictures of import models. There wasn't much to do there, and I think I ended up eating Popeyes of all places because it was right there and I was lazy, hungry, and tired.

The Ferris Wheel at the Esplanade. It's quite expensive and I think it takes 30 minutes to go around once.

Some fair was going on, I got there just as it was ending.

Import models.

Import Models

Tired I returned back to the hostel only to find the most interesting thing I saw in Singapore. A bunch of Chinese people line dancing in front the of the Chinatown Complex in Chinatown. Yes, Line Dancing... to country music. They were really into it, and I guess they do it once a month. Quite a spectacle. Enjoy the footage.

Singapore Day 4: Chinatown Temples

Almost a month between posts... and my asia tour trip has been over for quite some time now. Sorry for the delays... if you're still following me. I promise to finish it all up soon.

My 4th day in Singapore was pretty relaxing. I felt I had seen most of what I wanted to already so my plan was just to explored two temples: The Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and The Sri Marianmman Temple. Both of these temples were in Chinatown and only minutes away from my hostel. I had walked by them plenty of times already by this point, so it was about time I dropped in for a visit.

The Buddha Tooth Relic Temple & Museum
The Buddha Tooth Relic Temple .... eh, I didn't think it really stood out. I also some how missed the Buddha Tooth Relic. Hahahaa. Oh well.

The Buddha Tooth Relic Temple & Museum

100 Buddhas

Monks Chanting

Sri Marianmman Temple
The Sri Mariamman Temple is the oldest Hindu Temple in Singapore, having been constructed in 1827. It has played an important role in the history of Hindus in Singapore. Early on it was a shelter for Indian immigrants. It was also the only Hindu temple who priests were vested wit the authority to marry people. The temple is dedicated to the Mother Goddess Sri Mariamman so people come here for her healing powers.

Warning the next picture is NSFWNotice anything inappropriate by western standards in this ceiling art? How about his um...