Daily Archives: 7 April, 1992

Sentosa Island – Musical Fountain Show (Singapore)

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From Underwater World, we walked to Monorail Station No. 7 and boarded one of the 6-pax cars of the Sentosa Monorail that circles Sentosa and alighted at Station No. 1 (Sentosa Ferry Terminal). Here, we plan to watch the 7:30 PM Musical Fountain (also known as the Magical Fountain of Sentosa) show.

The Sentosa Monorail was closed in 2005 and most of the island’s monorail was dismantled, though parts of the original track structure still remain. The monorail was replaced by the red, blue and yellow bus lines.

Sentosa Monorail

Started in 1972 and opened, 10 years later, in 1982, the fountain show was designed by world-renowned fountain designer Yves Pepin.  The star attraction at the resort, it was just upgraded early in the year and the fountain is now Neo-Classical in look, with heavily decorated arches.  Its design was also themed to look like a nature wonderland, with small ponds, shrubs and  gigantic man-made waterfalls flanking the fountain grounds.

Musical Fountain and Fountain Gardens

The pool consisted of 25 million gallons of water which took 3 man-hours to fill and the fountain and could be shot up to 20 m.  It had more than 19 different water formations including the famous Phoenix flanked by waltzing “chorus-lines.

The Neo-Classical Musical Fountain

It was already late in the afternoon when we arrived at the amphitheater which could  accommodate 5000 people seated and at least 100 standing. The 7 seating zones in the arena were themed after the colors of the rainbow.  The 3 minute and 36 second fountain display show we watched was said to have been inspired by the synchronized dance of the Fountains of Bellagio.  The show capped our visit in Sentosa.

The Musical Fountain underwent a major restoration and upgrading project in 1999. In 2002, Yves Pepin replaced all the musical fountain shows with the Magical Sentosa Show but this show did not last long. After operating for 25 years, it was shut down to make way for an integrated resort called Resorts World Sentosa . Its last show was staged on March 25, 2007 and was replaced by the “Songs of the Sea” show. The area once occupied by the Musical Fountain is now occupied by the Lake of Dreams, Hotel Michael and Crockford Tower.

Sentosa Island – Underwater World (Singapore)

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After our Pioneers of Singapore/Surrender Chambers Museum tour, we proceeded to Underwater World, Asia’s largest tropical oceanarium located on the western part of Sentosa.  Opened in 1991, this underground living museum has more than 2,500 marine and freshwater animals of 250 species from different regions of the world. Here, we befriended American couple William (Bill) and Ellen Smith.

Underwater World – Touch Pool

Upon entering, we encountered the “Touch Pool” where I got to feel starfishes, sea cucumbers, turtles and more. Further on is the Tidal Pool where we saw samples of multi-colored, living coral.

American Couple William (Bill) and Ellen Smith at the Perspex Tunnel

Next, we moved along a submerged, glass-windowed Perspex tunnel via an 83 m. long travelator, practically nose-to-nose with an array of marine life including a coral reef, stingrays, moray eel, turtles, sharks and other fishes and other fishes.

Underwater World – Schooling Fish Display

Sentosa Island – Pioneers of Singapore/Surrender Chambers Museum (Singapore)

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Upon arrival at the ferry terminal, we strolled along the Fountain Garden to the eclectic Pioneers of Singapore/Surrender Chambers Museum (opened in 1983).

Fountain Gardens

The Pioneers of Singapore offers a chronological history of the city-state, from the 14th century to the early 20th century, recreated via an animated and narrated tableaux in wax depicting the pre-British period of Malaysian rule, British colonialism, the founding of colonial Singapore by Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles, the Japanese Occupation and the post-colonialist era under Lee Kuan Yew, Singapore’s first Prime Minister.

Pioneers of Singapore

The Surrender Chambers, which depicts Singapore during the World War II years (1941-1945), captures the humiliation of defeat and the joy of victory through the use of rare audio and visual archive material such as photographs and footage, with realistic wax works recapturing the historical moments of the signing of both the British’s humiliating surrender on February 15, 1942 and the Japanese surrender to the Allies on September 12, 1945.

In 1994, the Pioneers of Singapore/Surrender Chambers Museum was extended to include a section called Festivals of Singapore and the attraction was rechristened “Images of Singapore.” The popular wax tableau Surrender Chambers has now been relocated, from Sentosa’s Images of Singapore Museum, to Fort Siloso.

Surrender Chambers

Enroute to Sentosa Island (Singapore)

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After our city tour and lunch, we again availed of another RMG Tours Pte. Ltd. tour, this time to the resort island of Sentosa (S$22 each). We were transported to the Mt. Faber Station where we boarded a 6-pax gondola of the Singapore Cable Car System (actually a bi-cable, detachable-grip gondola lift system), traversing 2 supporting towers and the World Trade Center & Ferry Terminal, to Sentosa.

Mount Faber Cable Car Station

Opened on February 15, 1974, it was the first aerial ropeway system in the world to span a harbor. Traveling the 1,650 m. distance at a speed of 4 m. per second, it took us about 12 mins. to get from Mount Faber to Sentosa, including the short interval at the World Trade Center.

World Trade Center and Ferry Terminal

Opened on February 15, 1974, it was the first aerial ropeway system in the world to span a harbor. Traveling 1,650 m. distance at a speed of 4 m. per second, it took us about 12 mins. to get from Mount Faber to Sentosa, including the short interval at the World Trade Center.

The Mount Faber Station has now been renamed as Jewel Box Station while the World Trade Center was renamed as the HarbourFront Centre in 2000 and its cable car station as the HarbourFront Station.

Sentosa

City Tour – Botanic Garden (Singapore)

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Lastly, from Mt. Faber, we then proceeded to the 74-hectare (183-acre) Botanic Garden. This combination of 4 hectares of primary jungle and elegantly planned and manicured gardens and greenhouses is home to 1,000 species and 2,000 hybrids of orchids, including many rare specimens. Malaysia’s rubber industry had its origins here in the 19th century when Henry Ridley successfully propagated and tapped Brazilian rubber trees from London’s Kew Gardens in 1877.

Botanic Garden – Vanda Miss Joachim

A high point of our visit here is the Victorian-style Orchid Pavilion with its 1,200 orchid plants, including the Vanda Miss Joaquim (honoring the daughter of a respected Armenian family), Singapore’s national flower, and a lilac bloom named after Singapore’s four millionth visitor, Jane Deny of Australia. A lake, home to waterfowl, ducks and kingfishers, adds to the serenity of the gardens. We also browse around at the RISIS Souvenir Shop.

Botanic Garden – RISIS Souvenir Shop

After our city tour, we had lunch along Victoria St.

Botanic Garden: 1 Cluny Rd. cor. Napier St., Singapore 259569.  Tel: 6471 7361. Open daily, 5 AM-12 midnight. Admission is free.

City Tour – Mt. Faber (Singapore)

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View of City From Mount Faber

From Chinatown, we moved out of the city to the 105 m. (344 ft.) Mt. Faber (actually just a hill), the highest point in the southern part of Singapore and a frequent tourist destination.  Located near the Bukit Merah planning area in the Central Region, it overlooks the Telok Blangah area, and the western parts of the Central Area.

Formerly known as Telok Blangah Hill, it was renamed after Capt. Charles Edward Faber of the Madras Engineers.  The hill’s slope includes a tower that is part of the Singapore cable car system.  Here, we had a panoramic view of Singapore Harbor, the Central Business District and, over the  horizon, the islands of the Riau Archipelago of Indonesia.

City Tour – Sri Mariammam Temple (Singapore)

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Sri Mariammam Temple – Gopuram

Also within Chinatown is the Sri Mariamman Temple, Singapore’s oldest Hindu temple. Originally built in 1827 in wood and attap, a major part of the present structure is believed to have been built in 1862-1863.  Built in the Dravidian style, this temple mainly serves  the South Indian Tamil community. On July 6, 1973, due to its architectural and historical significance, the temple was gazetted as a National Monument.

Sri Mariammam Temple – Ceiling

The impressive 6-iered gopuram (entrance tower), the most outstanding feature of the temple, was built in 1925 and tapers up towards to a moulded ornamental ridge.  It was repaired, restored and richly embellished with an elaborate proliferation of sculptures of Hindu deities, other figures and ornamental decorations, in the 1960s.

Sri Mariammam Temple – Ceiling

The scale of each tier  of the gopuram and its sculptures, slightly smaller than that of the tier immediately below it, helps to create the illusion of height and adds to the symbolic importance of the building. On the right of the gopuram, as we entered the temple, is a sculpture of Murugan  while on the left is one of Krishna, all made with plaster (allowing for fine detailing) and are painted in a variety of bright colors (adding to the visually spectacular quality).

Sri Mariammam Temple: 244 South Bridge Rd., Chinatown, Singapore.

City Tour – Thian Hock Keng Temple (Singapore)

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Thian Hock Keng Temple (Temple of Heavenly Happiness) – Entrance

From Merlion Park, we next moved on to the Chinatown area were we visited the Thian Hock Keng Temple (Temple of Heavenly Happiness), one of the oldest and most important Hokkien temples in Singapore.

Thian Hock Keng Temple (Temple of Heavenly Happiness) – Courtyard

Built in traditional southern Chinese architectural style from 1839-1842 by Mr Tan Tock Seng and Mr Si Hoo Keh, it was visited by Chinese immigrants giving thanks to Ma Chu P’oh or Ma Zu (the Chinese Goddess of the Sea) for their safe voyage.  The temple replaced a humble joss house established here in 1821 by Hokkien immigrants from Amoy (China).  In 1973, it was gazetted as a National Monument.

Thian Hock Keng Temple (Temple of Heavenly Happiness) – Courtyard

This architectural masterpiece of stone, tiles and wood, assembled without nails, is embellished with dragons and phoenixes, amazing carvings, intricate sculptures and imposing columns.

Thian Hock Keng Temple (Temple of Heavenly Happiness) – Courtyard

Granite tablets on the wall inside the Entrance Hall record the details of the temple’s history.  There is also a plaque, presented by Qing Dynasty Emperor Guang Xu in 1907, inscribed with the words Bo Jing Nan Ming (Gentle Waves over the South Seas), evidence of the temple’s stature.

Thian Hock Kieng Temple: Telok Ayer St., Singapore.

City Tour – Merlion (Singapore)

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After breakfast at the hotel, we left on our city tour ( RMG Tours Pte. Ltd., S$21 each).  A surprise was our first destination – the bustling Serangoon Central Wet Market along Serangoon Rd. (Little India’s main thoroughfare), well stocked with the freshest vegetables, meat, fish, spices, etc.  and surprisingly fly-free.

Merlion Park

From Serangoon Rd. we made a short photo-op stopover at Merlion Park which houses the 8.6 m. high, 70-ton statue of the merlion, a mythical creature with the body of a fish and the head of a lion. The statue, made from November 1971 to August 1972 by the late Singapore sculptor Lim Nag Seng, was installed on September 15, 1972 at the mouth of the Singapore River, with the Anderson Bridge as its background.

In 1997, the completion of the Esplanade Bridge blocked the views of the Merlion from the Marina Bay waterfront.By then, its original location was also no longer the entrance of Singapore River. In 2002, the statue and its cub were relocated, from April 23-25, 2002, 120 m., to the current Merlion Park, fronting Marina Bay, where it stands on a newly reclaimed promontory in front of the Fullerton Hotel.