Malay to Nabas Tour (Aklan)

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On our third day in Aklan, my good friend Gil Bilog (my wife Grace’s first cousin on her mother’s side) and I had our breakfast at our usual hangout, Seaside Restaurant , Malay  poblacion’s (town center) only full-service restaurant which is owned and operated by Ms. Myra Oczon (Grace’s niece) and her husband Dodoy.  Both also work at the nearby Municipal Hall.  As the name implies, the restaurant is located by the sea, along the poblacion’s clean, gray sand beach.  At night, during supper, we could hear and feel the surf pounding the sea wall.  Along the beach, we could  see the lights along Boracay‘s long beach as well as faintly hear the sounds of its active nightlife.

Malay Poblacion Beach

The native-style restaurant serves a number of Filipino dishes (including my favorite sisig and Gil’s favorite sinigang) and grilled dishes (fish, chicken, pork, squid, etc.) and also has picnic sheds for those who want the feel of the sea breeze as well as get a panoramic view of distant Boracay Island and its well-known white sand beach.   There’s also a pension house with rooms with bath for transients.

Seaside Restaurant

In the afternoon, I decided to tour Gil to the nearby town of Nabas to explore its Union Beach. For lunch, I drove the Mitsubishi Adventure the 6 kms., with Gil and Carl Flores (Grace’s first cousin on her father’s side), along the now completely concreted road, to Andok’s at Brgy. Caticlan’s Jetty Port.  It was already starting to rain when we finished lunch and it remained so as I drove the 20 kms. along the scenic coastal highway to Nabas. 

Union Beach Resort & Lodge

Along the way, at the left of the highway, we had a stunning vista of unspolied white sand beaches, the likes of which were similar to Boracay before the advent of tourism.  We made a stopover at Union Beach Resort & Lodge where we had hot coffee and a long chat at one of its elevated picnic huts.   As it was the amihan season, the resort had set up screens to prevent wind-blown sand from bothering guests.  

Gil, me and Carl along Union Beach

During a break in the rain, we made our way through the opening in the screen to walk along the beautiful, palm fringed white sand beach.  Boracay and its offshore islands can also be seen in the distance, northwest of the beach.  At a nearby point of land, Carl pointed out a property owned by host and comedian Ariel Ureta.  The resort also has small airconditioned rooms with bath and cable TV for those who want to stay longer in quiet surroundings.

Carl and Gil at Tabon Docking Area.  Behind is Laurel Island

It was again starting to rain when we left the resort.  Driving back to Malay, we made a short stopover at the Tabon Docking Area where boats from Boracay drop off their guests when rough seas prevent their docking at Caticlan’s Jetty Port.  The concrete docking area was now cracked in places and in dire need of repair. Across the port, we had a good view of the rocky, aptly named Crocodile Island, other offshore islands as well as Laurel Island and its white sand beaches.

Crocodile Island

Before returning to Malay poblacion, we made another stopover at Nimya Flores-Thompson’s beautiful seaside house in Brgy. Motag.   Ate Nimya, a long time Australian resident and citizen whose British husband Bill died some years ago (in fact, on November 1, All Saints’s Day), spends part of the year in her home in Malay.  The house is protected from the sometimes raging sea by a concrete sea wall.

Ate Nimya’s beachside house

Nimya entertained us from her porch facing the clean gray sand beach and the sea.   She also has a small separate cottage which she rents out to expats (it was then occupied).  Nimya’s neighbors are also expats who married Filipinas.  They also built beautiful homes in this equally beautiful seaside setting.     

Brgy. Motag’s gray sand beach
Seaside Restaurant: Brgy. Poblacion, Malay, Aklan.  Mobile numbers (0918) 399-8052 and (0908) 140-9791.
Union Beach Resort & Lodge: Brgy. Union, Nabas, Aklan.  Mobile numbers (0949) 750-5177 and  (0921)  762-7564.

New Year’s Countdown at Manila Hotel

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Last New Year, my family and I tried tried something new and different, spending the start of the year outside the country, firecracker-free in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, a first for all of us.  We just watched the fireworks at the Petronas Towers.  This year, we still had the same mindset, opting again to spend it outside our home (but not outside the country), this time a New Year’s countdown at the prestigious Manila Hotel for an incomparable evening of feast and festivities in a manner worthy of the country’s oldest bastion of hospitality.

Manila  Hotel – the Grande Dame of Manila

The Manila Hotel was opened for the first time to the public on July 4, 1912.  The original US$700,000 hotel, also the country’s first air-conditioned building, was designed in the California Missionary-style by American architect William E. Parsons in 1910.  At the time, this magnificent, white, green-tile-roofed edifice had 149 spacious, high-ceiling rooms. Its fifth floor penthouse, designed by Arch. Andres Luna de San Pedro (son of painter Juan Luna), was, from 1935 to 1941, the home of Gen. Douglas MacArthur (its first chairman of the board), his wife Jean and son Arthur.

The hotel’s beautiful lobby

The hotel played host to author Ernest Hemingway (who said “Its a good story if it’s like Manila Hotel”), actor Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., Edward (Prince of Wales), playwright Claire Boothe Luceand, during the Japanese Occupation,  Prime Minister Hideki Tojo and Gen. Tomoyuki Yamashita.  During the liberation of Manila, it was severely damaged by room-to-room fighting.  Reopened on July 4, 1946, it hosted author James A. Michener; actors Bob Hope, Marlon Brando, Charlton Heston, John Wayne, Tyrone Power and Burgess Meredith; U.S. Secretary John Foster Dulles; Sen. Robert F. Kennedy; British Prime Minister Sir Anthony Eden, the Rockefeller brothers, Publisher Henry R. Luce, rock star Michael Jackson; U.S. Vice-Pres. Richard M. Nixon, U.S. Presidents Dwight Eisenhower and Lyndon B. Johnson, the Beatles and other notable personalities.

The lobby dressed up for the New Year countdown

In 1977, the hotel underwent a US$30,000,000 renovation with an 18-storey tower designed by the late National Artist Architect Leandro V. Locsin built behind the old building.  The lavish interiors were done by American Patricia and Dale Keller and the renovated hotel reopened on October 6, 1977.

The Sunset Suite

We made our own grand entrance at the hotel’s main lobby on the afternoon of the 31st of December.  The 125 ft. (38 m.) long by 25 ft. (7.6 m) wide main lobby, lined with white Doric columns, was designed, not only for making grand entrances, but for sitting as well, its furniture carved with Philippine mahogany.  The lobby floors were made with Philippine marble while the ceiling is lined with chandeliers made of brass, crystal and seashells. Traditional Filipino art also adorns its walls.

Cafe Ilang-Ilang’s Dessert Station

The hotel that day was 90% booked for the countdown, with a long queue at the check-in counter, and it took some time before we finally checked into our fourth floor Sunset Suite, one of 570  traditionally decorated and elegantly furnished rooms that reflect the hotel’s storied past blended with the conveniences of a modern luxury hotel. Our suite had 2 bedrooms, a dining area and a living area.  Amenities here include individually controlled central air conditioning, remote-control TV with cable channels, minibars, separate bath and toilet with extension phone, and secure in-room safes.

Grace, Cheska, the author and Jandy at Cafe Ilang-Ilang

Once settled in, we then went down for our crossover buffet dinner (6 PM to 9 PM) which extends through all the hotel’s celebrated food and beverage outlets: Cafe Ilang-Ilang, Champagne Room, Mabuhay Palace (an impeccable Chinese restaurant), Tap Room Bar and Lobby Lounge.  That night, it was not a choice of which restaurant to go to, but, rather, which restaurant to visit first.  We chose the famous Cafe Ilang-Ilang which was recently renovated and launched as a 3-period meal buffet restaurant. It opens to the newly renovated Pool and Garden areas and boasts of 9 live cooking stations.

The Tap Room Bar

Here, we faced a stunning and wide array of Filipino and international (Korean, Japanese, Indian, etc.) cuisine, tried-and-true dishes prepared by Filipino and foreign chefs, all backed by years of professional experience in acclaimed restaurants around the world.  To fully enjoy the cafe’s  stellar main courses, we ate small portions of everything.

The countdown begins …..

After our filling buffet dinner, we moved on to the Tap Room Bar for dessert and brewed coffee. We capped our evening with the New Year’s Countdown at the Lobby where, prior to bidding farewell to 2011 and counting the seconds to 2012, we enjoyed live entertainment, with music and dancing provided by the Filipinas Band.

The Filipinas Band
Manila Hotel: 1 Rizal Park, Ermita, Manila: Tel: 527-0011. Fax: 527-0022-24 & 527-1124.  Domestic Toll Free: 1-800-9-1888-0011.  Email: sales@manila-hotel.com.ph and reservations@manila-hotel.com.ph.  Website: www.manilahotel.com.ph.

The Amazing Street Art of Angono (Rizal)

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After our tour of the Ang Nuno Artist Foundation Gallery at Balaw-Balaw Restaurant, Jandy and I again boarded our car to tour the town proper.  Angono’s streets are very narrow and hopelessly riddled with traffic.

C.V. Francisco – Bunung Brazo, 1958 (Charlie Anorico, 2005)

However, upon reaching Dona Aurora St., my exasperation was somewhat mitigated when we caught sight of amazing concrete murals beautifully embellishing and adorning this street, all meant to honor Angono’s artistic roots.

Mt. Makiling in the Eyes of Botong (Carlos V. Francisco)

These extraordinary works of art are bas relief reproductions of local son and well-known Filipino muralist Carlos “Botong” Francisco’s works cast in concrete, all done by Charlie Anorico, Gerry Bantang and Ebong Pimpino.

C. V. Francisco – Merienda, 1958 (Charlie B. Anorico, 1999)

Upon turning a different corner, we were greeted by another mural honoring Lucio San Pedro, another local son, whose most famous composition, the perennial Filipino lullaby “Sa Ugoy ng Duyan,” is depicted on a wall as a music sheet, with cast metal notes jutting out of the concrete.

In fact, these murals as well as sculptures are a recurring theme throughout the town, with a  preponderance of mermaids.  The stone marker of Brgy. Poblaction is a sculpture of “Ang Nuno” (meaning “old man”), the origin of the town’s name.

There’s even a reproduction of the Statue of Liberty, painted in gold.  Angono is truly a town still very much in touch with its unique artistic heritage.

Bayanihan (Carlos V. Francisco, 1960)

Angono Street Murals: Dona Aurora St., Brgy. Poblacion Itaas, Angono, Rizal

Ang Nuno Artists Foundation Gallery (Angono, Rizal)

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Balaw-Balaw Restaurant

After my interview with Nemi R. Miranda, Jandy and I moved next door to the Balaw-Balaw Specialty Restaurant.  This restaurant, made famous by Andrew Zimmern in Discovery Travel and Living’s “Bizarre Foods,” offers truly exotic cuisine such as sautéed ants and crickets, wood worms and frog cooked adobo style, Soup No. 5 (cow butt and testicles),  adobong uok (beetle larvae), among others.

Wooden sculptures of Angono’s higantes

Andrew tried the last two.  However, having already taken lunch, we weren’t there for the exotic food (Maybe next time).  Rather, we wanted to explore the Ang Nuno Artists Foundation Gallery  at the second floor.

Luckily, Andre, the restaurant manager (and also an artist) son of the late artist and sculptor Perdigon N. Vocalan, was there and he granted us permission to explore the gallery upstairs. The dining area is already a gallery of sorts, with colorful paper mache sculptures and paintings (with subjects ranging from basket of fruits to mythical creatures) all around the patchwork property.  Outside, soda bottle lanterns hang from trees.

Upon climbing the spiral staircase, we were ushered into an impressive repository of Philippine treasures that showcases Filipino heritage through colorful papier mache, antiques and artworks by Perdigon, his sons Andre and Rembrandt as well as other independent and budding local artists and craftsmen from Angono and other Rizal towns.

A collection of wood sculpture and furniture

The accomplished Vocalan was influenced by the late National Artist and Angonon Carlos “Botong” Francisco (November 4, 1912 – March 31, 1969) and his  various paintings, sculptures and woodcarvings, inspired by Filipino traditions and legends,capture Angono’s rich cultural heritage as well as depict folk stories and characters like the kapre (a menacing creature that seeks refuge in big trees), duwende (goblin), tikbalang (demon horse), manananggal (a woman with the ability to detach the two halves of its body at the waist), and the like. He also depicted women in all their glory and beauty.  There are also several depictions of the Mother and Child.

Dining table with tapayan above it

The gallery, a reflection of Perdigon’s eclectic taste, also has an impressive collection of antiques and religious objects such as statues of saints (some just heads without a body), a complete tableau of the Last Supper and a Santo Entierro (statue of the dead Christ). There’s also a collection of antique furniture including folding chairs, a complete dining table set (with earthen, knee-tall jars or tapayans hanging above it)  and a huge, intricately carved wooden door.

Tableau of Last Supper

I also took a peek, via a spiral stairway, at the third floor which houses a workshop  where huge, colorful masks of the higantes for the Higantes Festival are made. In 1987, Perdigon conceived the idea of the Higantes Festival.

Wooden sculpture of a mermaid

He advocated having more higantes (papier mache giants) in the town fiesta by coordinating with the barangays of Angono to come up with higantes that will represent their barangay. Miniature papier mache dolls, great examples of Filipino folk art, are also made here for souvenir hunters.

More wooden sculpture

Ang Nuno Artists Foundation Gallery: Balaw-Balaw Specialty Restaurant, 16 Doña Justa Subd., Phase I, Brgy. San Roque, Angono, Rizal.  Tel: (632) 651-0110 & 295-2698. Mobile number: (0923) 714-4209. E-mail: balaw2x@yahoo.com. Open daily, 10 AM-10 PM.

Nemiranda Arthouse (Angono, Rizal)

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Nemiranda Arthouse/Atelier Cafe

After lunch at a Shakey’s outlet in Taytay,  Jandy and I proceeded to the next town of Angono, the “Arts Capital of the Philippines.”  Using the only Angono map I had, I tried to find the Nemiranda Arthouse/Atelier Cafe only to find out it wasn’t where its supposed to be in the map.

I finally resorted to asking the locals.  That worked and soon enough we found the place, a lofty old wood, bamboo and concrete house converted into a home-studio with a prominent signage at the street corner.

I entered the arthouse (also known as “The House of Myths and Legends”), via a side gate, into the coffee shop where I was welcomed by Katrina, the painter daughter of 62 year old local artist Nemesio “Nemi” R. Miranda (popularly known in the art circle as Nemiranda), who was currently touring some children around the art gallery.

I was hoping to interview Nemiranda, but Katrina told me that I just missed him as he left on his motorcycle.  She gave us free rein to tour the extensive, 3-floor art gallery ourselves.  A massive, larger-than-life, pastel blue stone mermaid (sirena) is prominently placed above the art gallery’s arched entrance.

Art Gallery entrance

A Fine Arts graduate of  University of Sto. Tomas and a disciple of the late noted Angono artist Carlos “Botong” Francisco, this highly figurative artist’s artworks employ figurative realism  (which he calls “imaginative figurism”) wherein the human form is drawn from pure imagination.

Nemiranda’s work inevitably evolves around the female form and it is vividly seen in almost every artwork that we observed. These include mother and child sketches, mermaids, nudes (Nemiranda is also deemed as an erotic painter) done in different styles, women giving birth, nursing mothers, etc..

Nemiranda’s Imaginary Figurism

Other stunningly beautiful paintings depict random subjects such as rural life (families in pastoral scenes, etc.) and subjects from local folklore such as mythical creatures and nature goddesses.  On display at one section are wood carvings of the “Stations of the Cross.” Also on display are artworks by Nemiranda’s 5 sons and daughter Katrina as well as fellow artists from Rizal.

Wood carvings of the “Stations of the Cross”

We also saw Nemiranda’s impressive collection of local and international awards, proof of his countless unparalleled excellence and achievements in the arts.   At the end of the gallery are some art pieces for sale. This veteran artist has launched over 35 solo art exhibitions in various parts of the world and was commissioned to do monumental sculptures and mural paintings throughout the country.

Sculpture of a pregnant woman

Some of Nemiranda’s popular and impressive commissioned works includes the “History of the Philippine Army,” a relief sculpture located at the parade ground of Fort Bonifacio; the EDSA Shrine Mural (along with 14 other Angono artists), muted murals interpreting and depicting the 4-day  People Power revolution in the main chapel of the EDSA Shrine; the EDSA II Relief Sculptures; “The Way of Mary,” a 20-relief sculpture of the Mysteries of the Holy Rosary, from EDSA Shrine to Antipolo Shrine; and the 40-ft. high “Crucified Christ” (unveiled in Tacloban City in 2002), the map of Leyte interpreted as a sculptural island shaped by nature into the image of the crucified Christ. His paintings also hang in the many prestigious homes and offices, both here and abroad.

A collection of nude paintings

Jandy and I were still exploring the art gallery when Nemiranda finally arrived.  We were introduced to him by Katrina and I proceeded to interview him at length. As a true-blooded Angonon, Nemiranda has been instrumental in making Angono as the “Art Capital of the Philippines,” making great contributions in promoting the town’s rich heritage.

The Arthouse is also part of Nemiranda’s mission to nurture the artistic consciousness, not just for the Angonons, but for all Filipinos as well, conducting, for years on a regular basis, lectures, guiding services and painting workshops designed to inspire the youth who, by talking to Nemiranda and watching the artist go through the creative process, might see how an idea can grow into a finished work of art.

Some of Nemiranda’s numerous awards

In 1975, Nemiranda  founded the renowned Angono Ateliers Association, the first in the town to popularize sculpture in concrete (started in 1970).  He was also chairman of the Angono Tourism Council and the promoter of the town’s Higantes (“giant”) Festival and the fluvial procession dedicated to San Clemente, Angono’s patron saint. He also institutionalized the Nemiranda Family Art Museum, the Angono School for the Arts and the Nemiranda Atelier Café, all catering to the development, promotion and growth of the Angono art community.

The author with Nemiranda
Nemiranda Arthouse/Atelier Cafe: 10 Doña Elena St., Doña Justa Village, Brgy. San Roque, Angono, Rizal. Tel:  (632) 651-0109-10. Fax: (632) 651-3867. Email: inquiry@nemiranda.net and nemi_miranda@yahoo.com. Website: www.nemiranda.net. Admission fee: PhP30.

Church of St. John the Baptist (Taytay, Rizal)

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Church of St. John the Baptist

The town’s first church (Visita de Sta. Ana de Sapa) was a chapel made of light materials near the shores of Laguna de Bay dedicated to its patron saint, John the Baptist.

Due to frequent flooding from the shores of Laguna de Bay, it was transferred by Jesuit Fr. Pedro Chirino (who documented the Tagalog language as well as the way of life of Filipinos from his interactions with the inhabitants, forming the basis for his book Relación de las Islas Filipinas) to its present site, a higher location in a hill which called San Juan del Monte where the parish has remained to this day.

The Early Renaissance facade

The town’s church, started in 1599 and completed in 1601, was considered to be the first church built by the Jesuits out of stone outside Manila.

Bas-relief of the Holy Eucharist.  The fluted Ionic pilasters are both topped by angels.

In 1630, a larger church was constructed by Fr. Juan de Salazar. In 1632, a typhoon blew away the roofing of the new church, which was soon replaced with the help of the townspeople.

Bas-relief of Crossed Keys. The two symbolic keys form a St. Andrew’s Cross. These keys appear on the coat-of-arms of the Holy See,Vatican City and of every pope since the 12th century.

In 1639, the church sustained significant damage when the Chinese, during their revolt against Spanish authorities, set fire to the church.

Bas-relief of a cross between two lambs. The lambs represent the faithful coming to Christ (represented by the Cross)

St. Pedro Calungsod (the second Filipino declared as a saint by the Catholic Church) once served as an altar boy in the church in 1666 and then serving as assistant to Blessed Diego Luis de San Vitores in the Marianas in 1672 (when both were martyred). In 1768 (under secular priests) and 1864 (under Augustinian Recollects), additional works were made to the church.

Statue of St. John the Baptist

During the Philippine–American War, both the church and the convent were reduced to ruins. After the war, the church was reconstructed. Massive renovations in the 1970s left very little of the original Classic façade.

Jandy with the church interior in the background

The present church, built with concrete, shows no traces of the old Jesuit church. In 1992, the National Historical Institute (NHI), now the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP), unveiled a historical marker in the church.

NHI plaque installed in 1992

AUTHOR’S NOTES:

The church’s Early Renaissance facade has three levels of superpositioned, fluted pilasters (the first level is Doric and the other two Ionic).  The first level has a semicircular arch main door with canopy (a later addition), with a semicircular arch statued niche above it and along the flanks.

The walls of the second and third levels are decorated with pairs of huge bas-reliefs of the Crossed Keys and a Cross between two lambs and one of the Holy Eucharist.  The triangular pediment, topped by a cross, is lined with dentils.

The four-storey square bell tower, on the right side of the church, has semicircular arch windows and is topped by a pyramidal roof.  On the left side of the church is a huge statue of St. John the Baptist.

The main altar

Church of St. John the Baptist: J. Sumulong St., Brgy. San Isidro, Taytay, Rizal.  View Map>>> Tel: (632) 8658-6489.  Feast of St. John the Baptist: June 24.

How to Get There: Taytay is located 23.4 kms. from Manila and kms. (a drive) from Antipolo City.

Marina Bay Sands SkyPark (Singapore)

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The next day was to be my niece Jaja’s wedding day but, since it was to be held in the late afternoon, Jandy and I still had the whole morning for sightseeing. After breakfast at our hotel, we took a taxi to the 20-hectare Marina Bay Sands, an integrated resort fronting Marina Bay officially opened last June 23, 2010, after a partial opening (which included the casino) on April 27.  Designed by Moshe Safdien Architects (with Aedas Singapore as the local architect of record),  its engineering was provided by Arup and Parsons Brinkerhoff (which had originally worked on such prestigious projects such as the Beijing National Aquatics Center and the Sydney Opera House) and the main contractor was Ssanyong Engineering and Construction. The resort’s architecture as well as major design changes along the way were also approved by the late Master Chong Swan Lek and Master Louisa Ong-Lee, its feng shui consultants.

Marina Bay Sands

Developed by Las Vegas Sands, this S$8 billion (including cost of the prime land) casino is billed as most expensive stand-alone atrium casino in the world, with 500 tables and 1,600 slot machines.  However, we were not visiting for the gambling.  Rather, we were there for the 360-degree Singapore skyline view atop its 340m-long (stretching longer than the Eiffel tower laid down or four and a half A380 Jumbo Jets), 1-hectare and 3,900-pax SkyPark, a sky terrace which connects the three 55-story hotel towers and is set on top of the world’s largest, gravity-defying public cantilevered platform, overhanging the north tower by 67 m..

Marina Bay Sand’s atrium lobby

Aside from housing the world’s largest casino, the resort features a 2,561-room hotel, a 1,300,000-sq. ft. (120,000 m2) convention-exhibition center, the 800,000 sq. ft. (74,000 m2) The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands mall (with over 300 stores and F&B outlets), the 200,000 sq. ft. (19,000 m2), lotus-shaped ArtScience Museum located next to the three blocks (currently featuring “Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition”), two large theaters (the 1,680-pax Sands Theater and the 2,155-pax Grand Theater), two floating Crystal Pavilions (the 2nd houses the world’s largest Louis Vuitton boutique) and a 6,500 sq. ft. (600 m2) indoor ice skating rink (which uses artificial ice). There are also 7 “celebrity chef” restaurants (6 within the Shoppes) – Cut, Waku Ghin, Pizzeria and Osteria Mozza, Guy Savoy, DB Bistro Moderne, Santi and Rasapura Masters.

The lotus-shaped ArtScience Museum

Upon arrival, we entered the hotel’s huge atrium lobby, decorated with tall Christmas trees, and walked some distance to the SkyPark Box Office located at the Basement 1, Tower 3. After purchasing our entry tickets here, we proceeded to the porte cochere area outside the Tower 3 and took the elevator to 57th floor where the SkyPark is located. The SkyPark is also home to the world’s longest elevated outdoor swimming pool, perched 191 m. above  ground and with a 146-m. (478-ft) vanishing edge. However, we missed out to view the pool (as well as its lush gardens and rooftop The Sky on 57 restaurant) as it is available only to 50 observation deck guests that have registered for the 15-min. guided tours (available at 10 AM, 2 PM and 9 PM only). The pools were made with up to 422,000 pounds of stainless steel and can hold 376,500 gallons (1,424 cu. m.) of water.  Within the observation deck is the KU DÉ TA nightclub.

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The day, though slightly overcast, still afforded us a spectacular, unforgettable panoramic view, from 10 observation deck view points, of Singapore’s Central Business District, the Merlion, Old Supreme Court Bldg., New Supreme Court Bldg., City Hall Bldg., Esplanade, St. Andrews Cathedral, Float @ Marina Bay, Helix Bridge, the Singapore River, the Formula One pit building and racetrack, the Padand (Singapore Recreational Club and Cricket Club), Marina Barrage, East Coast Parkway, Benjamin Sheares Bridge, Changi Airport control tower, the Singapore Flyer (an observation wheel), Nicoll Highway, Little India, Sentosa Island, Singapore Port and, beyond, Kusu Island and Indonesia’s Batam Island.  Just below are the resort’s theaters, the Event Plaza, the Crystal Pavilions, the  Sands Expo and Convention Center, the ArtScience Museum, the Marina Bay Sands casino and The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands.

The Singapore skyline

Marina Bay Sands SkyPark: Open daily, 9:30 AM-10 PM (11 PM on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays). Admission Fee: S$20 for adults, S$14 for children (aged between 2–12 years) and S$17 for senior citizens (aged 65 years and above).  Children under 2 years of age may enter for free. Ticketing Hotline: +65 6688 8826

Universal Studios (Singapore)

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Jandy and I planned to spend our second day in Singapore at Universal Studios, Singapore’s second integrated resort and Southeast Asia’s first movie theme park (and the second in Asia after Japan).  This would be a first for both of us as it was still under construction during our 2009 Singapore visit (it only opened on March 18, 2010).  After our buffet breakfast at Amara Hotel, we took a taxi (S$14) to get there, dropping off at the entrance of Resorts World Sentosa.  At the entrance of Universal Studios is the large and famous revolving globe.

Universal Studios Singapore

We were in luck at the ticket booth as we got 20% off the one-day ticket when I paid via my BPI Mastercard (valid until November 18). We also received a S$10 retail voucher upon presentation of our charge slip at the Guest Services Counter.

Hollywood

The main entrance area of the park is Hollywood, a replica of the famous Hollywood Boulevard. Its only attraction is the 1,500-seat, indoor, Broadway-style Pantages Hollywood Theater which is fully equipped to host plays, musicals and performances.  The theater is accompanied by several restaurants, a variety of flagship shops and also features a replica of the famous Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Pantages Hollywood Theater

Hollywood Boulevard, framed by dynamic architecture and palm trees, made us feel that we have landed in the center of the entertainment universe. Here, there are “Daily Meet and Greet” (10 AM-7 PM) special character appearances from  the wacky Woody Woodpecker, the  glamorous Marilyn Monroe, Charlie Chaplin, Beetlejuice, Betty Boop, Po (from Kung Fu Panda), Frankenstein’s Monster and Winnie Woodpecker (we posed with the last three).

Po (Kung Fu Panda)

Winnie Woodpecker

Frankenstein’s Monster

Outside Mel’s Diner, we also watched the 4:45 PM performances (other show times are 10:45 AM, 12:15 PM, 1:45 PM, 3:15 PM and 6:15 PM) of Daddy O’s (a boy band group singing classic surf  songs of the 1950s and 60s) as well as the 2:30 PM and 4 PM  shows (other show times are 11:30 AM, 1 PM and 5:30 PM) of Mel’s Dinettes (waitresses “shaking, rattling and rolling” to the high energy hits of the 1950s and 60s).

Daddy O’s

Mel’s Dinettes

After the show, we went inside Mel’s Drive Inn for snacks.  This classic 1950s-themed diner, based on the 1973 hit U.S. film American Graffiti, serves up all-American favorites such as delicious rocket sauce burgers, French fries, chicken sandwiches, chicken fingers, onion rings, root beer floats, thick and frosty milk shakes and Cokes the old-fashioned way plus golden oldies on the jukebox.  We both dined on crispy barbecue chicken burgers with French fries and Sprite (S$10.80 each).

Mel’s Drive-in

At the Pantages Hollywood Theater, we watched the 4:15 PM (other show times are 11 AM, 1 PM and 6:15 PM) showing of “Monster Rock,” a major Broadway musical featuring the infamous Universal Classic Monsters in  a live rock-n-roll style indoor revue show with pyrotechnics. The theater is fitted with cutting-edge cinematic technology, including state-of-the-art digital projectors.  This mega-monster spooktacular features great music, dancing, comedy, special effects, and enough pyrotechnics to wake the dead.

Pantages Hollywood Theater – Interior

Before leaving the park, we dropped by the Universal Studios Store, a shopping extravaganza which offers the largest variety of Universal Studios-themed collectibles, toys and apparel from all 7 themed zones of the park. Here, I bought 2 shirts (1 with collar and the other round-necked) for Jandy, using my S$10 retail voucher.

Universal Studios Store

Too bad we missed out on the Lake Hollywood Spectacular, one of the main highlights of Hollywood After Hours.  This special live pyrotechnics show happens every Friday and Saturday night (9:30 PM) and is set to a musical score over the central lagoon of Lake Hollywood in the park.

Lake Hollywood

Hollywood also has several other restaurants. Celebrity Cafe & Bakery is a 1950’s-themed food outlet where guests can dine on freshly-made gourmet sandwiches, coffee, puff pastry pies and classic desserts.  It serves all-day breakfast.  Hollywood China Bistro is a stylish yet casual Art-Deco restaurant where guests can feast on both traditional Cantonese favorites and “East meets West” cuisine in a modern setting straight out of a Hollywood movie set.

Celebrity Cafe & Bakery

There are also a number of retail outlets.  The Dark Room is a store that sells a wide variety of camera accessories for the photography needs of park visitors. Star Characters sells exclusive Dream Works Animation character merchandise and other fun products and keepsakes. Silver Screen Collectibles offers authentic collectibles of celebrities straight from the Hollywood Walk of Fame such as celebrity photos and posters, collectibles, books, as well as Betty Boop themed souvenirs and apparel such as photo frames, shirts, sexy lips pillow, cups, combs, bags, purse, etc..

Superstar Candies is a candy store that sells a wide variety of sweets and treats with star appeal such as candy floss and homemade fudgeto park visitors with a sweet tooth.  At Brown Derby, guests can shop for headwear of all types including visors, character hats, novelty hats, wigs, Universal Studios logo caps and other stylish lids.  That’s a Wrap, at the theme park exit, also sells apparel, toys, novelty hats and other souvenirs.

The Iconic Bridges of the Singapore River

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Upon reaching the end of South Bridge Rd., Jandy and I were now at the banks of the historic 6-km. long (19,690-ft.) long Singapore River. Here, we viewed a  number of pedestrian and vehicular bridges that span this river, serving the needs of Singaporeans and visitors alike by connecting residential, commercial and entertainment areas.  They also add history (rickshaws, ox carts, cattle, horses, etc. used to pass here), high technology and color to the Singapore skyline. Three of these bridges – Anderson Bridge, Cavenagh Bridge and Elgin Bridge – were, on November 3, 2008, selected for conservation as part of the Urban Redevelopment Authority’s expanded conservation program. The Anderson Bridge and the newer Esplanade Bridge also forms part of the Singapore Grand Prix‘s Marina Bay street circuit which debuted on September 28, 2008.

Singapore River

The Cavenagh Bridge, opened in 1870 (the third bridge to be built in Singapore) to ease access between the civic district on the north bank and the commercial district (now Raffles Place) on the south bank , is the oldest among the original bridges spanning the Singapore River.   It spanned the lower reaches of the Singapore River in the Downtown Core. Before this bridge was built, people could only get to the 2 districts via a detour over Elgin Bridge or by paying 1 duit (¼ cent) for a boat ride across the river.  Originally known as the Edinburgh Bridge (to commemorate the visit of the Duke of Edinburgh), it was renamed in honor of Maj.-Gen. William Orfeur Cavenagh, the last India-appointed Governor of the Straits Settlements (1859-1867). His family’s coat-of-arm scan still be seen atop the sign at both ends of the bridge.

Cavenagh Bridge

Cavenagh Bridge, originally designed as a drawbridge, is also Singapore’s first and only steel suspension bridge, with elaborate suspension struts. During construction, numerous steel rivets were used and steel casting methods commonly used during that era were employed. Its parts were manufactured by P & W MacLellan, Glasgow Engineers (Scotland ) at a cost of S$80,000, built and tested in Glasgow to withstand a load 4 times its own weight, shipped to Singapore in parts and it reassembled by Indian convict labor. Subsequently, in the late 1880s, the bridge became overloaded due to the flourishing trade on the Singapore River and vehicular traffic volume overtook the capacity of the bridge.  Added to this was its low draught which was insufficient for the passage of boats during high tide.

Cavenagh Bridge

The bridge was  eventually spared from demolition by conversion to a pedestrian bridge.  In the 1990s, lighting was added to accentuate its architectural features at nightfall. It now complements the renovated Fullerton Hotel (formerly the Fullerton Building) beside the bridge. At the southwest abutment of the bridge are sculptures of a family of Singapura cats (kucinta or drain cats), recognized as one of the smallest breeds of cats in the world. At both ends of the bridge are preserved police notices  restricting the passage of vehicles that weighed beyond 3 CWT (152 kgs. or 336 lbs.), including cattle and horses.

Anderson Bridge

Cavenaugh Bridge’s replacement was the century-old Anderson Bridge, near the river’s mouth, which provided sufficient clearance for vessels to pass under during high tide. Connecting the financial district directly to City Hall, this bridge is also located near the Fullerton Hotel and the former Merlion Park.  An excellent combination of intricate plaster and metalwork, this elegant bridge has 3 steel arches with supporting steel ribs across them, 2 rusticated archways and a fluted pier on each end.  The abutments were built by the Westminster Construction Company Limited. Started in 1908, it was officially opened on March 12, 1910 by Sir John Anderson (Governor of the Straits Settlements and High Commissioner for the Federated Malay States from 1904–1911) after whom the bridge was named. During the 1942-1945 Japanese Occupation, the severed heads of criminals were hung on the bridge as a warning to discourage citizens from breaking the law.

Anderson Bridge – Western Approach

The slightly younger, concrete Elgin Bridge, a vehicular bridge in the Boat Quay area linking the Downtown Core to the Singapore Planning Area located within Singapore’s Central Area, was named after India governor-general (March 21, 1862-November 20, 1863) Lord James Bruce, the 8th Earl of Elgin.  Elgin Bridge is believed to have existed, as early as 1819, at its current location as an unnamed footbridge linking the Chinese community, on the southern side, to the Indian merchants of High St. on the northern side.  As this was the first bridge across the river, the two roads leading to it were named North Bridge Rd. and South Bridge Rd. accordingly.

Elgin Bridge

In 1822, this footbridge was replaced by the Presentment Bridge, a wooden drawbridge (also called the Monkey Bridge, as its narrowness limited the number of people crossing at a time, therefore using it required some agility) was built by Lt. P. Jackson. In 1843, a wooden footbridge, built by John Turnbull Thomson replaced the drawbridge (also called the Thomson Bridge).  In 1862, an iron bridge was built but, in 1925, the iron bridge had to make way for the new, existing bridge which was opened to traffic by Sir Hugh Clifford, Governor of the Straits Settlements, on  May 30, 1929.

Elgin Bridge – Approach

At one end of the bridge is the crest of the Singapore Municipal Commission. Its elegant cast iron lamps, on both sides of the bridge, were designed by the Italian sculptor Cavaliere Rudolfo Nolli whose signature graces the bronze plaques beneath the lamps, each with a lion standing in front of a royal palm tree engraved on it. Elgin Bridge is known as thih tiau kio in Hokkien, meaning “iron suspension bridge.”

Esplanade Bridge

The 260 m. (850-ft.) long, 70 m. (230-ft.) wide, low-level concrete arched Esplanade Bridge, a vehicular and pedestrian bridge along Esplanade Drive, in front of the mouth of the Singapore River, was built, from early 1994-1997, to provide faster access between Marina Center and the Shenton Way financial district.  After completion, it was found out that the bridge blocked views of the iconic Merlion statue from the Marina Bay waterfront, causing the statue to be transferred from the back to a more prominent place at the front of the bridge.

Esplanade Bridge

The Esplanade Bridge has 7 spans and supports two 4-lane carriageways and walkways along both sides.  The bridge offers panoramic views of Marina South, the rest of  Marina Bay and both sides of the Singapore River.  As such, it is often subject to occasional road closures during National Day and New Year’s Eve and the street lamps along it are shut off to allow spectators, pedestrians and revelers who pack all 8 lanes of the bridge a pleasant and unadulterated view of the fireworks.

Helix Bridge

The Helix Bridge, next to Bayfront Ave., was opened on July 18, 2010.  Previously known as the Double Helix Bridge, it is the world’s first curved bridge. This 280 m. (918-ft.) long pedestrian bridge is (Singapore’s longest) is located beside the Benjamin Sheares Bridge and is accompanied by the Bayfront Bridge, a vehicular bridge. The Helix Bridge links the hotels, commercial buildings and shops of Marina Center with Marina South in the Marina Bay area (a body of water formed through land reclamation at the mouth of the Singapore River).

Helix Bridge – Approach

The bridge has 5 strategically located viewing platforms sited at strategic locations.  They provide stunning views of the Singapore skyline and events taking place within Marina Bay. The bridge also functions as a gallery where children’s paintings and drawings are exhibited for public viewing.  The bridge is illuminated at night by a series of lights that highlight the double-helix structure, thereby creating a special visual experience for the visitors. Pairs of colored letters “C” (cytosine), “G” (guanine), “A” (adenine) and “T” (thymine), representing the bases of DNA, are lit up in red and green.

Helix Bridge – Approach

The Helix Bridge was designed by an international consortium including the Cox Group of Australian architects, Arup engineers, and Singapore’s Architects 61 and was fabricated and erected by TTJ Design and Engineering.  The bridge’s design features a series of connecting struts that hold together two spiraling steel members that resembles the structure of DNA (the building blocks of life), symbolizing life and continuity, renewal, abundance and growth, with the aim of attracting happiness and prosperity to Marina Bay.

Helix Bridge – Detail

It used approximately 650 tons of duplex stainless steel and 1,000 tons of carbon steel tubes to create the bridge’s major and minor helix that spirals in opposite directions. To provide shade for pedestrians, canopies made of fritted glass and perforated steel mesh were incorporated along parts of the bridge’s inner spiral.

View of Marina Bay From Helix Bridge

The Coleman Bridge, a vehicular bridge linking Hill St. and New Bridge Rd., near Clarke Quay, was the second bridge built across the Singapore River and the first built in masonry.  Part of the bridge demarcates a boundary between the Downtown Core and the Singapore River Planning Area, both located within the Central Business District. It first started out as a 9-arched brick bridge, built in 1840, designed by and named after Irish architect (Singapore’s first) George Drumgoole Coleman (1795–1844). It was referred to as the New Bridge, lending its name to New Bridge Road, the roadon its southern end.

Coleman Bridge

In 1865, the brick bridge was replaced by one made of not well constructed wood and, in 1886, an ironbridge was built to replace it. Considered one of the most attractive spanning the Singapore River, this iron bridge, however, was unable to cope with the increasingly heavy traffic flow between New Bridge Road and Hill Street and was finally demolished in 1986 and was replaced by the present concrete bridge. However, in recognition of its historical significance, the new bridge incorporated several features of the iron bridge such as the decorative lamp posts and iron railings. The Coleman Bridge is known, in Cantonese, as yi ma lo khiu (“the bridge at the second road”).

Chinatown District (Singapore)

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From Tanjong Pagar, we crossed over to the Chinatown district via South Bridge Rd.  This traditional Chinese precinct is bounded by South Bridge Rd., Kreta Ayer Rd., New Bridge Road and Upper Cross St..  South Bridge Road is unique, being an example of Singapore’s multi-racial and multi-religious community, with the Sri Mariamman Temple (1827), Jamae Mosque or Masjid Chuliam (1830), Fairfield Methodist Church and  Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum (2007) are all located here.

South Bridge Road

In 1843, the area was leased or granted to the public for the building of shophouses, many of which doubled as shops, warehouses, family quarters and workers dormitory.  They display strong Fujianese, Teochew and Cantonese influence.  Today, relatively little has changed with the original buildings in the area.

Colorful Chinatown Shophouses

Jandy and I first visited the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum. This S$62 million temple, its architectural style based on the Tang Dynasty, was built in 2007 to house the tooth relic of the historical Buddha found in 1980 in a collapsed stupa in Myanmar.

Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum

Sri Mariamman Temple, with its landmark ornamental tower entrance (gopuram), is the oldest Hindu temple in Singapore.  More popularly known as Mariamman Kovil or Kling Street Temple, it was first built in 1827 by immigrants from the Nagapatnam and Cuddalore districts of South India.  However, unlike my first visit here in 1992, I wasn’t allowed to take pictures inside.

Sri Mariamman Temple

In 1843, the temple was rebuilt in plaster and brick and, in 1962, a new temple structure with intricate sculptural works reminiscent of temple architecture in India was built. The original gopuram, built in the late 1800’s, was rebuilt in the 1930s and, in the 1960s, was repaired and restored with elaborate proliferation of sculptures.

Jamae Mosque

The nearby Jamae Mosque, on the other hand, was built in 1826 by the Chulias (Tamil Muslims). Its unique architectural style is eclectic. The entrance gate is distinctively South Indian while the 2 prayer halls and the shrine are in the Neo-Classical style typical of George Drumgoole Coleman. The mosque was gazetted a National Monument on 29 November 1974.

Chinatown Heritage Center

Kreta Ayer, considered by many to be the heart of Chinatown, houses the Chinatown Heritage Center, Chinatown Night Market and Chinatown Food Street.  The newly-restored Chinatown Heritage Center, occupying 3 shophouses along Pagoda St.,  houses memories and untold stories of Singapore’s early forefathers. The Chinatown Complex, along Smith Street, houses a wet market and shops selling sundry goods. At its second floor food center, Jandy and I indulged in some authentic Singaporean hawker food fare for lunch.

Trengganu Street

Shophouses do not have a single classification, combining different elements of Baroque and Victorian architecture with narrow wooden jalousies (often with adjustable slats) and decorative fanlights over the windows and pilasters, balconies and plasterwork seemingly Mediterranean in flavor.  Many of them are painted in a variety of different pastel colors. Trengganu St. (converted into a pedestrian mall transformed into a night market after dark), Pagoda St. and Temple St. as well as development in Upper Cross St. and the houses along Club St. are examples of this type of architecture.

Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum: 288 South Bridge Rd., Singapore 058840. Tel: 6220 0220. Fax: 6220 1261. Open daily, 7 AM-7 PM.  E-mail: services@btrts.org.sg.  Website: www.btrts.org.sq.