I love going across the Esplanade Bridge which links the Esplanade to the CBD. The bus I take to work drives across the bridge every day and I'll always look out of the window whenever it does. It's something I never fail to do.
There's something very soothing to the soul about looking out to a calm body of water. As the bus drives past, the water glistening in the morning sun is a beautiful sight. On rainy mornings, it just makes me wistful looking out of the window. On the left is the prickly Esplanade (the world's biggest Durian), the Sheares Bridge in the middle and on the right is the Merlion spouting an endless stream of water.
The Merlion btw, is to me, the most overrated tourist attraction and icon of Singapore. I mean, WHAT kind of icon is this??? This half-lion half-fish creature is so ugly. Apparently, the idea is that the lion head represents the fabled beast that supposedly once roamed Singapore and the fish part represents Singapore's origins as a sea town. I wished they had just stuck with the lion. At least that's more majestic. I don't have any affection whatsoever for this creature which seems to have won the hearts of many tourists. Every day, I see so many tourists milling around, waiting to get their shot of the Merlion. All I can say is that the people at the Singapore Tourism Board have done their job.
The Merlion at Sentosa is the ugliest of all. Btw, did you know there are two Merlions at the One Fullerton side? One big one and a miniature one. It's a baby Merlion! Anyway, the one at Sentosa is humongous and it looks absolutely demonic at night with coloured lights coming out from its eyes.
But I've digressed. I just meant to say that I really like going across, whether walking or driving, the Esplanade Bridge.
Posted by DSD at March 17, 2005 8:46 AMReminds me of your Singapore tour! I'll have to visit again when your airline gets underway...
Speaking of which, I can't believe you'll be here again in a week! Yay!
the smaller one is actually the original merlion... they kept it for historical reasons... and i can't remember who the sculptor is/was...
Posted by: tiggie at March 17, 2005 10:04 AMmy favourite bridge is the one connecting indoor stadium to the opposite of the river where some of the most expensive condo in Singapore situated. At night, it is less harsh with the lights, yet the romantic drift of the river mesmerized you. Not forgetting the side cafe where you can just enjoy a bottle of beer.
Posted by: daniel at March 17, 2005 10:41 AMJoe: Yes, you definitely must visit again when my airline gets underway. Heehee.
tiggie: Oh, didn't know that about the baby Merlion.
daniel: Yeah, i know which bridge you're talking about. I like that one too. And yes, it looks really lovely at night. And of course, the cafe just across the bridge is very inviting.
Posted by: dsd at March 17, 2005 12:50 PMthe indoor stadium bridge holds some special memories for me. *blush* it was somewhere around there that i said yes to becoming someone's girlfriend! hahaha.
as for the merlion at sentosa, it is hideous. and yes, demonic's the word.
Slumbering girl: Oh for me, it was a turning point quite some time back for me, and it has special meaning for me too
another bridge, is the bridge joining ACM to Fullerton One, Cavanagh Bridge (Not sure if it is the name), well that's a bridge i love esp at night, could just sat there and look at the lights and noise of boatquay, and turn around is Fullerton One. 2 major incidents happened on the bridge for me.
Posted by: Daniel at March 18, 2005 9:42 AMif i am not wrong, the engineer who designed Cavanagh bridge, Mr Cavanagh, commited suicide from his bridge... because he had envisioned it to be the only bridge necessary for linking the 2 sides of the Singapore river... but it wasn't sturdy enough to sustain the increasing heavy traffic so another bridge (Anderson Bridge?!) was built...
there are nice sculptures along it ... figures of children leaping into the water... gosh i picked up quite a lot of trivias being a tourist when i was back a few months ago.
Posted by: tiggie at March 18, 2005 10:07 AMwhoa, never knew a post on bridges could spark off memories for people.
So bridges not only connect one place to another, they also serve to bridge people too in relationships. :)
Yah, Cavanagh Bridge is nice too. In fact, I think all bridges are nice! 'Cos they serve such a good purpose! I love driving/walking across bridges!
Posted by: dsd at March 18, 2005 10:15 AMUrm, actually I can think of another Singapore icon that is more grotesque than the merlion. Its the icon that was recently reveiled and suppose to represent our multi racial society or something. I think I read someone's blog entry on that but can't remember whose was it now. Now THAT icon really looks weird and I have absolutely no idea how its supposed to be representative of anything!!!
Posted by: Fatgirl at March 18, 2005 11:30 PM