29.7.04 00:45 link

Disneyworld...?? I have been in disneyworld Florida and Paris... I didn't know disney also had a park in Singapore.... they call it Sentosa Island and I couldn't find mickey or donald, so mabey they were hiding behind some palm treas orso... In fact is looks like a very nice island and they say it is the biggest tourist attraction from Sing. I went there by Cable Car. It is a Ski-Cable Car System from the 70th from the Swiss Alps. It takes you to the island with a breathtaking view on the city, the harbor and the ocean.... Or must I say a view on the city, the cranes, the big tourists boats the big tankers and one of the largest oil raffinery in the world, just outside the coastline with douzends of oil tankers from all over the world.... On the island they were still building a lot of new places so you could hear the drillmachines and the engines of the boats just off the coastline. Fortunately they had a nice terras where I've had a small snack and where they playd the music just loud enough to only hear the music ... that was relaxing... looking over the beach I saw that there were a lot of palmtrees being held by some poles in the sand. They just planted them there and of course it doesn't look nature if they would stand straight, so they put them leaning towards the ocean. It does take a while before the roots are strong enough to hold them. Still it looks a bit strange. Looking futher than the beach.. over the ocean.., I could only see oil tankers.. there was no horizon without oil tankers... I've never seen so many and was wondering what nature lovers would think of this when they visit Sentosa.... At some buildings they uses some fake wood.. I've seen that before in ..disneyworld.. From a distance it looks like old wood, but if you look closely you see that it is plastic like material... easy for maintenance I guess.... I sound a bit negative, but was very glad to have seen it and actually had a very good time there. I did't take the train or the monorail across the island and I didn't go into all the parks, I tried to follow the few paths over the island without amusement....I was lucky to have found them... Tonight explore the nightlife for the last time and tomorrow after breakfast to the airport to get my plane to KL (Kuala Lumpur, Maleisia) Singapore, over and out

20.5.04 12:37 link

some history facts (thanks to lonelyplanet.com) According to Malay legend, a Sumatran prince encountered a lion - considered a good omen - on Temasek, prompting him to found Singapura, or Lion City. It mattered little that lions had never inhabited Singapore (more likely the prince had seen a tiger); what did matter was the establishment of the region as a minor trading post for the powerful Sumatran Srivijaya empire and as a subsequent vassal state of the Javanese Majapahit empire in the mid-13th century. Singapore might have remained a quiet backwater if not for Sir Stamford Raffles' intervention in 1819. The British had first established a presence in the Straits of Melaka (now called Malacca) in the 18th century when the East India Company set out to secure and protect its line of trade from China to the colonies in India. Fearing another resurgence of expansionism in the Dutch - which had been the dominant European trading power in the region for nearly 200 years - Raffles argued for an increased British presence, which he was promptly given. Under his tutelage, Singapore's forlorn reputation as a fetid, disease-ridden colony was soon forgotten. Migrants attracted by a tariff-free port poured in by the thousands, and a flourishing colony with a military and naval base was established. Singapore's inexorable growth continued into the 20th century. However, the outbreak of WWII brutally exposed the fallacy of British might: they suffered the ignominy of defeat when Japan invaded the colony in 1941. The British were welcomed back after Japan's surrender in 1945, but their right to rule was no longer assured. By the 1950s, burgeoning nationalism had led to the formation of a number of political parties as Singapore moved slowly towards self-government. The People's Action Party, with the Cambridge-educated Lee Kuan Yew as leader, was elected in 1959. Lee became prime minister, a position he was to hold for the next 31 years. In 1963, Singapore formed a union with Malaya (now Malaysia) but by 1965, the nascent federation was in tatters. Singapore became independent soon after and was once again the economic success story of the region. Shrewd and pathologically pragmatic, Lee fashioned a government heavy on the suppression of political opposition and strict social order. Lee Kuan Yew resigned as prime minister in 1990 and was replaced by Goh Chok Tong, a leader more inclined towards consultation and liberalism. The country's first presidential election was held in August 1993 - prior to that, presidents were elected by members of parliament. The most recent election was in September 1999 when the presidency, a largely ceremonial role, was won by SR Nathan. Economically, the southeast Asian region's late-1990s downturn (a euphemism if ever there was one) hit Singapore as hard as anywhere else - in one three-month period in late 1998, unemployment in the country doubled. The city-state is slowly bouncing back, however, and on the street things are lively as ever, though the exodus of well-trained professionals seeking glittering international opportunities is a growing concern

19.5.04 13:08 link

more than shopping Today was a bit more cultural.... This morning I made a walk at ford Canning. It is a big waterreservoir on top of a hill. The nicest about it was that it was surrounded by beatifull old and very big trees. Up there I had a beatifull view over the city and there was nobody... mabey becouse of the 35 degrees and the 200 steps I had to take to get on top... After having my lunch (in the same place where I had breakfast yesterday, full plate noodles/veggies/schrips and a coke for about 2 euro's..yesterday I also went to a place to have a beer.. for ... 7 euro's.... contradictions.... what do you mean..?) I went to my first appointment with a global insurance company here in Singapore. The best thing was that I had an appointment at the 47th floor... you can imagin that it was a beautifull view. The sky was a little bit foggy, so that was a shame, but still..., these are nice things to have experienced. Of course we talked about a lot of business things, witch I won't tell you all, if you are interessted let me know. What was very interessting was the fact that overhere people are very motivated and high educated. They have a very good work ethic, he said that people rarely work just 40 hours a week. Next to that everybody is very good in english and they don't only work long hours, they are also very productive and professional. That is also the reason that most larger companies chose for Singapore as the hub for south east asia. Within the insurance business it is even more common to put the headquarters here than in Hong Kong. This afternoon I've been walking though Little India and had some snacks in Arab Street. Tonight I will go out for drinks an diner with a guy from Brazil who'm I've met in my hotel. We will probably expore chinatown in evening aswel. Oke, gotto go change and have a quick shower. Talk to you all later.

19.5.04 13:05 link

Arrived ...I'm here.... It was a long trip.. leaving my house at 7.30 and arriving in my hotel around 3.00 o clock (dutch time) 9.00 o clock Singapore time.... Finding a hotel was no problem and now I've got a hotel for around 45 euro's a night. It's got a king size bed, beatifull bathroom and... a swimmingpool on top of the hotel. After my breakfast (noodles ofcourse..)I took a beauty sleep for an hour. After that I've been shopping at Orchard Road. For the one's who haven't been there before.... one day shopping is not enough for all these shops... But it is the beginning of my trip so only bought some practical things like a t-shirt and short-trousers. I cannot buy souveniers now because than I have to drag them with me though South East Asia... and I don't want that. After I've worn out my feet I took my first relaxing dip in the pool and after this short message, to let you know I've arrived safely in Singapore, I will look for a place to eat and mabey..

18.5.04 13:08 link