Kuala Lumpur in 48 hours….

Landing at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) at 8.00 pm, we took a taxi to the city located 60kms away to our hotel in Bukit Bintang. The journey lasted an hour passing by palm oil plantations and we reached our hotel at 9.00pm. We checked in and kept our bags in our room. The view from our room was amazing, the Petronas towers and KL CBD were brightly lit against the night sky. We then went out for dinner. Since Bukit Bintang has a large Chinese population we found a shop selling Cantonese Kwai Tiao. After a hot sumptuous meal we rested for the night.

The next day we planned to go to Batu caves and Genting Highlands. We set out at 9 am and reached Batu caves first. An important pilgrimage site for us, it was also an auspicious day and there was quite a crowd.

Batu Caves entrance

The caves are natural limestone caves and one of the ten important pilgrimage sites for Lord Murugan, hence the Tamizh name of “Pathu malai” (tenth hill). The cave temple is located at a height of 150m after climbing 272 steps. The entrance is said to be shaped like a ‘vel’ or spear. There are two flights of steps before the temple and the view from the top is superb.

After Batu caves, we continued towards Genting Highlands located in nearby Pahang state. The place is located at an elevation of 1700m and is owned by Resorts World, the same company holding Sentosa.. The place is known only for its climate and casinos. Other than the above, this place has no other important landmark or activity to see or recollect. Genting Highlands are acccessible by both cable car and road. It is located at a distance of 55 kms from KL which we covered in an hour

Genting Skyway

We took the cable car called Genting Skyway to the top. The journey is approximately 30 minutes and on that day it was full of mist. We could not see the ground below us or the cable car ahead of us. The cars were 4 seater with 2 facing forwards and 2 facing behind. The ropeway crosses several peaks and gently rises to the hilltop.

On that day, the temperature was  cool (24c) with clouds wandering above us. The place has numerous hotels and food court all interconnected to each other. The whole place is a large resort for people to unwind and relax. Nothing much to offer for tourists.

At Genting we went to the First world Theme park, an entirely indoor amusement park. Unfortunately the World’s first 20th Century Fox World hadn’t been completed and so we couldn’t visit it. The theme park was also under renovation and only a few rides were running.

We had lunch and took the cable car back down to the base. The evening we spent lazing around the hotel and the headed out to Dateran Mardeka (Merdeka square).It is an important place in the history of Malaysia. The Union jack was lowered and the Malaysian flag was flown here first. The place also is located near the Supreme court. There is a 95 m flagpole and photos of all the Prime Ministers of Malaysia.

After walking around the square, we headed over to Little India or Brickfields area for dinner at Sangeetha’s. We retired early to rest for the activity of the next day.

DAY 2

We headed out on a city tour. First to Menara KL or KL tower. It is 421m tall and located within an urban forest. The view from the top is beautiful, especially on a clear sunny day.

From Menara KL we walked to the nearby Petronas Towers. The towers house the National Oil and Gas company of Malaysia, “Petronas”. The project called the Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC) also includes the KLCC mall, convention centre, aquarium and park. There is also the Mandarin Hotel nearby. The towers are still the Tallest twin towers in the world. The high speed elevator takes you to the top in 15 minutes as your ears pop. The sky bridge was unfortunately closed. An interactive 3D visuals and model of the towers greets you at the top.

The KLCC mall and Aquarium are like any other and so we didn’t spend a lot of time there. The park gives a good panoramia of the City centre and the Petronas towers in particular. It has a musical fountain and childrens water park.

Petronas Towers

After lunch we checked out and headed to Putrajaya, the new capital of Malaysia. The city houses the offices of all the government ministries and the residential quarters. It is large and spacious with wide boulevards and parks.

We visited the Putra square and Masjid and took photos outside the Prime Minister’s office. There were only tourists like us and not many locals. The place has a authoritative feel around it and everything feels perfect and in place.

The airport is located just beyond Putrajaya and we left after an hour of sightseeing.

Going Home

Looking forward to another exciting trip to another exotic locale!! Till then goodbye Malaysia.

KLIA 2

 

Upper Kodayar: Lost Paradise

Situated at an Elevation of 1500m. Upper Kodayar is an enthralling place far from civilisation. The place is located in the southern most western ghats near the Tamilnadu-Kerala border. These ranges are called the Pothigai hills and are a part of the Kalakad-Mundanthurai wildlife reserve. The legend is that Sage Agastya lived in these hills and balanced the earth during Shiva’s rudra tandavam. There are many plants of medicinal property and the range is also of spiritual importance.

The route from Tirunelveli, the district headquarters passes along the Thamirabharani river originating in these mountains and is scenic. We take a left before Kallidaikurichi, and pass by Singampatti Zamin. The hills loom over us on one side.

The first stop is at Manimuthar Dam. There is a forest dept. check post at the dam where we show our permission letter to enter the sanctuary. Being summer the dam is empty without any water.

After a few kms of riding in the forest we come across the Manimuthar Falls. A small one compared to the falls in Papanasam and Kuttralam. With few tourists and only locals its a secluded spot and a niche for the folks in town. Even though it is summer, there is enogh water for small crowd.

The road continuing from the falls belongs to the Bombay Burmah Trading Corporation, the company that has taken the land on lease and runs the tea estates.It is dense forest without any sunlight reaching through. As the elevation increases you could see the change in vegetation; from topical forests to shola grasslands. We first stop at the Vanapechiamman temple, the patron goddess of the hills and forests to say our prayers.

As we move on, we reach the first settlement, the Manjolai tea estate. Made infamous by the Manjolai incident. The place has a bakery, its own post office, temple, church, a few shops and a telephone booth. It’s the only place where you will get cellphone reception in this whole trip, after which you can forget your phones.

After a tea break, we set forth loosing all contact with the modern world. We climb higher into the ranges, passing by verdant tea estates interspersed with forests. The temperature drops as we proceed further. The lush tea gardens with blooming trees in between make a sight to behold in the fresh crisp air of the mountains.

A sudden clearing in the middle of the forest greets us and we have arrived at the Manjolai golf course. One of the highest and most unique courses. Beware of leeches when you play. The golf course was once a retreat for the British elite of Tirunelveli district who took it from the Singampatti Zamin.

 

The road continues though forests and plantations till we reach the first junction, aptly called Nalmukku (four corners). The place also has a post office and a small eatery where we reserve lunch with the owner cum chef. (Pin Code: 627427)

The road branches to Kuthiravetti and Upper Kodayar. We first head to Kuthiravetti, passing through the Oothu Organic Tea estate and factory where only natural pesticides and fertilizers are used. The Oothu green tea is a favourite of our family and has a distinct taste. We drive by Eucalyptus plantations in between tea gardens and finally reach Kuthiravetti. The road is quite bumpy and filled with potholes. There are a few row houses with a radio tower and a forest lookout in Kuthiravetti. The lookout gives you great views of Manimuthar dam and Papanasam dam.

We returned to Nalmukku and had lunch. The spread was minimum but the food was good considering the isolation and distance food has to be brought. We then resumed our journey to Upper Kodayar or UK as I fondly call the place. The mist starts to set in as the afternoon arises and we are greeted by chilly air on the route from Nalmukku to Upper Kodayar.

We reach Upper Kodayar and see the two dams. The place looks like an abandoned soviet era village. There is an overhanging mist and the buildings are damp with moss.

We climb up to the Dam and take some photos. The two dams are interconnected and the spillway leads to the Manimuthar falls. The water from the smaller dam is pumped to the bigger dam and then it is taken via a tunnel to the other side of the mountains and dropped 1000m down at an a incline of 60-80 degrees to the Kodayar 1 powerhouse to generate 60MW of electricity. There is no straight road from the powerhouse to the dam. The engineers must come via, Aralvaimozhi, Nanguneri and Kallakad, a distance of 181 kms. So the government also built a winch track connecting the two places with 4 stages and a total distance 5 kms.

The place is under the control of the Electricity department and there is a guesthouse of theirs, but it has no caretaker now. A few families live here and their lifeline is the road and a bus service on this route.

After a few photos by the dam, we left the dam for the Winch station. The whole place is leech territory and even step onto the road side can get you bitten.

We cross the peak and descend along a vertical cliff face to reach the station cum gate valve. The place is abandoned and closed. The clouds are carried up from the Kanyakumari plains below. On clear days it is said you can see till the Indian Ocean and Neyar dam in Kerala.

The winch track has a path by it’s side by which the people from below come up to work the winch. The dizzying height itself is a factor, but climbing 1000m ascent is sure not for the faint hearted. Hence it was unfortunate that I could not ride the winch this time as the operator had to climb up from below.

On the way back we bought some tea and rusk at the Manjolai estate for home and took some photos and experiences for the rest of our life.

India: A Paradox in access to healthcare

With 1.2 billion people in this world and the second most populous country, India spends roughly 4.7% of its GDP on the health of those people. Grossly inadequate and insufficient for a developing country with a growing economy! The most important resource for any country are it’s people and the government not spending on the welfare and well-being of its citizens is a sure formula for catastrophe.

`Healthcare in India is of three types, Public, Private and a third model in between wherein the government provides insurance for below poverty line families to avail healthcare in any facility of their choice including private hospitals. The public hospitals in India are overflowing to the brim as they are free and that they cannot deny any patient of service on any grounds. This makes them cramped and overcrowded which puts off many patients. Private healthcare ranges from small clinics to large hospital chains with thousands of beds, but their cost being highly prohibitory, only those wealthy enough or covered by insurance can afford them.

Another paradox in India is the presence of other medical systems, like Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani and Homeopathy. Though based on certain principles and regulated by the government, the line between a quack and an alternative medicine practitioner more often blurs. This often results in people being misled by the tall claims the quacks make. The problem is further compounded by the fact that India has the lowest numbers of doctor: population ratio of 0.7 to 1000 people against the WHO recommendation of 1:1000. Most of these doctors are concentrated in urban areas and eighty percent of urban healthcare is taken care of by private players. The first points of contact for patients in rural areas are Primary Health Centers (PHC). There are 24,049 PHC’s all over India and most are manned by at least one allopathic doctor if not 2, providing basic treatment and remedy. They are not equipped for inpatient admission and for minor surgical and obstetric procedure. Their role being limited to function as outpatient clinics and nodal center for epidemiology and health program implementation. PHC’s should be upgraded to the level of Community Health Centers (CHC) to handle a few medical emergencies and carrying out surgical procedures. Seventy percent of specialist posts in CHC’s are lying vacant and to fill them the government must increase the number of residency position from the current nineteen thousand.

Every year forty five thousand undergraduates pass out and most spend a year or two attending a coaching program to crack the entrance exam to get a residency position. This period is wasted as they only focus on their preparation. This can be solved by luring them with higher salaries and better facilities in PHC’s and increasing the number of residency positions thereby also reducing the vacancies for specialists in CHC.

A combined approach is needed to ensure equitable access to healthcare for all people.

References:

1. World Health Organization – Density of Physicians

2. Madhav G. Deo, Doctor population ratio for India – The reality, Indian J Med Res. 2013             Apr; 137(4): 632–635.

3. Rural Health Care System in India – Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
4. Indian Public Health Standards 2012
5. gov.in – Number of Sub-Centres, Primary Health Centres (PHCs) and Community Health Centres(CHCs) Functioning in 2005 and 2012

Pirates of Pulicat!

Pulicat is an old Portugese trading post north of Chennai, Tamilnadu and located on the banks of a lagoon of the same name. It is a winter nesting spot for many birds and has pristine beaches for us. The town also is near Sriharikota, the launch pad for India’s space program and on launch days if you’re lucky might be able to catch a rocket lift off.

We left Chennai after lunch at 1 pm and followed the scenic coastal route through Royapuram, Kasimedu, Ernavoor, Ennore and Kathivakkam.

The road is lined by Groynes and the waves splash against the tar. Just after Kasimedu there is the beach for a few photos and early in the morning you could buy some fresh fish.

Past Kathivakkam village, is the bridge over the Ennore creek with Thermal Power plants on both sides. There is the Vallur Plant on the left and North Chennai plant on the right. You will be going underneath the conveyer belt carrying coal from the port.

The only habitation on this stretch is the Athipattu village after which the road joins the T.H Road to Minjur. Minjur is a bigger town with lots more people. At Minjur, take a right onto Kattur road. The road passes by the Minjur Railway station and through a railway crossing towards Kattur. From here onwards the road is lined by paddy fields and ponds, nowhere like the city we left behind. The last few kms to Pulicat are over the salt marsh and the surroundings are surreal.

After you enter the main bazaar of Pulicat, take left before the bridge for the Catamaran terminus. They charge nominally to take you to the mouth of the lagoon. The boat ride lasts for about 20 minutes and the lagoon being a maximum of only 5 – 6 feet deep there is not much to fear. There is an abandoned island on the way which was said to have been ravaged by a cyclone.

The boat docks on one side of the sandbar and on the other side is the open ocean. In between there is a small whip tree (savukku maram) forest. The forest is littered with garbage thrown by previous groups but the beach is somewhat clean, in fact so clean that you can see the shells at the bottom of the beach.

The beach is also quite empty except for the occasional family or friends gang. But there as ample space for all. You wouldn’t see a soul till the horizon. The water was clear unlike the murky brown of Marina beach. With the setting sun in the backdrop it was a picture perfect postcard evening. The boatmen wait till your done and never leave your side. Reassuring, since there isn’t anyone around for miles.

After returning to the landing point, we drove over the bridge to the lighthouse. The Lighthouse is open from 3 pm – 5 pm only. We reached there at 5.15 pm and were late by a whisker. The view from the top eluded us and we decided to be early next time.

On the way back we took the Ponneri route and stopped by in Ponneri for some hot snacks. The road joins the Chennai-Kolkatta highway and before Redhills there is a famous Murugan Temple at Siruvapuri. Since we were already late we couldn’t visit this time. But it is said to have a Emerald statue of Lord Murugan. Another spot on this way is the Puzhal lake, which supplies water to Chennai.

In the end we came back at 7 pm tired and weary after frolicking in the beach. All our energy gone and nothing left in our body, but we were left with memories in our hearts, shells in our pockets and sand everywhere!

-Till the sun rises in the East and sets in the West.

Life of a CRRI (Resident)

The Final M.B.B.S. exams are over and your earning for your post exam holidays, but on the other side what greets you is the steepest learning phase of your life: the CRRI period.

When I joined college in first year, brash from high school and after scoring near perfect marks to get into medical school and being self-aware of my accomplishment, the first thing my Anatomy teacher told me was the important questions to the first year university exam. I was like ‘why so soon? We just got over with the biggest hurdle of our life and now another exam?’ But it wasn’t going to be the last. Undergrad is just the birth of a doctor! After years of training as a House Surgeon, Postgrad, Super specialist, Register and finally Consultant, you are considered a grown adult in this field. In India, where the number of degrees behind your name signifies your skill and reputation it is no mean feat to being a private practitioner.

It is often said that the child’s mental development happens most during late infancy to toddler years. That is when the brain learns considerable information that is equivalent to a supercomputer’s power. Like the developmental milestones we learnt in pediatrics, the child learns all the skills required to survive in this world. The CRRI period can be compared to this age!

The 365 days of endless, vacation-less, tiring and frustrating time is also the most assimilating period of clinical knowledge and skills. The rotations in all the departments are a once in a lifetime opportunity which otherwise will not be repeated unless we choose the particular specialty! But even then we miss out on all other branches. For example, a physician will not get a chance to do a surgery. A surgeon will not be able to do a Holter test. A psychiatrist will not be able to conduct an LSCS after his CRRI period is over. House Surgeons are the first point of contact for the patients. They are in the OP, the wards, ICU’s and theatres. Nowhere else will we get such unhindered access to all places in the hospital. The knowledge gained and the skills learned are the ones that will stay with us till our last breath.

From doing Paracentesis, Thoracocentesis, Lumbar Puncture, Arterial Blood Gas analysis, catheterizations, Nasogastric tubing, Intubations and CVP lines to conducting labour, episiotomies, Caesarean sections and neonatal resuscitation in OG and Pediatrics. While also assisting surgeries and suturing, POP application, Internal and External fixation, Traction and Spinal Anesthesia and what not in Surgery rotation. In addition to the mundane work, like putting dues, writing case sheets, indents, discharge summaries and going for rounds with the higher ups. This one year is a roller coaster ride with ups and downs but all doctors will swear that it was by far their best year of life.  It’s true we are overworked and underpaid, but at the end of the day, giving the discharge summary handwritten by us to a patient: we saw coming in to the casualty with labored breathing and feeble pulse and seeing him walk out of the ward after thanking us from the bottom of his heart; makes our day complete.

-Giridharan S

.

Singaporean Sojourn

After a hectic Final year of Med school, what better way to unwind than visiting my uncle Sathiah in Singapore and checking out the city state. After a thorough online research, I came up with this Itinerary to cover all the places in 1 week.

The best pass for Singapore would be the Ultimate Attraction Pass provided by the Duck Tours.The 5 Day pass costs S$337 for adults. It included

The best way to get around Singapore is by Public Transport. The MRT and Buses will take you everywhere. Taxis are expensive and are not needed. Buy an LTA card and recharge at the kiosks in the MRT Stations.

Itinerary of Singapore with Ultimate Attraction Pass.

Day	Time	Place	Timings	Entry fee (S$)
1		Bayfront MRT
		Gardens by the Bay	9 am – 9 pm	28
		Open gardens	5 am – 2 am
		Far East Org	9 am – 9 pm
		OCBC Skyway	9 am – 9 pm	5
		Satay by the Bay
		Marina Barrage
		Grand Empire Restaurant	12 pm – 2 pm	24
		Singapore Flyer	8.30 am – 10.30 pm	33
		Alive Museum	10 am – 10 pm	25
		Fountain of Wealth
		Suntec Convention and Exhibition Centre
		Moonlight Adventure	6.30 pm – 9.30 pm	43
		Promenade MRT
2		Dhobi Gaut MRT
		National Museum of Singapore	10 am – 7 pm	10
		Peranakan Museum	10 am – 7 pm	4
		Philatelic Museum	10 am – 7 pm	6
		Xien Chen Gu Shi	12 pm – 2 pm	15
		River Cruise	till 10.30 pm	25
		Parliament
		Asian Civilizations Museum	10 am – 7 pm	8
		Merlion
		Raffles Place
		Raffles Place MRT
3		Harbour Front MRT
		Waterfront LRT
		Universal Studios	10 am – 7 pm	74
4		Imbiah LRT
		Sentosa Merlion	10 am – 8 pm	12
		Madame Taussads	10 am – 6 pm	39
		Tiger Sky Tower	9 am – 9 pm	18
		Sentosa 4D Adventureland		18
		Go Green Cycles	10 am – 9 pm	18
		Hard Rock Café	12 pm – 2 pm
		S.E.A Aquarium	10 am – 7 pm	32
		Lake of Dreams	9.30 pm
5		Singapore Zoo	8.30 am – 6.30 pm	32
		Amazon River ride	11:00 AM	5
		KFC Singapore Zoo
		River Safari	10 am – 7 pm	33
		Night Safari	7.15 pm – 12 am	42

Day 1

Garden’s By the Bay

Garden’s by the Bay

Beautiful Gardens built on reclaimed land. The Gardens as such are free. But to view the two conservatories and the OCBC Skyway, they have an entry fee. We got off at the Bayfront MRT located beneath the Marina Bay Sands Hotel and walked out over a Pedestrian overbridge to the Gardens.

Marina Bay Sands Hotel

The two conservatories can be viewed anytime but the Skyway is subject to inclement weather. The first one is the Flower Dome with controlled climate and all species of plants from across the world. The main attraction would be the wood carving of the Dragon and Deer.

The Cloud Forest is a vertical forest with an artificial waterfall. It represents the various species that would grow at different elevations. There is also a cave exhibit within the cloud dome that is built inside the tower.

Both domes have souvenir shops to buy trinkets. A bit further from the shops we had the “Satay by the Bay” for lunch. My culinary journey will be in a different post. After Lunch, we headed to the OCBC Skyway. It’s seriously not for the fainthearted and those withacrophobia. The Skyway does swing in heavy winds, but they offer a beautiful view of the Bay and and the Barrage.

After lingering in the gardens for some time we decided to head to the Singapore Flyer. It’s at a walkable distance and the way passes by some architectural marvels including the Helix Bridge.

FLYER

The Flyer is actually a giant ‘Giant Wheel’ moving at a very slow pace showing views of the CBD and Bay. On a bright day you could see as far as Indonesia. The best time to visit would be in the evening, when the twilight gives way to the Neon lights of the night, lighting up the skyline. It takes approximately 45 minutes for one turn of the wheel.

Next stop was the Suntec City Mall; wherein the Duck Tours office is located. We booked a Duck tour and a Moonlight Adventure.

Duck Tour

The Duck is a remodeled WWII amphibious Vietnamese war craft that can travel on land and sea. There are 4 different coloured ducks and each has its own name. The Tour starts at Suntec City Mall, passes by the flyer to enter into the water. It sails past the F1 pits, to the Merlion, Fullerton Square and comes back to the same place. It then continues on land to the Esplanade Theatre, the Fullerton Hotel, National Art Gallery, St. Andrew’s Church and finally the end.

Moonlight Adventure

The best way to explore Singapore by night. It Includes:

• Flyer Food Trail – Old school eats
• Captivating lightshow at Gardens by the Bay
• Street market mayhem @Bugis Village
• Romantic River Cruise- Clarke Quay
• Dining & entertainment heaven Orchard Road

First Stop is the Flyer food trail under the Singapore Flyer, where they gave us a 5$ Coupon to buy anything we like. Then off to the Gardens by the Bay for the Sound and Light show, followed by shopping at Bugis and a tour of the Bay area with drop at Orchard Road.

With that ends Day 1 of Singapore.

Day 2: Museum Hopping

The second day we went museum hopping, starting from the National Museum of Singapore, Philatelic Museum, Peranakran Museum, National Art Gallery and Asian Civilisations Museum. Each Museum lasted 45 minutes to 2 hours; the larger ones being the Asian Civilisations Museum and the National Art Gallery. The Peranakran Museum had a lovely interactive stamp game. On the way between the museums you would pass by the Parliament, Treasury, Opera House and Theatres.

The National Museum of Singapore told us about the history of Singapore and the Occupation of Singapore by the Japanese. The Peranakaran are a group of people of different ethnicity who live in Singapore and Malaysia and follow certain customs and practices different from the Malay, Chinese and Indians. The Pernakaran museum brings to you their way of life.The Singapore Philatelic museum also had a visiting exhibit of the Peanuts comic. The Asian civilisation museum has artifacts from all the Asian Civilisations.

Lunch was at Xiao Chen Gu Shi restaurant in Clarke Quay. After the Museums we went to the Bay Area to see the Merlion followed by a quick rest at Raffles Place. We finished the day window shopping at Clarke Quay with it’s Bars and Cafes and a River Cruise down the river.

River Cruise map

Day 3: Universal Studios Singapore

The title being self explanatory. You will need one whole day for the theme park. Be there before opening hours to buy your tickets and to click the Universal Studios Globe outside the park. The tickets are subject to availability and are usually sold out on weekends and holidays.

The Park has 8 sections: Madagascar, Far far away, Jurassic World, SciFi city, Hollywood, Water world and New York City. Each section has it’s own rides and shows. The times keep changing and there are reruns throughout the day.

After your exhausted at Universal Studios, leisure around Resorts world Sentosa; the Waterfront, Lake of Dreams, Festive Walk, The Convention Centre, Casino and Shops outside.

On the way to the Mainland, look around the Vivo City Mall, one of the largest malls in Singapore with a awesome skydeck.

Day 4: Sentosa

Sentosa is a separate world within Singapore. The place has everything to offer, theme parks to adventure sports, wildlife, etc.

We first started at the Merlion statue, followed by the SEGWAY bikes, then the Madame Tussauds , Tiger Sky tower. After the Tiger Sky tower we went to Sentosa 4D Adventureland for a 45 minute show. Then to Sentosa Nature Discovery and a Bicycle Ride around the island. Other attractions in Sentosa that are not included in this card, but are worth visiting include the Underwater World, Adventure Cove Water Park, Luge and Cable Car, iFly Singapore, Trick eye museum, Mega Adventure park. The Free attractions include Fort Siloso, Crane dance,and Wings of Time.

The Last part of the day was spent at the SEA Aquarium containing the maritime history of the South East Asian countries and their sea creatures.

Day 5: Zoo Hopping

Most of the Zoos in Singapore are located in the Mandai area. All three important ones share a common entrance. The first zoo is the main Singapore Zoo. The largest of them all. The second one is the River Safari. The last is the Night Safari, which opens only at 6 pm.

Day 6

With our Pass expired we set about exploring some hidden gems of Singapore, including the Japanese Gardens and Chinese Gardens. Located in the Jurong area, a worthwhile visit for a Naturist like me. The pagoda offers a beautiful view of the surrounding locality and the Bonsai garden has some masterpieces. The Garden of Chinese Zodiac was one of the highlights.

The one scary thing is the population of Lizards in the parks which roam freely around.

After the Gardens, we went to the Science Centre. Though for children, I loved the way science is taught in a fun way at the centre. The adjacent Omnitheatre brought back nostalgic memories of visiting the planetarium when I was a child.

Day 7:

We started after Lunch to the Suntec City Mall. The mall is one of the largest in Singapore and has a convention centre which often has interesting events going on. The Suntec property has 5 towers depicting the 5 fingers and in the palm we have the Fountain of Wealth. The mall also houses the Alive Museum which uses Trick of the eye to bring to life 3D visualisation.

Next we boarded the MRT to the Marina Bay Sands. Built by the Las Vegas company, it includes a Hotel, Casino, Art and Science Museum, Mall, Convention Centre and Theatre. We first visited the Art and Science Museum. It combines both Art and Science to produce stunning exhibits that are interactive and awe inspiring. The architecture of the museum itself is a marvel.

The Mall is unique since it has an indoor canal with gondola rides. The Casino and Theatres are right next door to the mall. The Skydeck is the best part of today. Make sure to be there by late evening to see the sun set and the dazzling lights of the skyscrapers of the CBD.

After dusk explore the boulevard near the Marina Bay sands to see some modern artworks on display.

Day 8

We visited the Botanical Gardens and the Orchid Gardens. The place abounds with flora and exotic plants, but it was a very humid day and the heat weared us out.

So we left the Gardens after an hour and headed to the famous shopping area of Orchard Road. On the way we passed by many embassies like the Saudi, Chinese, Philippine and Japanese. The entire stretch is filled with arcades and stores. The $2 stores were worth every penny and I bought gifts to take back home.

Other notable places i went to include the Chinatown and the Sri Mariamman temple nearby; Little India, Shopping @ Mustafa and Sri Srinivasa Perumal temple and Sri Veerakaliamman Temple; East Coast Park: a man made beach;

The notable exclusions on my trip were the Jurong Bird Park, Underwater World and Cable car ride. Other lesser attractions that could be visited are the Singapore Discovery Centre, Malay, Indian and Chinese Heritage Centres, Pulau Ubin Island, Mint museum of toys and few Sentosa attractions like Adventure Cove waterpark, iFly, Luge, etc.

Culinary Delights

 

Hainanese Chicken Rice

 

Mee Goreng

Ice Kacang

Laksa

Chicken Satay

Ice Cream Sandwich

Nasi Briyani

Kwai Tiao

Thai food: Tumyum soup, Pineapple rice,