Wednesday

Tapping this out to the sound of booming thunder outside. Went for about a 45 min walk today, just around a big rectangle. Wanted to take a few shots of the multi-cultural aspects of Singapore. You already saw the Church, there's a big Catholic one nearby too.

Hindu:

Probably can't read the sign at the door, but it says "no shoes beyond this point". The big tarp was because of the rain, they were doing a bit of a clean-up.

Buddhist:

There was a big golden buddha that you could pat and rub the tummy of. There were five or six priests walking around today, plain robes, shaved heads. They were having a great time, very happy and smiling, conversing with people who would walk alongside them, holding umbrellas for them.

There's also a mosque, at least, I saw the sign for it, but couldn't seem to find it. Wandered around a bit, but it got thundery so I came home.

I know Melbourne is "multicultural" but really it's just that we have people from different places living in the one city. Here you get a real taste for what multicultural means. You've got active, practicing religions right next to each other. Food of all sorts, people interacting in all different ways. The food court has lots of different places selling food from different places, not in such a fake way, but actual food from different places.

We're right in the center of a big university/tafe sort of region here, so there are lots of young people from everywhere. It's so cool to sit in a really crowded space hearing so many languages and smelling so many different types of food while observing how many different laptops/mobile phone combinations there are!

Along the way I walked along a marketplace. There were some interesting stalls. Roadside acupuncture. Ever felt like stripping down and having needles stuck into you in a marketplace? If the answer is "yes" I suggest you keep it to yourself! =)

Remember in Wayne's World the VacuSuck hair product? Well, you can get them here and even have them tried out on you on the roadside if you want.

Other sights that I judged cameraworthy:

Weird building, all glass and angles. Was odd to see people just working and walking along the bridge. I walked through the middle of it and felt like I was in an M.C. Escher picture or the end scene of Labyrinth. Some of the angles really hang out and give you an odd sense of vertigo/worry as you walk under them.

And I have really no idea about what this was about:

You might need to click on that one to get the big photo for the full impact.

Yes, those are brighly coloured, happy-go-lucky cows. Just standing there in the middle of a grassy bit.

No fat dudes riding them or anything, just standing there.

The longer you think about it, the more ominous it seems.

No.

Wait.

That's just the thunder in the background.

Thanks again C&M for the West Wing DVDs, already watched more in a row than we should have. Thinking I should have packed more of them now!

Of great interest to us is the buttons on the elevator here:

Check out the "3" or lack thereof. You may also note a distinct lack of 14. We think the 14 might be because there's a pool on the roof (level 15).

And yes, even though people told me not to, I pressed the button. Lots. Nothing happens. I may try the stairs when I can find one that isn't alarmed (poor doors, I think it's the knowledge of the cows, just standing there... smiling).

And from the roof, I thought you might like the bay view that the Bayview hotel has.

You can click on it, see the big version, zoom in as much as you want. No bay. Well, at least there's still a view. Maybe they should rename the hotel? Cityview Hotel.

Anyhoo, that's about all the interest I have for one day. Thanks for your comments and e-mails, really appreciate the contact with home =)