Singapores Southern Ridges

Singapore’s Southern Ridges trail is an amazing way to see how urbanization and nature can be interconnected in a beautifully cohesive way while also revealing some insight into Singapore’s past, present and future. Hopping in at any point along its extensive unmarked trail will lead to a number of spectacular sights as well as educational opportunities along the way. One such stop is the Reflections at Bukit Chandu Museum. This small museum wonderfully depicts the 8 day conquest of Singapore by Japan and recognizes the brave resistance fought by the hastily trained Malay soldiers.

From Kent Ridge down to HortPark the trail is filled with flora and blossoming flowers that contrast the buildings in the background. Some beautifully designed ‘green walls’ where plants grow with gravity from their vertical walls show promise for future building designs to truly incorporate the loosely thrown around term of being “Green.” While continuing on you enter the jungle tree tops where monkeys play a midst the sights and sounds of the city.

Towards the end of the trail is the remarkable Henderson Waves, an architecturally unique pedestrian bridge over the jungle with stunning views of both the city and the seaport. The trail finally leads up to Mt. Faber with views down onto Sentosa Island where the 9 km trail incorporating concrete, steel, wild flowers and jungle into one mosaic finally comes to an end. Enjoying the sun setting over the harbor and construction sites in view the darkness of night blankets nature and the city lights emerge victorious. 

Great Escape

From the concrete jungles of Singapore’s urban sprawl it is possible to completely leave it all behind and isolate yourself by allowing nature to engulf you. The MacRitchie Reservoir and Bukit Batok Nature Reserve in central Singapore are those places that offer a change of scenery from towering skyscrapers to towering rain forest canopy.

From the MacRitchie Reservoir starts a 4.8km trail leading away from a major road and into a different world. Soon the city sounds are left behind and curious monkeys descend to get a closer look. Butterflies swirl about, birds move from tree to tree and insects reign supreme on the forest floor and while monitor lizards navigate the marshy waterways. It seems impossible to be able to leave the city and enter such a serene world in only a matter of minutes.

The walk to Bukit Batok’s primary rain forest includes a bridge 50 meters up spanning the canopy allowing spectacular views of the tree tops and natures lungs. Here you can experience being with the birds and monkeys carelessly moving about, and the only thing to separate you from nature and bring you back to reality is the occasional helicopter passing over head. With the temporary broken bond with the peace and nature it is hard to imagine that this pristine section of rain forest is not surrounding a city but is rather surrounded by the ever encroaching development of mankind.

The Lion City

With skyscrapers looming over its harbor, from a glance one might confuse Singapore with just another western port city. There are many unique features of this harbor however that stand out from the rest. Marina Bay Sands is by far the most prominent architectural feature around the harbor with its table top held up by 3 towers and a giant concrete lotus at its base. It is accessible by a DNA shaped bridge and towers over an obscure park full of massive metal trees resembling something from Avatar.

 Singapore’s skyline although impressive in itself is only a cover for the deep seeded culture that exists at the street level. The buildings conceal a vibrant Little India with Hindu temples and serving up flavorful curries. Or to Chinatown where Buddhist temples are surrounded by bustling markets showcasing just about every commercial product imaginable. Singapore is a dynamic city/country, far more developed than its Asian counterparts but nothing without the incorporation of the cultures of its developing neighbors.

Suicide Prevention Campaign

If there is a problem in one corner of the world it is likely the same problem exists elsewhere and it is these commonalities that allow us to maintain empathetic thoughts for all mankind. While traveling oftentimes, random things come your way, and the opportunity to do something unique and worthwhile is around every bend. This was the case for the Penang Suicide Prevention Campaign I was so fortunate to be invited to and become a part of. Such injurious problems as suicide, need to be addressed globally and I was honored to be a part of such an inspiring and uplifting event so far from home. Taking advantage of such experiences is what truly helps a traveler learn and grow.

PENANG

After an arduous 22 hour third class train journey from Bangkok, the island of Penang was delightfully surprising. Picturing a small island town is a completely false notion. The island is actually a huge metropolis with ever increasing sky scrapers and development project but still offers a whirlwind of culture.

With its deep seeded British colonial history to its days of Japanese occupation, the island is a true melting pot. With a vibrant little India where bright paint smears the streets to china town and from its lavish mosques to massive Buddhist temples the island truly has international flare all which combine for the number one reason for visiting. THE FOOD!

Hawker stalls reign supreme over everything else on the island. Serving up everything from Indian curries, to Malay cuisine, fried Chinese food to burgers and pizza; the food is what keeps the people coming. With so many cultures, ethnicities, and religions blended together there is something for everyone on this island.

 

P- Party, Problems, Police

E- Ethnic Diversity, Energy, Emergency Room

N- New Friends

A- Amazing Food

N- No Money

G- Get Away to Singapore!!!

AYUTTHAYA

The ability to withstand torrential monsoons, relentless sun, furious winds, and numerous wars are a few of the characteristics that allow places dubbed as ancient to gain their titles. The small city of Ayutthaya just over one hour north of chaotic Bangkok is just such a place. The city itself is built on and around a large island where cargo ships pass by on their way to Bangkok, but it is what can be found scattered around the island and its adjacent banks that make this a must see destination.

Built over 500 years ago these great temples, palaces, and pagodas still stand erect and have been incorporated into the landscape. Flora grows out from the stone cracks while birds and insects have colonized the nooks and crannies. The earthen walls, intricately carved statues, man-made moats and lakes, and buildings are all intertwined with the land to form a scene like no other.

These types of places are best explored unguided to allow your imagination to run rampant. Work mythical legends into the imagery of the past picturing flourishing markets and bustling streets. Let your mind allow the past to come to life to your own creativity. It then makes visiting the museums and reading the actual historic information about the places more exciting after. These ruins once of extreme significance in the past remain so today but rather for the tourist industry and future generations to marvel at.

THE KAREN

Across the expanse of northern Thailand are numerous hill side tribes that migrated from Burma who are collectively referred to as the Karen. Hillside treks to visit these tribes are undoubtedly the number one tourist activity and excellent source of local revenue. There are hundreds of different companies all offer similar packages for varying prices.

My day started with a one hour drive outside of Chiang Mai to ride elephants, something I resented but sadly took part in. The elephants, although very well fed, lack any and all freedom as well as respect from the people that exploit them. All four legs remained chained and connected to a longer chain unit wrapped several times around its throat. While carrying two passengers at a time in addition to the unsympathetic ‘driver’ the elephants slowly trudge through muddy jungle hills and across rivers, while all the while the ‘drivers’ are shouting at them, pulling on the chains, and smoking while ashing on the great beasts’ heads. A truly sad sight that makes the entire experience an unpleasant one.

 

Next on the agenda is floating down a river on bamboo rafts with local guides. The long slender rafts held together by vines are steered by local boys barely in their teens with a single bamboo pole. Somehow they are able to use this pole to delicately maneuver through the rocky and at times rapid river, while the passengers fend off low tree branches flying their way.

Visiting the local tribes on a day tour lacks all sense of adventure or feeling of uniqueness. The village children all run up to the tourists trying to sell cheap bracelets while the women weave various fabric products to be sold, just like any poor village in any country.  The men supposedly are out hunting in the jungle, however it seems more plausible that they are in the city hunting for tourists to sell tours to their homes.

The day however does have its relaxing moments of walking through silent rice fields and then transitioning into the calming sounds of jungle. No trip is complete without a visit to at least one of the many waterfalls whose thunderous roar can be heard long before it is in sight. A quick swim in the refreshing natural pools carved out below and then it’s back to the city with many thoughts pondering in your head.