A walk along the Singapore River

This is where it all began, the trading, the godowns, the building and living. I took a walk along the river to catch the history, to note the transformations and to see at how it looks today. Its a small river, and there are boats that can take you along right down to the mouth and to the port if you chose. I chose to walk so that I could dip in and out of museums and art galleries along the way. 

I came across this colourful Bridge called the Alkaff Bridge which is built like a traditional boat a tongkang. This was where the Alkaff Quay once was which is cluster of godowns and named after Syad Sheikh Alkaff a Yemeni Arab who became a prominent landowner and philanthropist. 

The low lying houses all with different coloured shutters are now preserved and little restaurants and shops line the well known Robertson and Clarks Quays which are a mix of modern retail and traditional outlook. 

It was all began by one man - and how doesnt know his name. The splendid looking Mr Raffles and I think he would have liked what he saw as his modern day backdrop. 

Colonial heritage, of which there is considerable evidence has been carefully preserved and in the case of this first parliament now turned into an arts museum with interesting exhibitions and historical time lines explaining Singaporean history. The parliament was modelled on the British Houses of Parliament. It appears a bit more colourful these days if not as lively. 

The National Art Gallery is amazingly like Brisbane City hall, probably built in similar times complete within the neo classical tradition and the pediment of statues at the top and their Customs House perhaps is not as imposing as that of Brisbane but there are so many similarities to be drawn of these two cities, both began their life on the river. 

To me however the best was the Singapore Cricket Club which commands a central spot at the colonial heart that was once Singapore where people gathered to play cricket and then have their drinks at the club house which has gone through a number of transformations. It remains one of Singapore's lasting landmarks as a multiracial club. 

I loved the words of Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, who said "There is an indefinable quality about the Club, which no other club can match- it bridges the transformation from what was, to what is and represents our capacity to meet what will be."