Picchaz of Singapore

A day out in the city

This is the memorial to the victims of Japanese occupation

Found in the center of Suntec Mall, the laser show.

On the world's LARGEST fountain.

As I said above, the memorial to the victims. Handsome monument.*
The Big Wheel **
The Largest fountain. The lights give the transition ***

The Esplanade entrance ****

One of the pieces at the entrance to the Esplanade. Wow it rocks!

The underpassage to the Esplanade from the MRT *****

Outside the Esplanade. One of the theatres. Amazing architecture

The other theatre, seen from the outside.

How do they make them so artistic?

* The same message "Memorial to the civilian victims of the Japanese occupation" is actually written in all the four official languages of Singapore - English, Chinese, Tamil and Malay, around the monument. Its close to the tallest building in Singapore (Republic Plaza, 66 floors). There is a limit on the height which Singapore buildings can be made. Atleast 2 buildings I know of touch 66 floors.

** I have no idea what its called. I am quite stubborn. My friend couldn't recollect the name. I said it should be the Big Wheel. She refused, saying it was just not coming to her. I refused to accept any other suggestions which she made. To me, it was now The Big Wheel. Singapore does have too much time on its hands, doesnt it?

*** It is also the Biggest Wishing fountain in the world. People keep throwing in money. Keeping to the Indian tradition and knelt and picked up loads. Okay, I did not. I made a wish, and its almost come true! Finally, my disbelief in wishing fountains is almost disproved... There are regular laser shows here with music. Oh and Singapore is crazy after R&B n HipHop, which I frankly think, SUCKS. Lots of Indian tourists can be seen here.

**** The Esplanade is where all the performing arts of Singapore takes place. Well, not all, but this is where the most expensive ones take place. There is a hall below this coming out of the MRT (more on MRT below) where there are hordes of performers practising their stunts on small bicycles, juggling, sliding, jumping and what not. A lot of them are from NUS (says my friend, who frantically hides her face so as to not recognize any) and its embarassing for her. I went in the afternoon, and still found people there.

***** MRT - The lifeline of Singapore city. The most efficient system in the world, in my opinion. I have seen a few metros, but this has to be among the top few. Very regular and connects almost the entire city, Singapore wouldn't be Singapore without MRT. The buses are amazing as well, but thats for another day...

Sights on campus

The NUS Business School (BIZ 2 building)

The back entrance to the office *

On the entrance pathway you must tread over treacherous ground

The eating area in Biz School. The Terrace
Sitting at the bus-stop **
The car-park in front of Biz
The view while walking to the hostel from office ***
The port can be seen over the trees
Temasek Hall is where I live. Its left from here
Woah! Yes thats me when I'm working. Casual. Content.

* You go straight up, take a left, up again and then walk down right and then climb up again. You will reach to the white stair outside the building to the right. Then comes a door where you walk in and then open another door on the left. Just as you exit you see another brown wooden door on the left side. Thats my office door!! If you cant reach my office give me a call. I wont know where you are in all probability, as you wont know where you are yourself! I could try.

** NUS has free internal shuttle bus-service. What that means is that you can sip on your lassi (yes lassi!) sitting comfortably/uncomfortably (depending on the heat) on a covered bus-stop while you wait. And as soon as you're done, the bus arrives promptly taking you on its fixed route. I know a lot of about the A1, A2, B buses. C, i dont travel as it is unnecessarily out of my way. The others I have atleast once travelled from their starting point till the last stop :)

*** NUS is completely topsy turvy. Interestingly, the 4th floor of one building could connect to the 1st floor of another! And the campus is not small at all. There is no Floor Zero here. Built on hills, the entire campus is connected by a covered walkway inside the buildings! You can get from any department to any other by walking below the Yellow Ceiling. That shall come soon.

Food arrangements?

The view from the Foodcourt towards the Biz School

NUS Biz School

In front of the Biz School

Hungry? Lets go into this Foodcourt eh?

The Jap stall in this Food-court

Soup with the below in it and Tofu

The below: Sea weed!!

Aah! Just done with Teriyaki. Yumm!

- Tofu is actually protein. I have a sneaky suspicion they make it in the labs. It tastes like..um..Nothing. It has no taste whatsoever!! I tried separating it from the soup, but I couldn't taste anything. Quite Queer!

- There are like 5 foodcourts in NUS. So its very convenient eating until the evening. For the night meal, we go to Fong Seng (or Cheese Prata) area. 24 hour eating places them. Quite popular as well. Mercs are often seen hanging around.

- Sea weed is quite tasty, but overwhelming after a while. Happens when you realise you're actually depriving fishes of their staple diet.