Today was the Muslim public holiday Hari Raya Haji, celebrating the haj or pilgrimage to Mecca, especially for those who have completed the haj. Men can then wear white songkoks or caps. On Hari Raya Haj, after early morning prayers, goats and sheep are slaughtered and the meat distributed to the poor. Yards of beasts were evident alongside the mosques yesterday as we toured in the bus.
It seemed that after tending to the poor, all of Singapore then turned their attention to shopping along Orchard Road
.
Today, Laura and I had a list of plazas recommended by Becky. We were to work our way down Orchard Road through six of them.
We made it through three.
Shops in Singapore and casinos (in any city) have much in common... winding paths with no regular layout to draw you deeper (and get you lost once inside), lots of glitz to impress, level upon level underground with no daylight and MANY ways to take your money! Think Chadstone (the new expanded version) add two or three more levels underground and add half the Singapore population on a public holiday and that was today.
(Incidentally, Singapore doesn't have any casinos but they are building one at the moment - known as an 'Integrated Resort Complex'.)
It was 3pm when we sighted a wet glass dome and realised that it wasn't a water feature but a skylight and rain. Until then, we had moved through malls and arcades two to three levels underground and well and truly walked our 10,000 steps! We saw stunning designer shops, beautiful Japanese stores, fascinating food courts and an amazing workforce - one sales person per glass cabinet/stand/brand in each department where Myer would have just a couple behind the till.
We hobbled home as the sun set to do a show-and-tell of restrained purchases for Becky and explore Singapore TV. (There's no elimination from Singapore Idol this week in recognition of World Aids Day!)
And apparently, we really do have to do the other 3 recommended malls.
But not tomorrow...
Singapore shops & casinos - many similarities!
Friday, November 27, 2009
Singapore, Singapore
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2025-02-15