RICOH IMAGING COMPANY, LTD. GR (18.3mm, f/5.6, 1/250 sec, ISO100)
Another look at previous trips. This time it’s Singapore.
I have to admit that Singapore wasn’t my favourite destination. Don’t get me wrong. It’s nice and clean, safe and the food is excellent but it is simply too modern. There is no street life and no drama and there is hardly anything which is older than a couple of years. So I created the new slogan for Singapore: “Safe but boring, Singapore!”. But it is not that bad. Singapore is rich and modern but because of its fancy shopping center and casino it feels a little bit like Las Vegas. Nothing wrong with that but when it comes to photography I prefer less developed destinations like India or Vietnam.
So even though Singapore lacks the old and dark corners of i.e. example Hong Kong I ended up with a lot of images. It all started with a dinner on top of the famous Marina Bay Sands Hotel on my very first trip. This first trip was a day trip from Kuala Lumpur. We got there in the morning and flew back in the evening. I left my camera bag in the hotel and only took my Ricoh GR.
RICOH IMAGING COMPANY, LTD. GR (18.3mm, f/5.6, 1/160 sec, ISO100)
RICOH IMAGING COMPANY, LTD. GR (18.3mm, f/4, 1/60 sec, ISO1000)
FUJIFILM X-T1 (14mm, f/8, 1/120 sec, ISO200)
FUJIFILM X-T1 (14mm, f/8, 1/500 sec, ISO200)
FUJIFILM X-T1 (14mm, f/8, 1/300 sec, ISO200)
FUJIFILM X-T1 (14mm, f/8, 1/150 sec, ISO200)
FUJIFILM X-T1 (14mm, f/2.8, 1/40 sec, ISO6400)
FUJIFILM X-T1 (14mm, f/4, 1/60 sec, ISO500)
FUJIFILM X-T1 (14mm, f/5.6, 1/60 sec, ISO1000)
I was already tired and exhausted but instead of taking a rest before I get on my long flight home I decided to go to see the super trees. I packed my luggage so that I was ready to leave when I get back to my hotel and took a taxi to the super trees. It was really special and I was glad that I went out again.
There are bridges that connect the super trees. I went up just before sunset so I was able to cover the blue hour. When it got dark the trees started to glow. Beautiful! They did not lit up the trees completely because Singapore was mourning because the very famous and popular prime minister Lee Kuan Yew has just died at the age of 92. Lee Kuan Yew transferred Singapore into a modern economy.
FUJIFILM X-T1 (14mm, f/5.6, 1/70 sec, ISO200)
FUJIFILM X-T1 (14mm, f/5.6, 1/60 sec, ISO640)
FUJIFILM X-T1 (14mm, f/4, 1/100 sec, ISO2000)
FUJIFILM X-T1 (14mm, f/4, 1/100 sec, ISO2000)
FUJIFILM X-T1 (14mm, f/3.6, 1/100 sec, ISO5000)
FUJIFILM X-T1 (14mm, f/2.8, 1/40 sec, ISO3200)
FUJIFILM X-T1 (27mm, f/5.6, 1/900 sec, ISO200)
FUJIFILM X-T1 (27mm, f/5.6, 1/800 sec, ISO200)
FUJIFILM X-T1 (27mm, f/4, 1/60 sec, ISO400)
FUJIFILM X-T1 (14mm, f/5.6, 1/60 sec, ISO320)
FUJIFILM X-T1 (27mm, f/8, 1/450 sec, ISO200)
There is not a lot of old in Singapore but there is an Indian temple, a nicely shaped mosque and Chinese temple in close proximity. I visited those places a couple of times over the years because I prefer them to shopping centres and casinos.
I also liked the nearby China town even though it is very small, rather clean and less exotic compared to the China town in Bangkok. There are fridge magnets and herbs on sale not fresh frogs and snakes. Still a very nice place to visit.
I was bought very good green tea in an old tea shop but when I re-visited Singapore again the shop was gone because the owner died. I still have the original box.
FUJIFILM X-T1 (14mm, f/4, 1/60 sec, ISO1600)
FUJIFILM X-T1 (14mm, f/4, 1/40 sec, ISO1000)
FUJIFILM X-T1 (27mm, f/4, 1/60 sec, ISO640)
FUJIFILM X-T1 (14mm, f/5.6, 1/60 sec, ISO200)
FUJIFILM X-T1 (27mm, f/2.8, 1/60 sec, ISO500)
FUJIFILM X-T1 (27mm, f/2.8, 1/60 sec, ISO400)
FUJIFILM X-T1 (27mm, f/2.8, 1/60 sec, ISO400)
FUJIFILM X-T1 (27mm, f/2.8, 1/60 sec, ISO250)
FUJIFILM X-T1 (27mm, f/2.8, 1/105 sec, ISO200)
FUJIFILM X-T1 (14mm, f/5.6, 1/60 sec, ISO1000)
Beside the Marine Bay Sands Hotel, the temples and mosques and China town there is another place I strongly recommend to visit if you come to Singapore: the Cloud forest! This is just amazing and my images do not do the place justice. You have to see it yourself. There is an elevator that brings on the top and from there you walk down a path. There is a big waterfall and clouds of mist. A magical place and also a good chance to flee the hot and humid of Singapore for an hour.
If you think that the picture of the plants below is low resolution take a closer look again. Those plants are made of Lego stones. Beside those amazing looking Lego plants all other plants and flowers are real.
FUJIFILM X-T1 (14mm, f/5.6, 1/60 sec, ISO320)
FUJIFILM X-T1 (14mm, f/5.6, 1/60 sec, ISO800)
FUJIFILM X-T1 (14mm, f/5.6, 1/60 sec, ISO1000)
FUJIFILM X-T1 (14mm, f/5.6, 1/60 sec, ISO320)
FUJIFILM X-T1 (14mm, f/2.8, 1/60 sec, ISO2000)
FUJIFILM X-T1 (23mm, f/3.6, 1/420 sec, ISO200)
FUJIFILM X-T1 (14mm, f/5.6, 1/100 sec, ISO320)
FUJIFILM X-T1 (14mm, f/4, 1/60 sec, ISO1250)
FUJIFILM X-T1 (23mm, f/2, 1/60 sec, ISO400)
FUJIFILM X-T1 (23mm, f/2, 1/60 sec, ISO400)
FUJIFILM X-T1 (23mm, f/2.8, 1/210 sec, ISO200)
FUJIFILM X-T1 (14mm, f/4, 1/105 sec, ISO200)
FUJIFILM X-T1 (14mm, f/5.6, 1/50 sec, ISO200)
FUJIFILM X-T1 (23mm, f/5.6, 1/300 sec, ISO200)
FUJIFILM X-T1 (14mm, f/6.4, 1/105 sec, ISO200)
FUJIFILM X-T1 (14mm, f/4, 1/60 sec, ISO640)
FUJIFILM X-T1 (14mm, f/4, 1/60 sec, ISO3200)
FUJIFILM X-T1 (23mm, f/8, 1/220 sec, ISO200)
FUJIFILM X-Pro2 (14mm, f/4, 1/60 sec, ISO2000)
FUJIFILM X-Pro2 (14mm, f/5.6, 1/240 sec, ISO200)
FUJIFILM X-Pro2 (56mm, f/3.6, 1/2700 sec, ISO200)
FUJIFILM X-Pro2 (14mm, f/8, 1/350 sec, ISO200)
FUJIFILM X-Pro2 (56mm, f/1.2, 1/60 sec, ISO500)
FUJIFILM X-Pro2 (14mm, f/2.8, 1/60 sec, ISO2500)
FUJIFILM X-Pro2 (27mm, f/2.8, 1/80 sec, ISO1600)
FUJIFILM X-Pro2 (14mm, f/2.8, 1/40 sec, ISO1600)
FUJIFILM X-Pro2 (56mm, f/2.8, 1/180 sec, ISO200)
FUJIFILM X-Pro2 (56mm, f/2, 1/450 sec, ISO200)
FUJIFILM X-Pro2 (56mm, f/2, 1/4400 sec, ISO200)
FUJIFILM X-Pro2 (56mm, f/1.2, 1/1800 sec, ISO200)
FUJIFILM X-Pro2 (56mm, f/1.2, 1/800 sec, ISO200)
FUJIFILM X-Pro2 (14mm, f/8, 1/150 sec, ISO200)
FUJIFILM X-Pro2 (56mm, f/2, 1/200 sec, ISO200)
FUJIFILM X-Pro2 (14mm, f/5.6, 1/800 sec, ISO200)
FUJIFILM X-Pro2 (14mm, f/8, 1/300 sec, ISO200)
FUJIFILM X-Pro2 (14mm, f/4, 1/80 sec, ISO800)
FUJIFILM X-Pro2 (14mm, f/4, 1/2900 sec, ISO200)
FUJIFILM X-Pro2 (56mm, f/2.8, 1/2200 sec, ISO200)
FUJIFILM X-Pro2 (56mm, f/4, 1/550 sec, ISO200)
FUJIFILM X-Pro2 (27mm, f/8, 1/125 sec, ISO200)
FUJIFILM X-Pro2 (56mm, f/4, 1/900 sec, ISO200)
FUJIFILM X-Pro2 (56mm, f/2, 1/1000 sec, ISO200)
FUJIFILM X-Pro2 (14mm, f/8, 1/140 sec, ISO200)
FUJIFILM X-Pro2 (56mm, f/4, 1/400 sec, ISO200)
FUJIFILM X-Pro2 (27mm, f/2.8, 1/80 sec, ISO200)
FUJIFILM X-Pro2 (27mm, f/2.8, 1/80 sec, ISO320)
On my last trip to Singapore I of course had to go up the observation deck of the Marina Bay Sands hotel again. This time I stayed until after sunset to watch the lights go on in the skyscrapers. That’s just an amazing sight and I recommend to go up there early enough so that you can adjust and find the best spot. Close to the equator the sun sets extremely fast. I’m used to travel a lot to Scotland or Scandinavia and up there the sunsets come late in summer and they take forever. Here the sun drops down and it gets dark very quickly So it is important not to miss the short blue hour when there is still some light in the sky. A night skyline doesn’t really work if the sky is pitch black.
On the way down I had to wait in line because everyone leaves at the same time. Time for dinner.
FUJIFILM X-Pro2 (14mm, f/2.8, 1/40 sec, ISO2000)
FUJIFILM X-Pro2 (56mm, f/1.2, 1/125 sec, ISO3200)
FUJIFILM X-Pro2 (56mm, f/1.2, 1/400 sec, ISO200)
FUJIFILM X-Pro2 (27mm, f/5.6, 1/80 sec, ISO4000)
FUJIFILM X-Pro2 (56mm, f/8, 1/125 sec, ISO8000)
FUJIFILM X-Pro2 (27mm, f/4.5, 1/125 sec, ISO1000)
FUJIFILM X-Pro2 (27mm, f/5.6, 1/680 sec, ISO200)
FUJIFILM X-Pro2 (14mm, f/2.8, 1/160 sec, ISO4000)
FUJIFILM X-Pro2 (14mm, f/2.8, 1/160 sec, ISO3200)
Last dinner in Singapore in a “Casual Japanese Restaurant”. Singapore is a paradise for foodies. There is something for every taste. You can have excellent Indian, Malayan or Chinese food and of course food from all other regions of the world. There are a lot of expats in Singapore working for all the insurance companies and banks. So there are a lot of pubs, french or german restaurants too.
On my very last trip to Singapore in 2016 I felt lost. I had to spend a weekend there and I have been there a couple of times before. I remember that I felt lonely and that I complained to my friends that I’m tired of traveling. In 2016 I spend more than 120 days abroad, not for vacation but mainly on business trips. Traveling seems exciting and it is to a certain extend. But if you travel for business it also means that you are far away from family and friends.
Because of that I was not able to appreciate to be in Singapore again. But one month later I was in Japan for the very first time. The new impressions helped to reignite my joy for traveling and now after two years of Corona I can’t wait to travel again.
FUJIFILM X-Pro2 (14mm, f/2.8, 1/60 sec, ISO1250)