After walking north to Bugis and all around the area–Kampong Glam, Little India, the Muslim district–and then back to the hotel again–hours of walking–what does the intrepid traveler do after lunch?
Go for a walk, of course.
South this time, to Chinatown and all around the bustling district, where tourists vie with Singaporeans to purchase goods in narrow pedestrian streets overflowing with market stalls and exuberantly painted shop houses.
We had gone to Chinatown with Dan’s clients for a fantastic dinner the previous evening…
Whole fish with, um, something flamboyantly crispy on top
…and then walked around a bit afterwards in the dark streets, the last of the merchants just shuttering their shops. I wanted to see the area in the daytime, and it did not disappoint. I wanted to see the famous Buddha’s Tooth Relic Temple, a large four-story affair dominating an open plaza.
Two warriors, or gods, or perhaps even demons, guard the entrance.
Inside the “Room of One Thousand Buddhas” the walls are indeed dramatically covered with Buddha statues.
Other, more unique statues dominate each of the rooms.
The place exudes a visual serenity and grace. Were it not for the crowds of tourists, a person could linger here a long while.
But what’s this next door? It’s the Sri Maraimman Temple, the oldest Hindu temple in Singapore. This temple is dedicated to the mother-goddess Mariamman, an ancient deity of southern India, perhaps dating back to a time before the arrival of the Aryans and the Hindu religion. She is the goddess of rain and disease, of fertility and protection.
The temple is built in the Dravidian style, an ancient architectural style of Southern India involving pyramidal towers heavily decorated with statues of deities and their various attendants. And this temple has a wonderful tower. Each individual statue is unique, and they look like people it would be interesting to meet.
It’s late by now, and I’ve been walking all day. I’m sore. My feet hurt. I wimp out and take the MRT (subway) back to the hotel. The subway station is a surprise.
The station’s canopy overarches the pedestrian street, enhancing rather than battling the fabric of the old city. Indeed, the entire station (and it is a busy one–a transfer point) was constructed underneath the densely built area without disturbing the historically significant buildings.