Finally, I made it to the Singapore River! I've been planning this stroll since last week but due to the unpredictable weather, my plan kept getting postponed until last night. Somehow the weather turned out great on a Friday night so I didn't waste that opportunity, I took the bus going to that area. I alighted at North Bridge Road and from there I set foot on a 2-hour stroll along and around the river of Singapore.
Among the lively places here in the city, the Singapore River is probably one of the most vibrant because of the fun activities that you can experience in this area. It's not short of amazing food, pubs, fun and thrilling rides, and of course, the feeling of being close to the river itself.
My stroll started from North Bridge Road until I reached the Elgin Bridge.
The graceful arches of the Elgin Bridge have become a landmark of the Singapore River as the boats are passing under it.
After crossing the bridge, I found my way to the banks of the river where the Parliament House is. This is the side of the river where many of the public buildings and state government buildings are located. Over here, the vibe is more toward formal and luxurious kinds of restaurants.
There are plenty of buildings that are designed using the classical style of architecture that I appreciate that's why I did not waste the opportunity to be able to see them up close.
After roaming around the government buildings, I decided to go back to where the buzzing nightlife is... the Boat Quay.
In the old days, the Singapore River was mainly used as a trading hub. The shallow waters of the river are populated with small boats that carry goods from the large ships to the banks. The shophouses back then were retained and are now occupied by commercial establishments. It's still one of the business hubs of the city but it has transitioned from trading to tourism.
Along the river are the hotels, restaurants, and shops that are mainly focused on making this area enticing for tourists and locals who are having a great time after a week of work.
There is a side of the river where a long stretch of the banks is dedicated to people who just want to admire the beauty of the river. There are benches where you just observe the passing of the boats that look reminiscent of the activities of the river in the olden days.
After completing my stroll around Boat Quay, I decided to wander around the other side of Elgin Bridge... to the Clarke Quay area.
When it comes to vibrance and flair, the Clarke Quay area is an icon in the city. It's privately owned but it feels like it is meant for everyone to be free to express themselves here. The creativity and imagination of the designs of the buildings and structures seem boundless. It recently went through a year-long upgrade which costs about 62 million Singapore Dollars. I've waited long enough to be able to stroll this area again.
Along the alleys are a series of shophouses that may look similar to the rest of Singapore but the thing that made it unique are the giant "umbrella" structures that cover the entire area of the alley and walkways.
During that night, there was an ongoing event at the center of Clarke Quay in which the organizers were promoting the benefits of consuming natural and healthy food. I joined the crowd and had a glimpse of the booth that displayed their products and was also giving away some free stuff.
I was fascinated by the attentiveness of the kids as the adults were explaining the health benefits of each food that was part of the display.
At this point, I already felt starving as I looked into the awesome food that was displayed by each of the stalls.
Clarke Quay is like a labyrinth because many of the alleys and walkways may look alike with each other. It's a good thing that I managed to find my way out of the umbrella structures and found the Read Bridge.
From here, I have circled back to the Boat Quay but on the side of the New Bridge Road to take a few more photos of the Singapore River and the vibrant Clarke Quay area.
It was a night of fun, exciting sites, and vibrant activities that can not be found anywhere else in the city. The Singapore River has fostered a special place in the city where almost every fun thing can be experienced. The developments that happened over the years have greatly benefited the locality and the river itself.
A night of strolling along the river is not going to be enough which is why I'm gonna come back here to try the fun activities that are being offered in this place.
