Singapore [antikvár]

Orchard RoadThe Tourist BeltIt is well nigh impossible for the visitor to Singapore to avoid Orchard Road. This concrete ribbon stretches for slightly over one mile, straight as a die, through a partly concrete, partly verdant jungle. A glittering skyline is created by highrise buildings; a gracious boulevard results from the elegantly landscaped gardens. Orchard Road is devoted to sybaritic living. Deluxe hotels cater to the comfort of the affluent, while myriad stores satisfy their whims. Outdoor cafés offer relief to the exhausted, or simply the opportunity for people-watching.I enjoy strolling on Orchard Road. Invariably, I start at the top or north end and walk with the trafiic flow. Further, when in Singapore I nearly always "put up" in this part of the city and thus it is a natural starting point for any meanderings.But even before walking down Orchard Road it is well to. backtrack along the adjoining Tanglin Road. A mere half mile long, this road begins at Tanglin Circus and is rapidly becoming the tourist center of the city. Currently, several new first-class hotels and highrise shopping complexes are under construction here, and Tanglin Circus itself boasts the Singapore Handicraft Centre.At the Centre, the ancient and honored crafts of Asia are still practiced in an elegant setting. Artisans and artists work patiently