The Civic District in Singapore is an area around the Singapore River. The area was first developed in 1822. It is now a thriving arts, cultural and lifestyle precinct. Some of Singapore’s iconic colonial buildings stand here as do the fort on top of the hill.
When I had my office at Suntec City, this was one of the places I ran. Bustling with tourists, office workers having a break and shoppers I played a game I dubbed dodge the tourists. I am pretty sure there were many tourists who now have photos with a smiling runner in the background.
I once ran along the Singapore River to see how many bridges spanned it and to find out where the river began. Click here to read.
This week, after months of not being in town, I went for a short walk there. The plan was to meet a friend for lunch at his office in Peninsula Plaza. The current Phase 3 (Heightened Alert) meant, we could not dine out as our party was three. So I parked my car at Queen Street, walked along Victoria Street and headed into the Civic district. Most people would have parked closer but I cannot pass up on opportunity to walk the streets of Singapore.
When I crossed Stamford Road, Victoria Street became Hill Street and I came across Masjid Al Burhani, a Dawoodi Bohra mosque. The Dawoodi Bohra is a denomination within Shia Islam I have seen this mosque many times prior. However, I saw the mosque in a different light this week.
I had learned from my wife, Sharon, a new trick using the panorama function on the iPhone.This trick creates both height and depth in the photos. Seeing the mosque, I decided to practice the newly learned trick and discovered a new way to look at the Singapore skyline.
The Al Burhani Mosque. The mosque of the Dawoodi Bohras
Along Hill Street and Victoria Streets there are quite a number of opportunities to practice this new skill, and look at the Singapore skyline in a different way.
The photos here are not in a geographical sequence. I sequenced them as I came across the buildings as I walked from my parked car to Funan to take away coffee, on to lunch at my friend’s office and back to my parked car.
The Civic District is an interesting place to run. You find shade trees, wide streets, beautiful architecture and there is the river and the fort on the hill too. With so many people on the streets, you get to play your game of dodge the tourists. Of course you may also walk the area at leisurely pace and imbibe in the arts and culture.
Next time out, I’ll find a spot within the Civic District to do a headstand.
Play dodge the tourists with me or learn the headstand? Click here.