Sitting on the Dock of the Bay

Look at old photographs of the Singapore River in downtown Singapore and you will probably see scores of big-bellied tongkang or "bum boats", anchored off rows of drab, functional looking warehouses. This part of the river, called Boat Quay, forming the northern boundary of Chinatown, was Singapore's commercial heart almost from 1819, when Stamford Raffles began developing the island into a regional trading centre. Goods from all over the world passed through Boat Quay, legal as well as illegal: cotton, sago, spices, rice and opium, and everything else that the East produced. Here, countless traders made their fortunes, as well as many a gangster or smuggler. Many trading houses opened offices in nearby Commercial Square, now called Raffles Place, laying the foundation for the sleek banking district that you find there today.

From the 1840's, however, trade came to rely more and more on big steam-ships, which could not navigate through the shallow Singapore River. Consequently, the New Harbour was developed (today's Keppel Harbour), and most European merchants relocated their trade through this new facility. Boat Quay, though, would still be used for many years to come by Chinese traders, mostly for the passage of goods from the Straits Settlements or Southeast Asia. Incidentally, in the mid-19th century, piracy was so rampant in the area, that it was estimated that only half the ships bound for Singapore actually reached it.

Boat Quay's business went on until well past the middle of this century. Yet inevitably, its warehouses became increasingly superfluous, and by the 1980's, there was hardly any justification for their existence at all. Virtually all goods passed through Keppel Harbour or swanky Changi Airport. Despite being one of the foundations of Singapore's wealth, Boat Quay had gradually become an anachronism and an eyesore. Keppel Harbour, on the other hand, is today the busiest port in the world, with 800 ships at dock at any given time; 0.7 billion tonnes of freight pass through it annually. On the other side of town, Changi Airport, often voted the best airport in the world by passengers, is connected by 67 airlines to 131 cities world-wide and handles 1.1 billion tonnes of freight per year. So what was to be done with old Boat Quay?

Rely on the ever ingenious Singapore Government for an answer. Throughout the 1970's, thousands of historical old buildings in Singapore had been torn down to make way for office high-rises, apartment blocks or shopping centres. Many traditional residential and commercial areas were lost forever to the wreckers' ball. By the late 1980's, the government (in the shape of the URA, or Urban Redevelopment Authority) had come to regret its rashness and decided to save whatever remained. As part of an ambitious plan, about 3500 old buildings were marked for renovation, most of them in the Chinatown, Arab Street and Serangoon ("Little India") areas. The dilapidated old warehouses of Boat Quay, lined up along a 300 m stretch of the river, were soon to get an amazing face-lift.

Go there now and see the transformation. The godowns of old have been painstakingly renovated and prettily painted, and now they house fancy restaurants, bars and pubs. The choice is enormous - you cat eat Thai, Indonesian, Indian, Japanese, Korean, Mexican or Western food, or have a drink to the sounds of heavy metal, 60's pop, jazz, or salsa. As an added attraction, all the restaurants and bars have alfresco dining (or drinking) areas right by the river - as you sit there at night, the lights of the neighbouring office high-rises are reflected in the gently flowing water. Yes, somebody up there in the offices is still working!

Today, Boat Quay is Singapore's most popular entertainment area. Many of the regular patrons are smart-shirted Western expats, working in the neighbouring banking district, or tourists. The latter often can't believe what they see, having flown into Singapore with the preconceived notion that it will be a "boring" place. Well, travel is supposed to educate, isn't it? Just be prepared for the fact that Boat Quay is not a cheap place to party: a large beer will set you back S$9.50-12 (US$7-9), a decent meal at least S$20 (US$15). The prices reflect Singapore's standing as the ninth richest nation in the world. Singapore's nominal gross domestic product (GDP) per head of population stands at US$23,565 annually, only about US$3,000 behind the U.S.A's.

If you start your tour of Boat Quay at its eastern end - in the shadow of the towering, 280 m high OUB Centre - the first bar that you come across is Harry's Quayside. A favourite hang-out for bankers and stockbrokers, it has also made history - of sorts. One of its regulars was stockbroker Nick Leeson, who in 1995 fraudulently, and single-handedly, steered the respected old Barings Bank into ruin. The "rogue trader" (as he calls himself in the title of his autobiography) had spent many a night in various states of inebriation at Harry's, and today the bar is a kind of historical, if somewhat macabre, landmark for the banking community. Leeson was sentenced to six and a half years in jail for his misdeeds, and currently he banks on the hospitality of Singapore's Tanah Merah Prison. But, with a good behavioural record, he may be out in 1999. Who knows, the first thing he might do is go down to Harry's. The world's press are sure to be waiting.

A few metres further upriver, the popular Coco Carib pub features a hard-driving Cuban band, churning out one funky salsa number after the other. Here the tourists and young and trendy locals mingle in front of the small stage and sway to the driving Latin rhythms. Good rock and reggae can be heard in the nearby Rootz and Culture Club.

Another short distance upstream, there are completely different strains to be enjoyed - Club Bollywood is one of the increasing number of pubs in Singapore specialising in Hindi film music, or the more up-to-date Hindi Pop, a blend of typical Hindi film music and rap, reggae or rock. Another music form featured is Bhangra, an infectiously rhythmic marriage of traditional Punjabi harvest songs and rapid-fire reggae. There's a good band on in the evenings, but unfortunately the seedy interior of this place - unintentionally reminiscent of a cheap hooch joint in Bombay - doesn't do much for the overall appeal.

In stark contrast to Club Bollywood, many of the Indian restaurants of Boat Quay make the greatest of efforts to offer the visitor a comfortable atmosphere. A prime example is Khazana Restaurant, with its massive, wooden furniture, just like in an old Indian country mansion. Unfortunately, the food doesn't live up to the promise, so better move to nearby Our Village. On the top floor of its building is a beautifully decorated dining area overlooking the river. The tea comes in little clay cups just like you can still see in some Indian villages, and the food is simply delicious.

At the very western end of Boat Quay, almost underneath Elgin Bridge, things are a bit more sober and less noisy than on the east side. In the brightly-lit Cyber Café, the dominating sound is the soft tacka-tack of computer keyboards. The café rents out its computers for S$10 per hour (US$7.50), and while you e-mail your girl-friend or lawyer, or just aimlessly surf through cyberspace, you may tuck into a hearty sandwich or have some refreshing tea. Singapore intends to become one of the most computer-literate nations on earth, and this is duly reflected in the increasing number of cyber cafés. Currently, almost 200,000 Singaporeans are on-line, or about 6.5% of the overall population.

Of late, Boat Quay's vibrancy has infected part of the surrounding area, and a number of bars and restaurants (the latter mostly Indian) have sprung up in Circular Road, which runs parallel to Boat Quay. Try the excellent Indian buffet at d'Agra, then move over to the Irish pub Molly Malone's (with taped music by Irish bands) or get your kicks at the Buzz, an occasionally wild watering hole. If you had the notion that Singaporeans are a reserved lot, a visit on a weekend to some of the pubs in the area may well change your opinion.

Riverside development didn't stopped at Boat Quay, though. After Boat Quay, the authorities turned their attention half a kilometre further upstream to Clarke Quay. Consisting of five blocks of 19th century shophouses, Clarke Quay became an even bigger and more ambitious restoration project than Boat Quay. When the restoration was completed in 1993, the tab had run to S$250 million (US$185 million). A regular "river taxi" connects Boat Quay and Clarke Quay, so you won't have to walk there.

Clarke Quay, named after a Singapore governor from the 1870's, Sir Andrew Clarke, is somewhat less geared towards the slick and trendy, but rather towards families and the slightly less flamboyant crowd. As in Boat Quay, there are numerous restaurants with open-air dining area, as well as some pubs. The streets off Clarke Quay, pointing like the arms of a starfish away from a central square, are lined with shops, souvenir and bric-a-brac stalls, and a few funfair-like attractions. You can even have your hair or beard trimmed at an open-air barber's - just like in the good old days - or have your portrait sketched by an expert painter. Four old tongkang anchored off Clarke Quay serve as floating restaurants.

If you feel like some educational fun, look out for a building right by the central square, which has a giant lion's head over its entrance - this is the site of the ,Singapore Adventure, a kind of theme park which allows you glimpses into Singapore's checkered history. After you pay the S$12 admission fee, you sit down in a small boat, which is mechanically pulled through various dark chambers, all depicting different historical scenes. You'll come across a steaming jungle with lions and other wild beasts, as well as snake charmers, pirates, and other characters of dubious repute - watch out for the opium smokers. In one chamber, a Second World War Japanese bombing raid is simulated - a bit of an unnerving experience. On a happier note, you'll even meet Stamford Raffles, the founder of Singapore. Depending on your taste, you will find the whole 10 minute experience either entertaining or a bit kitschy, but children will certainly have fun.

Yet Clarke Quay is not all family stuff. Just move your mortal frame over to Hot Bods. This club features an assortment of male hunks, all rippling muscles from neck to toe, as well as similarly well-endowed ladies, prancing on stage as if there were no tomorrow. There is a cover charge of S$15 from Mondays to Fridays, S$20 on weekends (no prancing on Sundays). The club is run by Lebanese-Australian Abbas Saad, a former professional soccer player, who until 1994 played in the national team of Singapore. During his career, handsome Abbas became a sort of heart-throb for many Singaporean girls. After a sensational match-fixing scandal, he was banned from playing professional soccer for life. Forced to look for a new way to earn his bowl of rice, Abbas opened Hot Bods. You could say he moved from balls to biceps.

Another not so run-of-the-mill place in Clarke Quay is Crazy Elephant. This is a rock pub, heavily concentrating on 60's and 70's music. If you haven't heard your old favourites Blind Faith or Iron Butterfly in ages, here you may get another chance. Local band Heritage entertains with some stomping old rock 'n' roll. Right next door you'll find a rather unique eating place, the Durian House - you might actually smell it before you see it. Here, slices of the malodorous durian fruit are served, accompanied by fresh coconut water. The durian, with its unmistakable odour of sweet decay, is much-loved by Southeast Asians, some of whom consider it an aphrodisiac. Westerners, though, tend to regard their consumption as pure masochism. Anyhow, there's no harm in trying.

If the durian's not to your taste, you could opt for oysters, as served in the nearby Key Largo Oyster Bar. Close by, the Wild West Tavern features local C & W band Slam and boasts a large, rustic looking open-air drinking area in front of its premise. It all looks like the perfect backdrop for a Western-style fist-fight, but don't worry - this is orderly Singapore and nothing untoward will happen.

With Boat Quay and Clarke Quay firmly established on the night-owls' itinerary, another riverside project has just been completed. The massive Riverside Point, a brand-new multi-storied complex, located opposite Clarke Quay on the southern bank of the river, comprises more shops and restaurants, as well as a state-of-the-art cinema. Right next door is an impressive new hotel, the Merchant Court. And you can bet your last durian this won't be the last you hear of Singapore's riverside development. Just watch this space.

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