Back to Esplanade

Was wandering around downtown for somewhere to study, having run into the holiday crowd. The Esplanade side was totally stuffed with people, so the old Marina Square solution wasn't tenable. Then I figured that I'd cross the river since it's a holiday and nobody'd be at work in the CBD. Which was true. But then that meant that there was nothing open. In the end I ended up back at my favourite place, literally next to the river again. Heh, was doing Econs MCQs and Hist essay plans in the shadow of that fat bird statue, and keeping an ear out for all the tourists that were passing by. Practically everyone thought it was weird =P But then again, practically everyone also stopped to take a photo.

It wasn't too bad. The conditions weren't ideal...no aircon, no table. But then there was a bench, and there was a breeze, and it was sufficient for all practical purposes. I wonder if there were any more people in that crowd bemused at the lengths to which Singaporean students would go to study =P And there was the Fullerton nearby when you need a toilet. I wandered into the hotel, and was literally stunned. Good grief, it's one heck of a grand setup they have in there! Dripping luxury, and yet it's not decadent. Grand, majestic, dignified. Yes, it was a dignified atmosphere of unflashy abundance.

But tonight the highlight was the return to the Esplanade to watch one of their free performances. Gosh, it's been almost a year since I did that. It felt really...comfortable, as if returning to a familiar and well loved spot. It definitely cheered me up after all that studying. I dunno...tonight it seemed even more beautiful, the lit-up skyline framed in the twin wings of the sails at the outdoor theatre. Among that crowd of revelers, under the cool evening sky and with the flashing lights and thumping music, it seemed to promise so much, that skyline. A city raring to move ahead.

Tonight's performance was a rock band doing covers of lots of other bands. Tabula, I think they were called. Not bad. The singer could do a pretty good imitation of James Blunt, though he couldn't reach the highest notes. And the nasal-ish sort of Five for Fighting voice. If one could overlook the fact that none of their songs were original, they were pretty slick and versatile. At least they could evoke a response through their interpretation of the songs. Hehheh, the life of the party was, however, as usual, not the Singaporeans but this group of tourists, which, from the look of them, I'd wager were Thais. If you need a party going, you call in the Thais, all right =P They practically supported the whole act themselves by supplying enthusiastic audience response. Singaporeans are endearing in their earnest, dependable, sincere way - it's just that when it comes to things like a good time we don't have a comparative advantage...

I was actually hoping that they'd do a cover of a Creed song, which would have made my evening complete. They didn't in the end...but as I was leaving the house music came in, and what would it be but Higher? Hehheh was a bit spooked by the coincidence actually, but couldn't resist standing there and listening to my favourite Creed song all the way to the end. That definitely set a bounce in my step, even in spite of the prospect of more Hist and Maths at home.

Mmm Esplanade may be superficial and commercially driven and all that, but when it comes to a good time it doesn't come too far short. Ah well, I guess I'm just easily satisfied, but then you make the best of what you have, right? I'm thinking whether I can afford the time to go back for tomorrow night's performance...seems like the ideal thing to offset the heaviness of a day of studying...

pondered by phoenican @ 3.11.05