Today was a productive day, I'm happy to say. Last night I came across a superb bi-weekly publication from the Singapore Arts Council. They provide a comprehensive listing of all exhibits, recitals, performances, etc that are taking place around the city. Coupled with a few other flyers for shows that I picked up around the town, I was able to put together a decent little excursion. Now, as always happens when I try to plan anything, things didn't quite proceed apace. For whatever reason two of the exhibits were in the process of being changed over, so I wasn't able to see everything that I wanted. In addition, some of the other exhibits which I had assumed were free turned out to have admission fees associated with them. So, all in all, I was only able to see around 60% of the shows I wanted - most of them being exhibits of photography. I won't try to relate any of them to you, as most did not quite stand out as I had hoped. However, I was able to take in a sculpture exhibit by a South Austalian artist by the name of James Darling. His work was being shown in the Esplanade, SG's newly completed World Class Theatre and Arts Centre. The facility is truly amazing, and the sculpture itself was something else. Darling's medium is mallee roots, which he interlocks into geometric forms without the aid of bonding agents or support mechanisms. I'm no art critic, but this was some pretty cool stuff. It was hard to believe that the roots could fit together so well that they could support the weight of the structure - approx. 3.5 tons. I chatted with Mr Darling for a while, and took some photos of the "Triangle".

Anyway, apart from the exhibits, I managed to walk across a fair portion of the central city area, talking in most of the major tourist sites, as well as a good portion of the ethnic enclaves. I also befriended a S. Korean sketch artist who was doing landscapes down along the waterfront in Marina Bay. We shared a pot of tea while he sketched my portrait: his sketchbook is full of sketches of fellow travellers whom he meets along his way.

After a long and sweaty day, I returned to the hostel where I managed to book a flight to Bali through KL where I will meet Josh on the 4th of March. I depart SG by train in the morning, travelling first class for the grand sum of US$ 21! Ahh... no more steerage (for now at least).

So that's it.

Puteo ergo sum.