Off-Sites
Registrants, full participation guests and limited guests are invited to sign up for ONE Off-Site Activity, which will take place on Saturday, 8 November 2008. You may register online here. Online registration will end on 22 October 2008. No waitlists will be made, regardless of whether an activity is sold-out. The Spa Botanica has an associated USER PAY SUPPLEMENT FEE of US$160, which is non-refundable and non-transferrable.
Off-Site Activities are your chance to see the best of Singpore! Select from a wide range of activities, including, but not limited to, the following:
Discover the unique history, vibrant cultures and colorful lifestyles of multi-racial Singapore on a visit to three of Singapore's ethnic enclaves: Chinatown, Little India and Kampong Glam. See and hear from Singapore's early Chinese settlers at the Chinatown Heritage Centre. Next, proceed to Little India. Stroll along the bustling streets and decipher for yourself the intricacies of the various traditional Indian items. Your final stop will be Kampong Glam, once the historic seat of Malay royalty in Singapore. Take a journey to uncover the “spicy” facts of Singapore's pivotal role during the days of the lucrative Spice Trade in the 1800s; a time when the price of spices was equivalent to gold! Spend an afternoon learning from the award-winning chefs and experts from Raffles Culinary Academy. Located at the world-renown Raffles Hotel, the Academy boasts an extensive range of cooking and lifestyle classes that's designed to tempt the palates and tastes of discerning gourmets, food hobbyists and amateur chefs. Then, impress the culinary masters with your very own special gastronomic creation using the sought-after spices! You'll also receive a certificate upon completion of the course. Want to learn more about the Singaporean psyche, specifically why we all love food and anything related to food? Take the Makansutra Food Trail and get ready for a truly unique experience! The tour takes you on a whirlwind spin around Singapore to sample the best dishes from some of the best eateries in town. There will be about three to four stops while visiting the popular, local hawker fare, like chicken rice, laksa (noodle soup), bak kut the (pork rib soup) or rojak (a type of salad). In addition, local food critic and celebrity TV host, Mr. KF Seetoh, who played host to Mr. Anthony Bourdain in 2006, will be on hand to regale you with colorful stories of Singapore's food and culture! Religious tolerance is essential in Singapore. From colonial times up to the independence of the island state, racial and religious harmony have been the top priority of the governing institutions. The majority of the Chinese in Singapore register themselves as Buddhist, and a smaller number claimed to be Taoist. Many Chinese have retained to a certain extent the Taoist belief and practice which is an age-old Chinese tradition. Taoism was once the dominant belief system, but younger generations have either switched to Buddhism or have become non-religious.
Visit one of the major temples in the area - Kwan Im Thong Hood Cho Temple, it is a traditional Chinese temple situated at Waterloo Street in Singapore. The temple is of significance to the Chinese in Singapore, and is known to bring worshipers good luck after praying to the Kuan Yin Bodhisattva, the Goddess of Mercy. In addition, you’ll experience the hustle and bustle outside the temple as well. There are vendors selling flowers and offerings, fortune tellers giving advice, and beggars asking for money. Near the entrance, visitors are often greeted by the vendors asking them to buy flowers and offerings. In a way, the temple serves as a source of livelihood for these people who might just be eking out a living.
Bugis Street, in the city-state of Singapore, was renowned internationally from the 1950s to the 1980s for its nightly gathering of transwomen, a phenomenon which made it one of Singapore's top tourist destinations during that period. Today, the original Bugis Street is now a cobblestoned, relatively wide avenue sandwiched between the buildings of the Bugis Junction shopping complex. On the other hand, the lane presently touted as "Bugis Street" by the Singapore Tourism Board is actually developed from New Bugis Street, and is billed as "the largest street-shopping location in Singapore"
Currently, Geylang is also notoriously known as Singapore’s main red light district. The legalized designated prostitution zone is towards south of Geylang Road (starts from Lorong 2 and extends all the way to Lorong 30). Drive pass the different “lorongs” to experience Singapore most famous red light district, where the sights and sound are very unique which you will never get to see or perhaps even expect to see in Singapore. But remember to leave your camera behind, the local "landlords" will not like it and you will be asked to leave Time: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Registrants will not be able to attend the General Session on Saturday.
(USER PAY SUPPLEMENT FEE US$160)
Indulge your senses and rejuvenate at the Spa Botanica on Sentosa Island. Begin your morning with a relaxing yoga session conducted by a dedicated yoga guru. Next, enjoy a specially prepared light and healthy breakfast. Then, surrender your tired muscles and joints to the hands of qualified therapists as you indulge in one of the spa's signature massage treatments. Take a dip in Asia's only soothing mud pool. The high mineral content in the volcanic mud placed in the pool guarantees an energizing and purifying effect on your skin. Or, stimulate your mind and take a stroll in the labyrinth. This is a classical spiral with one way in and one way out. Finally, unwind in the float pool. Take a float mat, stretch out fully and enjoy the gentle breeze and quiet peace of the lush surroundings.
The ancient Chinese art of feng shui (literal translation is “wind-water” in English) is becoming more popular in the West, influencing everything from the interior decoration of private homes to the architecture of multi-billion dollar corporations. At the core, feng shui aims to harness the powers of nature to improve one’s life and general well being. This session will start in the hotel with a leading feng shui master who will share his expertise and experiences on how to balance nature with function and ensure harmony in your home or office by using feng shui techniques.
You’ll have an opportunity to receive a forecast of 2009 based on the Chinese Zodiacs. See if you may be able to benefit from the use of this ancient Chinese practice to improve your own general well-being.
Then take a brief tour through the streets of Singapore and learn how these intriguing feng shui practices are now used in an ultra-modern city like Singapore.
You’ll visit the Singapore River where Singapore’s early fortunes really began and appreciate how Feng Shui principles are incorporated into the building landscapes and its immediate environment to activate the auspicious qi (or good energies) such as the Fish jumping over the Dragon’s Gate and the success of the financial district.
Also find out where the five auspicious mythological dragons lie in Singapore and its contribution to the island such as the Azure Dragon and White Tiger and constructions of major iconic and yet auspicious buildings along the Shopping District with hidden Feng Shui’s significance unknown to untrained eyes.
Visit a popular Feng Shui Gallery to learn about auspicious tools and how strategically placed Feng Shui artifacts in your house or office can help engender good health, harmony, wealth and academic & career success.
The final stop will be Suntec City, Singapore’s iconic exhibition and convention centre and home to the largest fountain in the world. Understand why water or “shui” symbolizes wealth and fortune as you listen to the tales of people who have found success after touching the water at the Fountain of Wealth. Partake in the ritual and absorb the positive energy, or “qi”, as you end your tour. May the auspicious “force” be with you.
Singapore is a multi-cultural, cosmopolitan city-state that embodies the essence of modern Asia. Yet, underneath this ultra-chic, ultra-modern exterior lies a city that is still steeped in Asian tradition and values.
On this tour, get a glimpse of what it means to live in Singapore – first, as early immigrant settlers eking out a hard living and now, as well-read global citizens of the world.
First, take a trip down memory lane and hear the inspiring stories of Singapore’s early Chinese forefathers at the Chinatown Heritage Centre. The Centre houses a wealth of memories and untold stories of Singapore’s Chinese immigrant past. Get a first-hand experience of how the hardworking coolies (labourers), samsui women (female construction workers), and even ordinary families lived and worked in the dark and cramped quarters of a typical Chinatown shophouse.
Then, travel down the suburb and see how town planning in Singapore took a different turn since the 1960s. The Singapore government started HDB, with a charter to move people from living in villages and old shophouses to modern apartment blocks. Today, more than 84 percent of Singapore’s population live in HDB apartments. The HDB remains the authority in public housing but the style and quality of homes have vastly improved over the years. Next, visit a 5-room HDB flat of a typical Singapore family. HDB's 5-room apartments are ideal for a small family of four or five members, and offers comfortable living space for even an extended family. With an estimated floor area of 110 sqm, the layout comprises a living area, dining area, kitchen, main bedroom with attached bathroom, 2 other bedrooms, common bathroom and storeroom cum apartment shelter.
Finally, experience a typical Singaporean lifestyle with a visit to a local suburb - Toa Payoh. Located in the northern part of Singapore, Toa Payoh has transformed from a swampy, farming area into Singapore’s first self-contained new town, complete with schools, shopping, housing and factories. This vibrant housing estate offers great value for shopping and a chance to sample a wide selection of local cuisine. With pioneering spirit and great planning, Singapore has become a showcase of urban planning, utilizing its land-scarce resources to its fullest. On this tour, you’ll be able to track Singapore’s remarkable growth from a small fishing village to a cosmopolitan city in an incredibly short span of time! First, embark on an orientation tour of Singapore by driving through the former seat of the British colonial government, the Civic District. Next, see Singapore’s progress and development into a modern city with a visit to the Singapore City Gallery. Learn how land-scarce Singapore is juggling all the needs of a growing nation. What went behind the scenes to make Singapore what it is today? Get a preview on what’s coming up next for Singapore, and what it may look like 40 years down the road. |
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