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Travel Geotac #1: Marina Barrage – Part B
One of the things I noticed when exploring the outside of the Marina Barrage (MB) was this strange sign which seems to be inviting you to view your pa?
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Turning to the left of the sign I found a pathway on a bridge. But where does it lead to? Will it lead me to a place where I can view my pa?
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It was interesting to find people along the bridge looking at something or someone perhaps like this father and son pair. But wait a minute if they are are father and son pair, then one must be looking for pa and the other for grandpa. Interesting.
Let’s just walk on to the end and see if there are other people looking for pa too.
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Here’s a couple looking out. Maybe pa is on one of those ships?
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And here’s another couple way at the end of the bridge with a mini-telescope. Perhaps they were hoping that with a little help from technology, they will be able to see further and maybe view pa?
Well actually I’m not really sure what they were looking for or at. But one thing is for sure about the sign. If you haven’t guessed it, there’s actually a letter missing in the word “pa”. Two weeks later, I visited the site again and this is what the sign is suppose to read.
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Not bad. They managed to spot the problem and replace the missing “d”. That’s Singapore for you… timely efficiency. 
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Here’s an aerial shot of the viewing pad at the end of the bridge. And aren’t you glad the viewing pad is linked to a crossing bridge and that it was not far out into the sea like this other platform (see shot below) where you might have to swim out to?!? Whew!
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From the viewing pad, if you turn to your extreme left and look up you’ll see a white space-age looking structure up on top of the main building (see picture below). That’s where the entrance to the Green Roof is located.
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More on the Green Roof later. But for now let’s take a look at the other bridge immediately to the left of the viewing pad. No it’s not called “Viewing Ma” nor “Viewing Mad”. It’s called the Marina Bridge.
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This bridge is actually built on top of a dam that separates the sea-water of the Marina Channel from the fresh-water in the reservoir.
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Here’s another shot of the Marina Bridge from another angle. To the right of the bridge is the sea and to the left is the fresh-water reservoir.
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Beneath each of the canopy-covered viewing areas are the hydraulic mechanisms that will open the flood-gates to let water out into sea to help control flooding in the city when it rains too much.
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Let’s have a closer look at the hydraulics that controls the flood-gates.
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Looking back from the Marina Bridge, you can see the main building of the MB. Again you can see the white space-age structure on the roof-top which is probably the easiest way (via a lift or walking up a couple of flights of steps) to get to the large field on the roof (i.e., the Green Roof). On the left is where you can find the 7th Storey Live Seafood Charcoal Steamboat Restaurant (first level), Gallery Cafe (second level) and the Sustainable Singapore Gallery (also on the second level). On the right is where the Pump House (PH) is located. Right at the end of the PH, you can see three buildings rising up into the sky. They are not part of the MB but actually belong to the upcoming Marina Bay Sands Resorts and Casino. Yes, legalised gambling is coming to Singapore. So is this a necessary evil or a good thing for the economy and the job market as some have argued? What do you think?
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Anyway another shot of the PH with it’s right end seemingly pointing to the Singapore Flyer which was once the largest in the world until it was over taken by another ferris-wheel in China.
But let’s not get too distracted by what’s beyond the MB. In fact just round the end of the PH you will find some interesting parts of the MB to explore and experience. That will be covered in the next blog. So stay tuned for Part C on the MB. Meantime here’s one more shot of the PH from an interesting angle for your viewing pleasure.
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Thanks for dropping by and reading. Cheers!
Tags: 7th Storey Live Seafood Charcoal Steamboat Restaurant, bridge, efficiency, ferris-wheel, Flood Control, flood-gates, fresh-water, Gallery Cafe, Geotac #1, Green Roof, legalised gambling, ma, Marina Barrage, Marina Bay, Marina Bay Sands Resorts and Casino, Marina Bridge, Marina Channel, pa, Part B, Pump House, reservoir, sea-water, Singapore, Singapore Flyer, Sustainable Singapore Gallery, travel, viewing ma, viewing mad, viewing pa, viewing pad
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