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| The Padang: Singapore's Central Park |
The Esplanade is a long open stretch of field, originally by the sea, located in downtown Singapore. Sitting on the left bank of the River, it was originally called the Padang, which is Malay for "field" or "open ground". It has been the venue of many momentous colonial and national events in the modern history of Singapore.
Padang in Colonial Singapore
The Padang was a popular place for residents to meet, relax, take walks and find recreation. It had been a place for social gatherings before colonialism, with Malay and Indonesian seafarers racing their boats off the coast near the Padang. In 1834, the Europeans started holding their annual New Year Regattas there and it soon expanded into a full-scale Sports Day. New Year's Eve would bring fireworks to the Padang while New Year celebrations saw the sporting activities of the Singapore Cricket Club and Singapore Recreation Club held here.
Activities in The Padang
As we walked and explored the area, we were surprised to see many different groups of people participating in a myriad of activities. The Padang was full of life. It was not just a ceremonial field in the heart of the Marina Bay area but an actual "open ground" for people to do whatever they wanted. So, as a group, we decided to participate in some recreation of our own. The Padang is still a popular place for people to gather, relax and find recreation. This was the only site of the Trail where we saw actual locals (non-tourists). Most of the other sites were either filled with groups of tourists or were empty. Finally, we were not the only weird group of people there!
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| Our "sport" JUMP SHOTS!!! |
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| More jump shots |
Trivia
Did you know that one of the earliest residents here was Col. William Farquhar? His residence was part of a row of houses that housed some of the most important and influential people of the day.
Suggested Activity
Who were the other famous residents who lived around the Padang?
Find out more about the famous events that are held at the Padang. (Hint: NDP)
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| Us guys deep in our thoughts |
