I also am not a real “runner.” Last year though I decided to take up running as a way to clear my head during my last few months of grad school and to explore Brooklyn before I moved. Now that I have relocated, I enjoy running as a way to explore more of my neighborhood in Singapore, especially after a long day in an office. Many people though think that Singapore’s hot and humid climate would make running here miserable, but I have really come to enjoy my shaded evening runs along a few canals.
Unlike Amy’s running experiences in Dar es Salaam, I must admit that I am quite spoiled by Singapore’s extensively developed park system, complete with a Park Connector Network of running and biking trails. The National Parks Board is even working towards completely connecting these trails so that one day I (in theory) will be able to run around the entire island. Even with all of this lovely infrastructure though I must admit I am slightly jealous of the ad hoc sites throughout Amy’s run on the Swahili coast. My favorite run thus far is along the Ulu Pandan Canal because it passes through a variety of different Singaporean spaces, including the Clementi HDB Housing estate, landed houses, a set of community gardens, a few patches of Singapore that still feel “natural,” while also passing under MRT tracks, elevated highways, and an old Railway. Even in this humidity, the shaded trail at sunset and this diversity of spaces make for a pleasant jog. Enjoy.
- Melissa
Ulu Pandan Canal
A glimpse of some community garden plots.
Someone fishing in the canal Sunday evening.
Part of the extensive drainage system that feeds into the canal.
Running under the old railway tracks.
The MRT tracks on the left and the highway on the right.
A giant Buddha in the background.
Sunset on Sunday.
All photos were taken by the author, some may have also appeared on instagram.
I like it ! Love Daddy
Pingback: Passing through Singapore: A Hub for Urbanist | Encountering Urbanization