Megan Goh (16)

5 Benevolence
Describe your experiences at some local tourist attractions. How are they important
to teenagers like yourself?

Although Singapore is a small country, the array of entertainment is compatible to
other leading tourist destinations in Asia and millions of visitors every year.
Singapore has created many attractions for tourists from all over the world to visit in
this tropical climate. All these attractions not only attract tourist to Singapore it has
also attracted teenagers living in Singapore. Teenagers too, entertain themselves in
Singapore by visiting some local tourist attractions in Singapore during their school
holidays. Usually accompanied by close friends.

I too, have visited most local tourist attractions in Singapore. One of my favorite
attractions here is the Sentosa Island Universal Studios Singapore, Haw Par Villa
and Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum.
Singapore Sentosa Island is a 15 minute drive from the city. Teenagers like myself
usually go there by the Mass Rapid Transport (MRT), to get there. Sentosa Island
has many recreational facilities including family attractions, sea sports, golf as well as
hotel accommodation and with over 20 attractions in this island. A canopy of
secondary rainforest taking 70 per cent of the 500-hectare island and is home to
monitor lizards, monkeys, peacocks and parrots as well as other native fauna and
flora. Sentosa has a 3.2 kilometre stretch of white sand beach, and is the only
location in Singapore to offer a seaside accommodation of over 670 hotel rooms.
This island is accessible by cable car, bus, taxi or car, the island is open for 24 hours
a day. Whenever I go to Sentosa, I am always accompanied with close friends. We
will visit Sentosa, especially Universal Studios Singapore after examinations to relax
and have fun. When in Sentosa we will usually go to the Universal Studios
Singapore. Universal Studios Singapore is Singapores only movie-theme park that
features 24 rides and attractions, including a pair of dueling roller coasters that brush
past one another in several near misses in their aerial combat. Thrill-seekers can
choose between a coaster where they are seated or the other where riders are
suspended. Exciting loops, sudden turns, breathtaking drops and thrilling near-
collisions will make you scream your heart out. Dinosaurs, lemurs, ogres and
Egyptian mummies add to the thrills and adventures. With 18 attractions created or
redesigned for Singapore, Universal Studios Singapore promises an experience that
you will not forget. Laughter and screams are heard around every corner, and lasting
memories are made everyday.

Another tourist attraction that I have visited is the Haw Par Villa. Haw Par Villa or The
Tiger Balm Gardens is a theme park located at 262 Pasir Panjang Road Singapore.
The park contains about 1000 statues of chinese fairies, sumo wrestlers and
figurines of Chinese folklore. To get to the park, take the MRT train to the Haw Par
Villa station and once out of the station you will be near the entrance to the Haw Par
Villa. Entrance is free and you can take photographs and videos to your heart's
content. In the park, you will see the Ten Courts of Hell. Here you can see the god of
heaven torturing the wicked by disemboweling and dismembering sinners. This will
send a tinge down your spine if you are weak hearted. The ten gates of hell are so
interesting and unforgettable with their gore and the crimes and associated
punishments when one leads a bad life. The focus on filial piety is striking. Next you
will see the statues of Xuan Zang and his journey to the west. Journey to the West is
one of the four great classical norvels of Chinese Literature. There are so many
amazing mythical characters to see and you will just wonder how they have managed
to paint them all individually, there are some macabre scenes with sharks swallowing
people and people fighting. At each display there is a story and if it is not too hot,
spend some time as they are quite interesting. While certain areas are in need of
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fresh paint, the ponds are teeming with flora and fauna and provide a heavenly spot
for a picnic. There are signs that admonish folks not to climb or touch the statues, yet
several people could not resist sitting on a statue for a photo. This tourist attraction is
important to teenagers like me because the bright colors, intricate facades, building
details, and the plaques with history and stories make the visit very worthwhile.
Moreover, it is one of the few remaining pieces of Singapore that retains its original
character and hasnt been modernized. Haw Par Villa is an interesting theme park
that educates about the cultural superstition and is a fascinating venture into
mythology.

The Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum is a great place to visit if you are
interested in discovering new cultures and religion. This temple really encapsulates
the Chinese form of Buddhism that has flowered outside of mainland China. It's
decor is extravagant yet traditional whilst the vast quantity of Buddha images hints at
a more universal form of Buddhist worship. Some from a western background may
see the design as tacky or a few touches too flamboyant, but to me it showed a vast
and deep devotional vault that the designers saw should be filled with colour and
quantity. Apart from the main temple and backroom (housing bodhisattva idols and
their correspondence to the Chinese calendar), the temple housed a museum.
The museum has great information about buddism and the Temple is an amazing
place to discover. It's beautiful to see how other people practice spirituality. On the
third floor, there was an exhibit retelling the life of Buddha and featured an
impressive array of Buddhist artifacts, from scrolls to statues, explaining the three
types of Buddhism. This tourist attraction is important to teenagers like me because I
get to learn about different the different religion in Singapore and just standing in the
temple, you can feel the serenity peacefully flow through your veins.