Both of us are obsessed with the marine world. She loves dolphins, I love sharks, we both love whales to a certain extent. The difference is, the roommate, an aspiring marine biologist wannabe - dreams to take a plunge into the deep to swim with dolphins, and I, suffer from a mild gaelophobia, and the bravest things I've done is visiting the Sea World tunnel.
How do you know it is safe? Remember Jaws 3D.
Well back to MEMA, we went home to excitedly tell each other about the big news. It sounded like a place to explore the ocean without getting submerged (without the risk of sharks encounter). We did a little research to find out more about the museum, didn't find much, so we decided just to go. We woke up so early that Saturday, the 15th day of October - too thrilled to be among the first to witness what was claimed to be the "multi-sensory"first in Singapore yada-yada museum.
We tried finding more info at the visitor center of where on the island the museum is exactly located, or at least at which station we should alight, and there was no indication of any attraction grand opening, no brochures, even the staff at the Sentosa express gate didn't seem to know such museum existed.
"Waterfront station," Answered the staff before we even said a word.
"Oh no, not Universal Studios, the Maritime Museum,"
"Huh? What museum?"
"The Maritime museum?"
After around 5 seconds of awkward silence, the uncertain-looking staff told us to alight at Imbiah station.
That wasn't a good impression you know. Yea maybe because it's the opening day, the museum was still new, but if even the staff were not aware about it, it suggested that the museum's not a big deal, at least for Sentosa people.
Alright, we boarded the Sentosa express, alighted at the Imbiah station, we couldn't find any signs of the museum's existence. So tried seeking info from the staff in a ticket box, same thing happened, "What museum?"
"Err..the Maritime museum?" we started thinking that the whole museum thing is a joke. And it wasn't even April.
"Oh it's not opened yet,"
So it was a joke. But we had not given up, our last attempt was to ask a senior staff in the same ticket box, this time the question was more direct. "The Maritime museum, it's supposed to open today right?"
Finally somebody knew. "Yes it opens today,"
"How to get there?"
"That side," the staff pointed another side of Sentosa. We should have alighted at the Waterfront station.
When we got there, the museum was still closed for public, they were having the guest of honor thingy going on, so we're obviously not going to be the first visitors, of course. 2 presenters were talking out loud about the museum's grand opening to lure passerby to get in, and somebody approached us and asked whether we want to answer some questions for free tickets to the museum.
"How to get there?"
"That side," the staff pointed another side of Sentosa. We should have alighted at the Waterfront station.
When we got there, the museum was still closed for public, they were having the guest of honor thingy going on, so we're obviously not going to be the first visitors, of course. 2 presenters were talking out loud about the museum's grand opening to lure passerby to get in, and somebody approached us and asked whether we want to answer some questions for free tickets to the museum.
I was like, oh an interview? Alright, let's go. But we're about to be 'interviewed', we realized that it would be a quiz, not an interview. And we weren't listening. How could we possibly answer the question?
As we were getting ready to embarass ourselves, the presenter throw us the most difficult question of our lifetime.
"What kind of vehicle did Cheng Ho use to reach Southeast Asia few centuries ago?" a)train, b) plane, and c) ship.
---
---
---
We both looked at each other. "Ship." I tried really hard not to say 'duh' after that.
Anyway, free ticket!
To the museum and some theater.
Err. Maritime Experiential and Museum and Aquarium. By name we should have known that the museum isn't as oceanic as we expected. The word 'aquarium' was the trap. And you know what THE AQUARIUM WASN'T OPENED YET. Gyaaaaaahhhh!!!
You'd like the museum only if you're an Asian maritime history enthusiast. Otherwise, you'll get bored within 15 minutes. This was no Pirates of the Caribbean. We really hoped the typhoon theater thingy will save the day.
Basically it's about a Chinese sinking ship, I forgot what's the name of the expedition, I wasn't even sure if the journey was real or famous haha. There's a short preview about the background of the story, basically the ship sinks because of men's miscalculation, over confidence, and the opposite. The actors looked pretty gallant in the yoko outfits, but one thing for Lasalle graduands, or maybe it's just me, haha, I couldn't help wondering if the actors playing for local attractions like this, are maybe from Lasalle's acting faculty. So it was harder for them to be believable playing the characters. To me. Who is suspecting they're the kids from my school.
The theater's apparently a sinking ship simulator - cool. There's disappointingly no safety belt attached to the seats, so we assumed they're gonnabe stationary. But when the door's closed, the theater floor started to descend and we got super excited yeay! And here comes the typhoon. Real splashes of water. But the seats didn't move! Apparently descending was the only kind of movement.
Well, the ship sank. The entire theater descended to the sea floor. It was actually pretty cool, it just that we expected the seats to throw us here and there, just like a 4D theater would do. The exit door opened and boom, we're in the ground floor. As we walked out the museum through a dark blue tunnel that could be the upcoming aquarium, we muttered to each other,
"untung gratis,"
:D
