Pulau Ubin one of the destinations for Apec sightseeing

All work and no play
Ansley Ng, Today Online 13 Nov 09;

Singapore - For some, it may be just a big "talk shop", but going by what some delegates at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) forum here say, they have had so much to do that there has been very little time to check out the island.

Back-to-back meetings have kept them from taking in the sights and sounds of the city, said delegates MediaCorp spoke to, even though some of them arrived as early as last week.

Tourism information booths dot the Suntec landscape - loaded with freebies such as chilli crab souvenirs, Singapore Flyer rides and museum visits - but have found few takers among some 7,000 delegates. "Not very much (sightseeing), too much work," said Peruvian delegate Juan Francisco Raffo, president of ComexPeru, or the Foreign Commerce Society.

"We're leaving for home after our last meeting here."

A volunteer manning one of the booths told MediaCorp that not many delegates have approached them for information, either.

Rather, it is the foreign media who have been making queries about the attractions and collecting the freebies. "They like the Night Safari," he said.

However, it could be a bit different this weekend. Ms Nawaporn Suttacheep, a civil servant from Thailand's Ministry of Finance, said: "We've been rushing from one meeting to the next. But I hope to do some shopping (tomorrow) in Orchard Road."

Relaxation and socialising is also called for tomorrow at the "Singapore Evening" event, where delegates will be treated to performances and local food at the Esplanade.

But a fortunate few did not have to wait till then.

Canadian business delegate Peter Barnes, who hails from Ottawa, took a day off on Sunday and ventured alone by train and bus to Changi Village, before hopping onto a bumboat to Pulau Ubin. "The people in the street were very helpful with directions ... I didn't get lost at all," Mr Barnes said.