A Singapore Sling in Raffles just had to be done

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When l was in the UK with 6 weeks to plan for my trip l had sorted out my visa for India, Vietnam and Australia. For some reason l had it in my head that l was in Thailand for a month’s so no visa was needed as you are granted a 30 day visitor’s visa on arrival. But l was to be in Thailand for two months not one so once l had arrived in Bangkok after a fantastic Christmas and New Year l had to work out how l was to extend my visa to stay in this great Kingdom. Just like the UK over the holiday period trying to find out from immigration what to do was a no win situation so instead l booked a day trip to Singapore and hoped that on my return that same day l would be granted another 30 days.

I love cheap airlines

Asia airline is just like easyjet in the UK and for £100 l got a return flight to Singapore. So at 3am l was up and ready for a long day to visit a place not on my planned trip but was excited to see too. I arrived at Bangkok airport and by 7.05am was up in the skies once again. The flight was about 2 hours and by 10am l was walking the streets of this metropolis with skyscrapers and old building living side by side. Singapore is an amazing place and is so clean with a mix of American and English style street signs and influences.

Sim City

One of the places to visit especially for the boys in Sim City a mega building filled with all the boy toys on about 6 floors. Each shop is filled with loads of electrical items. I wanted to buy a bigger lens for my camera and it didn't take long to find the one l wanted, so once that was done l needed to leave as there were many other things l could have brought and the temptation would have been too great.

I then spend a few hours walking around and then came across the Singapore Flyer, a version of the London Eye; it was such a shame to find out that the ride had been out of action for a week due to a mechanical problem.

I felt just like a movie star from the 1920's

Raffles Hotel was declared a National Monument in 1987; the hotel has grown from strength to strength. With its restoration and reopening in 1991, Raffles Hotel today stands as a jewel in the crown of Singapore's hospitality industry, renowned and loved for its inimitable style and unsurpassed excellence in service and facilities.

In multicultural Singapore it is not surprising that the visionary founders of Raffles Hotel were a quartet of enterprising Armenian brothers: Martin, Tigran, Aviet and Arshak Sarkies.

Raffles Hotel opened in 1887 in a rather sombre-looking old bungalow known as the Beach House. It was named after Sir Stamford Raffles, the founder of modern Singapore. Tropical suites and sola topis were as much a part of Raffles Hotel's early style as bentwood tables and rattan chairs. Over the years the hotel has evolved into one of the world's most beloved grand hotels and welcomed innumerable celebrities, writers and royalty.

Raffles Courtyard

Built in the tropical setting of an open courtyard, Raffles Courtyard, a timeless structure with white arches flanked by tropical palms and native plants, keeps the feeling of 'Old Singapore' alive. A colonial cocktail bar, a traditional alfresco kitchen, table umbrellas and live music make the courtyard a pleasant place for patrons to watch the passing parade of visitors. To find this courtyard bar was like a dream come true as l can still remember talking about Raffles whilst at catering college with one of my lecturers and had always wanted to say l have had a Singapore Sling from where it was invented. At 22 Singapore Dollar (£11) it wasn't cheap, bit l had to have one. So l may as well have lunch here too, so l ordered Nasi Gorang and sat and spent the next hour people watching with the best Singapore Sling l have ever tasted, and l have tasted quite a few in the past.

The walk around old & new

In the skyline of Singapore the new buildings raise up like giants, so l spent a bit time walking around the business area and was amazed that there was so many old building mixed in amongst the new. Multi-national companies and bank was the main resident with a few 5 star hotels too. On the bank of the coast line l saw the Lion Fountain that dispensed a large jet of water into the sea. Across the bay the new buildings were like futuristic objects and looked great.

Time to make the journey to re-enter

So once again l was back on a plane, but this time to return to Bangkok airport in the mission to get another 30 day tourist visa to enable me to stay to complete my next project in the jungle with a family of elephants. So at 8.00pm the plane left Singapore for the 2 hour flight back. We arrived at Bangkok Airport just after 10pm, and as l had no checked in luggage l made my way to immigration.

To say l felt like a drug smuggler on their way into a country was an understatement. I passed my passport over to the inspector and the next thing he looked me up and down a few times. He then scanned my passport and l thought "that’s it, they not gonna let me back in". He smiled at me then stamp, stamp and the passport was passed back to me. With a quick smile l walked through the control desk and out of the airport. I stopped and checked the stamp date and with a deep breath of relief saw that i had another 30 days to enjoy this fantastic country of smiles.

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Photos

The Happy Monk
No its not me !!

Comments

[Andrew]

Set Menu
Oi oi love - trust you to find the Mandarin! How bloody great is that. We were there a few weeks ago. Do they do a set menu? Now then Raffles - they was cheap fags in the 80's! Me x

[Andrew]

And............
That dried meat - is'nt that one of your ex's? LOL! x