Singapore

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Absolutely fantastic! We love it here. Singapore is a busy modern city but with a real sense of charm and sophistication.

First impression, it's going to be expensive but we were pleasantly surprised, however talking to the locals it is becoming more so. There is so much to see and do here it was difficult to decide where to start as we only had 4 days before we were on the move again. The first evening we jumped into a taxi and went down to Clark Quay for a visit and dinner; very lively with lots of bars and restaurants. The following morning we went on the Singapore Flyer which is similar to the London eye only 30 metres higher, (I think they are proud of that). The views across Singapore were amazing, especially looking down on the new Marina Bay area which is a complete array of modern architectural structures all vying for attention.

We then walked over to Marina Bay itself and had a wander around the huge shopping centre before crossing over to the Marina Bay Sands Hotel which is made up of three 56 storey tower blocks joined at the top by a very large cruise liner, yes you have to see it to believe it! The views from the top of the Hotel were even more incredible.

We returned in the evening and visited the Gardens in the Bay which were spectacularly lit making it more enchanting with the shadows created by the clever lighting. A trip back down the river to the quay allowed us to appreciate this beautiful skyline at night, each structure more spectacularly illuminated than the last.

The following day was a laundry visit and a chance for Abby & Freya to catch up on their education. Believe it or not it was very difficult to find a laundrette but in the end after walking the backstreets of Singapore for 30 minutes we found a washing machine and a tumble dryer on the pavement outside an Internet cafe!

That afternoon we had a real treat and visited Raffles Hotel for afternoon tea and champagne in the Tiffin Room. The cream tea was served with real clotted cream. When we asked where the cream was from, the waitress after consulting with the chef said "It is imported from somewhere called De-Von!" At that point we all felt very proud to be British!

Our last morning in Singapore took us to the Botanic Gardens. Rebecca especially wanted to visit this area as her Grandparents lived near here in the 1950s when her Grandfather worked at the British Embassy which is nearby. What a beautiful, peaceful, calm environment this is, a real tranquil oasis in this busy city. We certainly understood the appeal, as much now as sixty years ago.

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Photos

Marina Bay
With a boat 57 floors up!

Gardens in the Bay
Spectacular at night.

Raffles
Absolutely marvellous!

Singapore Harbour
From 57 floors up.

Botanic Gardens
A relaxed morning stroll.