Singapore

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A New City

We stopped for four days here to break the long journey through to Melbourne buying a package of hotel, transfers and tours. It's a city of interest but built as a trading post and now additionally a commercial centre. It's got loads and loads of shops, offices and places to eat.

We toured to Changi and the museum looking at the wartime experience of the Japanese invasion and occupation. We also saw orchids growing naturally with a coolhouse to show them in mountainous conditions and we took ourselves off to the Bird Park which was fun for our last day.

However, we would not be urging ourselves to return. As a small island with little history except that of foreign labour making their mark including the Brits in the financial sector and all through the colonial times. In fact the whole place is an invention of the East India Company started by Raffles inviting Chinese, Indians and Malays to come and build a new trading base through the 18th century.

I was hot, rained a little and was warm all night. We slept badly if at all in air conditioned 'comfort' and have caught up with some rest here in Melbourne with Lesley's brother and his family.

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Photos

Michael at Orchid Garden
One of Lesley's photos of Michael. An interesting visit.