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Published: December 19th 2006
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Singapore
Singapore's controversial Arts Centre, "Durian" building, modelled on the very popular fruit that smells and tastes like rotting flesh to most Western palette! An experience not to be missed. Hey peeps!
Spent a pleasant week in
Singapore with Peter as our lovely host once again! Highlights included;
- Mouthwatering Mexican meal on our first night, yes it was odd to fly all these miles to Sing only to eat Mexican food!!
- Sitting 72 floors up at the New Asia Bar and watching the sunset over the city and beyond while getting tipsy on half price cocktails!
- Visiting Vivo City shopping mall with Singapore's largest water feature. It's an ultra modern architectural delight with lots of freestyle curves and contemporary use of materials.
- Xmas lights in Orchard Road (shopping malls) and surrounding area.
- Little India's temples and streets.
- Walking along the East Coast Park - long tree-lined sandy coastline with a gigantic fairytale sandcastle.
- Peter's rooftop BBQ beneath a beautiful moon with huge aurora. Receiving a lovely star shaped box of chocs! Thank u V !
We struggled to get up at 4am the next day to catch our flight to
Thailand and begin our 12 hour journey by plane, taxis and boat to the little island of
Koh Phangan .
We've spent a fair bit of
Singapore Asia Bar
Happily skipping Clicky with the New Asia Bar in the background. time here during the last 2 years, attracted by its relaxed atmosphere and natural beauty as a relatively undeveloped tourist destination. Each time we return we see many new buildings, businesses and price increases. One day it will cease to be an affordable backpacker destination and may resemble all other package tour islands. But for now, we can still experience!
I read in the Bangkok Post that
the richest 2%!<(MISSING)/b> of the world population own half of the world ! The yawning gap between the rich and poor widens. The bottom 50%!o(MISSING)f the world's adult population own barely 1%!o(MISSING)f the world's wealth !
Had a major problem accessing some of my wealth via ATMs when we arrived in Thailand. Won't bore you with the tedious and lengthy (1 and a half hr) tale, but am definitely giving HSBC the boot when I get back to the UK. Thinking of opening an account with the Co-op as they are more ethical in their investments. Anyone got a good word to say about the Co-op or any other bank??
After a bit of searching we have found a house to rent. Not the Singapore Asia Bar2
Watching the sun go down from the 72nd floor of the New Asia Bar in Singapore. Half price cocktails too! same one we rented before, though we did go to visit the Thai family who as ever, were pleased to see us and invited us to stay for dinner which was really lovely! Nee even made me special vegetarian dishes which were yummy!
The little house we've rented is brand new in a place called Hin Kong about 50m from the coast and much closer to our favourite beach, Had Yao . It's a nice quiet location in walking distance to a couple of good restraunts and there are shops not far away. It's surrounded by banana, mango and coconut trees and there are another 7 houses with long-term-let Europeans in them. Next door to us on one side they are building another house, but without the regular use of power tools, it's not too noisy.
We rent from a woman called OM and her brother MOON! No they aren't hippies! Just regular Thai people with cool names! Their fab grannie, 79yr old MAMA owns the land and regularly hacks at palm leaves with her machette and tidies her land.It's traditional for all Thai women to own land and is usually passed down to them through Singapore Peter
Peter and his girlfriend Lynn enjoy a cocktail at the Jazz bar. the family.
We're paying 10,000 bhat a month which is about 140 quid plus electric and water. The house has a lounge area, bar (complete with termites!), kitchen, bedroom and western bathroom with hot water! We spend most of the time out on the decked veranda.
Bought a hammock and put it up today! It was a first for me - not laid in a hammock much at all! But all that's about to change! Great for watching the sun go down between the trees with a cocktail. You can just about make out the sea glinting btween the leaves.
Been swimming a lot and loving it!!
Temperature's mostly been 33°C, but we have had a little rain. Got the tail end of the Phillipine's Typhoon Durian, luckily when it hit the island it was only a tropical storm. We hear the weather in th UK's been a bit bonkers with a tornado in north London!!
Xmas is just around the corner! Hope you all have a lovely time and a very happy New Year. Will be thinkng of you. Raise a glass of bubbly for us!
Anyhow, that's all for now. Big love and hugs Vivo1
Vivo City - funkiest shopping mall I've ever seen! to all, Kaya & Clicky xx
Ps Don't forget to send us your news! Love to hear from you!
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jo bunker
non-member comment
great to see you
hey you two - you look like you had a fab time - shall be in touch soon, love, jo xx