Sad-urday!

We slept in on the last morning - Steve's flu got worse and he feeling pretty average.  We got up and going and went to breakfast at a local starbucks - made the discovery that our locale on a saturday/sunday is very quiet indeed because of it being the financial district and it was deserted for the first time!  We went for a long walk along to Clarke Quay to see what it's like in the daylight.  We tthen walked all along the promenade along the riverfront.  Boat Quay, the next area along has even more restaurants and very set up for the tourists.  We walked for about 2 hours all told, discovering the italian restaurant we had saved for the last lunch is closed for lunch on saturday! We ended up eating at the food hall/market right outside our hotel.  We then packed and checked out as we had a late (2pm) checkout.  We  then set off for the airport and spent the time before the flight very comfortably in the qantas lounge.  The flight was also more than comfortable in the pointy end at the front and all too soon it was all over.

Clarke Quay by day

Me in some local art

In our hotel lobby

We didn't eat at this stall!

Missing photos from Wednesday night

Here are the night shots from the top of Marina Bay Sands.

This is the gardens by the bay at night during their light show.

Friday Frolics!

Got Steve well nd truly over his distaste for heights in glass enclosed spaces with the unlimited cablecar  pass today! We had breakfast in the hotel and then set out with the MRT to Harbourfront and got the cablecar to Sentosa.  The unlimited pass also let you choose 2 attractions on the island.  We chose to do the 4D Adventure experience and to go into the big Merlion.  You got  all the history behind singapore and then go up to the top of it - you go into the mouth and then to the top of its head.  The views of all were really quite sensational.

Steeve in the cable car

Some of the many resorts on the island

Me in the the mouth of the biggest Merlion

The biggest Merlion in the world!!!!!!

We then walked all over and went into Resort World where all the resturants are.  We went for lunch to hard rock cafe and i had the $15 set lunch - 3 courses and non stop cool drink! We then took the cable car back went up to mt faber on it as well and then back to harbourfront. There is a huge shopping centre there called vivo city.  We weent back to the hotel via chinatown to collect Steve's tailored pants he had made.  We weere so hot and bothereed by then - hottest day we had here so far - so the pool was a welcome relief.  We then headed out to the races.  It is in Kranji - 45 minute train ride out. The train goes above ground out in the suburbs - amazing to see where all the population lives. The facility for the races was sensational.  We go the tourist entry ticket which got us into the owners lounge area. We had tea there and saw 4 races.  We watched the last one out in the public area and was there amongst all the noise.  They really enjoy their racing! It was a great thing to have as a night outing.

Where we were inside at tables behind glass.

We then came back to our area at about 10.30 nd stopped and got a drink in a bar near our hotel.  Friday night in the financial district and it was all really busy and filled with people.

Thursday Fun

Seems we have sorted out the dilemma with the photos.  All back on track and full steam ahead!  Today we had separate starts to the day.  Steve had booked a cooking class in Chinatown, which is a 10-15 minute walk from here.  There were 8 in the class, there was one from WA in the group.  He cooked chicken satay sticks and made the peanut dipping sauce from scratch.  Then for main course they made (and ate it all!) kweoy taow.  For desert there were crepes with a coconut and palm sugar stuffing.  I shopped the centre near us called One Raffles Place.  We met back at the room and then went out to the Raffles Hotel for the famous Singapore Sling (100 years old this year). We enjoyed it very much and then went over to the centre called Suntec City.  It has 5 towers and a famous fountain in the centre called the Fountain of Wealth.  We then got the train back to Chinatown so Steve could show me what he saw today and then he got a tailor to make some trousers for him - 3 pairs.  Now back to the hotel and a well deserved refreshing swim! Out for tea tonight to a place we saw at Suntec City.

In the Long BAr at the Raffles

The Fountain of Wealth

The Temple outside the tailors

Our hotel

Some more photos from Wednesday

We are having some issues with the ipad, so will load a couple of more phtos - all we have managed to get on for now.  Hopefully we can rectify the problem asap!

Steve in the Marina Bay Sands complex - shops/casino/hotel/entry to skygarden

From the 57th floor - the hotel pool on the top with the port in the background

Looking over the singapore river

Looking down on The Gardens By The Bay

What a big day!

We slept well and enjoyed a breakfast in our hotel this morning.  We get 50% off all food in the hotel which makes it even better!  We went to the MRT statiopn for the first time and organised the card to travel with and loaded it up. We  went to Bugis St for the markets as our first stop.  It rained a little but the stalls were all under a roof so it was fine.  Lots of touristy things there, just as it  was 40 years ago. We then got the train up to Orchard Road

and looked at some of the centres there.  Lucky Plaza is very junky now and no tourists there at all.  The big ION centre was lovely, most of the same shops though as we have now.  Got a few things in a shop that was in NY but not in Perth and we had a great lunch in the food court on the ground floor.  A set meal (soup, grilled chicken and rice etc all for $6).  We walked around for quite a while and then returned by MRT to the hotel.  We enjoyed a late afternoon swim and a drink by the pool and then showerred and went out at about 6pm.  Headed for the Marina Bay Sands hotel and got the lift up to the skypark on the 57th floor.  You pay $23 to go to the obserrvation deck but it's free if you go to the top level and have a drink in the bar! WWe stayed up there for about an hour and a half and watched all the lights come on.   it was sensational.  At 7.45 pm the gardens put on a light show so we watched it from up the top.  We got down about 8.15 pm and walked through the hotel and casino complex and settled on a buffet tea at the hotel atrium restaurant.  It was a wonderful buffet and we kept saying how the Nonni would have loved it!  We then caught the MRT back and wandered back to the hotel. 

Afternoon 'tea' at the hotel's top floor.

In our hotel pool.

Having some problems uploading the photos taken tonight at the top of the towers on the new sim card.  Hoping to rectify that asap and add them on in the morning.

More fun!

Last night we walked over to Clarke Quay which took about 25 minutes to meet Sunil and his family at a thai restaurant there.  The  area was all full with people eating at the many bars and restaurants there.   The restaurant he booked was on the waterfront and we had a table at the edge and saw all the comings and goings. The meal was lovely as was the company, the service was not too good though with them needing constant reminders.  All the dishes came but not the rice etc etc.

A passer by took our photo on the bridge over to Clarke Quay.

After the dinner we ended up walking back as well - it was a still night and it was good to walk off the food!