Our last stop of our Australian-Singapore Cruise was,
of course,
Singapore!
of course,
Singapore!
Now let me first set the stage...
As we left Darwin, I got hit by the upper respiratory crud
that I so frequently encounter on cruises.
So yep...I wasn't feeling very well when we first got to Singapore.
(and I don't do well with humidity in general...but add
to that an upper respiratory infection...and we're
talkin' misery...)
But...our friends only had a short time with us and were off
to Borneo in a couple of days so we hung out
and toured the city a bit.
We opted out of the Borneo phase of the trip and spent extra days in Singapore awaiting our flight home.
As you can see...Singapore is quite a modern city-country.
Not much wild space, but the flora was lush!!!
One of our must see/taste stops was the Raffles Hotel...
...home of the original Singapore Sling!!!
Made for the first time in this hotel bar...
a concoction of Gin and fruit juices,
suitable for a lady to sip in the tropics!
The bar was quite beautiful in that tropical
old British Colonial style...
...lots of woodwork, windows, light and tropical style!
But c'mon...
worst Singapore Slings we've ever had!!!
BLECH!!!
You know that sickeningly sweet juice drink...
not real fruit juice...
well maybe there was some...
but a whole lot of high fructose corn syrup!!!
Yuck!
(Give me a Damon's MaiTai any day!!!)
The hotel entrance was quite elegant...
...actually...
the whole hotel was quite elegant!
To visit more little corners of the world...click on the images below!
Some amazing architecture in Singapore! Beautiful shots.
ReplyDeleteYes! Most of it is quite new...the old British Colonial style pops up now and again...but the city/country is quite modern! And clean!!!
DeleteAbout the Singapore sling, that's sad. Isn't that where it was invented?
ReplyDeleteWorth a Thousand Words
It is where it was invented! Too sweet...added sugar and not so fresh juice I assume...
DeleteWhat lovely shots.
ReplyDeleteThank you LadyFi!
DeleteSingapore is a place I never been to. And rearely see images from. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteThanks Nature Footstep!
DeleteHope you've fully recovered from that respiratory infection...they have a nasty way of lingering. We did our first cruise this summer [for the grandsons] and managed to avoid the usual cruise maladies. Australia is on my wife's bucket list...but, it is too bloody far from the east coast. Anyway, SWF does provide some vicarious 'experiences'. Cheers, Stan [Oh, I am on Google+]
ReplyDeleteI'm recovered....and enjoying the cooler climate of Fall in SoCal!!! We had a 14 hour direct flight from LA to Sydney...long...but worth it! Lots of sleep and movies!!!
DeleteOf all places for the Singapore Sling to be Sucko!
ReplyDeleteI know...right?!!!
DeleteShame about the Singapore Sling! Sal and I had a rather wonderful - and somewhat more than rather expensive Gin and Tonic in that very bar! We had a good evening that concluded with Street Hawker food and a cold beer! Excellent.
ReplyDeleteCheers - Stewart M - Melbourne
Yep! The Singapore Slings were rather expensive too!!!
DeleteYour images captured the essence of colonial charm at Raffles Hotel. MarketWatch last Sept listed Singapore as the most expensive city in the world. Yes, more expensive than London, NYC or San Francisco. Not sure if it's a good thing for the people who live there.
ReplyDeleteWhen I visited back in 2001, the Singapore Sling was a pricey US$17, and it was nothing to brag about. I did enjoy the bar atmosphere, and the freedom to throw peanut shells on the floor:-).
I'm probably biased when I say this, that neighboring countries like Malaysia and Thailand are more exotic and charming. And a whole lot cheaper!
I think you're right on! The Singapore Sling was about the same price...nothing to brag about...and the whole town was quite expensive...except for my doctor's visit!!! I found it interesting that there really isn't any local feeling here...no local traditions, wares, foods... it is truly a hub for trade and travel.
DeleteBeautiful cityscape! The hotel is magnificent! Too bad the drink wasn't as impressive.
ReplyDeleteWould love to stay in that lush hotel
ReplyDeleteSingapore! One of the great cities of the world. I would go back in an instant. But tell me, why go on a cruise if you generally get respiratory infections when you do, and why choose destinations with high humidity if that bothers you too? Doesn't seem to make a whole lot of sense!
ReplyDeleteIt looks like a beautiful place. Too bad about the drink. I was just about to ask you if the glass came with the drink (that I'm sure was very expensive).
ReplyDeleteGreat photos Kathy!