Singapore

12, 13 and 14/12/16

We arrived in Singapore early on Monday morning and caught the MRT to meet my cousin Mark, who is currently living here. Unfortunately, I think there was something dodgy about the ham I had with my baguette on our last night in Paris (or it could have been the plane breakfast, or both) because soon after arrival severe diarrhoea and then vomiting set in. Not a great way to spend your first day in a new country and visiting someone! 

On Tuesday I was a little better, so we took a stroll along the Singapore River to Liang Court shopping centre to buy some shorts. I had come prepared for European winter, not tropical Singapore. We then continued on to have a look around Clarke Quay and had some lunch before strolling back. In the afternoon, I had enough energy to go Pokemon hunting with the kids and in the evening we went out for a lovely Chinese dinner in Tiong Bahru.

Today we took a bus and then the MRT to the National Museum of Singapore. It has an interesting if somewhat potted history of Singapore, aimed we suspect at a local audience. It is very slanted towards a patriotic “look at what we have overcome”, without a lot of detail about what led up to each event. There was also an interesting exhibition of photos of old trees in Singapore, along with the stories of people associated with each tree. We then walked back to Mark’s place through Fort Canning Park, discovering an archaeological dig and a gun for Gary.

Mark and family live in an apartment high in a block right next to the Singapore River. It has amazing views. We can see the Singapore Flyer and Marina Bay Sands from the verandah and have views of the river and over the city as we shower! 

Where we are staying

View from the verandah

View from our shower

Pokemon hunting on the Singapore River

Clarke Quay - Christmas decorations in the tropics just aren't the same!

Seen in a cafe. Only in Singapore would they need this. (Where Ms Tan is from, of course!)

Obviously need a fruit sculpture outside your museum. In Canberra we have pears.

Archeological dig in Fort Canning Park

Found a gun for Gary

Fabulous tree roots, Fort Canning Park