Monday 17th August 2015.
We were up and going a bit earlier today and breakfast was
actually an edible temperature. Pick up was to be 9am and they were spot on
time. Part of the accommodation deal was a complimentary hop-on hop-off bus
tour with hotel pick-up, starting at the Singapore Flyer, choice of 3 routes,
so we chose the Marina Heritage route which took us around past Marina Bay
Sands, the Marina Barrage, Gardens by the Bay, through Chinatown and Clarke
Quay, then past the National Museum of Singapore (closed till Sept 12th)
and up to Little India, Arab St, (our home base), Raffles and back to the
starting point at the Singapore Flyer. We’ve arrived a bit early so there’s
time for a bit of a look around and watch the off loading and loading of
passengers on the Flyer. It’s a very well oiled machine. And apparently it now
turns in the opposite direction to when it first opened because it was bad Fung
Shui. Why they didn’t consult a Fung Shui expert in the planning/building
stage, I’ll never know!
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| Marina Bay Sands |
Our plan of attack was to stay on board for a full loop and
get the lay of the land, get off in Chinatown for lunch on the 2nd
lap, then back on the bus and go to the National Museum. Lunch in Chinatown was
as expected, inexpensive and tasty. We even managed to find the ‘Noodle Man’
shop that Linda took us to in 2007 and the noodle man is still there.
A family got on at the Flyer on the 2nd lap and we thought we were in an Asian episode of Housos! The woman was screaming at the man who went and sat outside in the open area. The woman followed him to the door, yelled at him again then went and sat down. Barely a minute passed and she got up, opened the door and yelled at him some more before returning to her seat. No idea what she said, but it was amusing.
A family got on at the Flyer on the 2nd lap and we thought we were in an Asian episode of Housos! The woman was screaming at the man who went and sat outside in the open area. The woman followed him to the door, yelled at him again then went and sat down. Barely a minute passed and she got up, opened the door and yelled at him some more before returning to her seat. No idea what she said, but it was amusing.
Disappointed though when we got to the Museum in the middle
of a big downpour to find the major exhibitions are currently closed for
renovations. Bit of a shame about that. Their website said everything would
re-open ‘mid year’, apparently August isn’t ‘mid year’ enough! Oh well. We had
a bit of a look at the only exhibition on offer – 50 things made in Singapore,
which was actually quite interesting. The rain had stopped and the paths were
nearly dry again when we returned to the bus stop to head home.
Last thing on the agenda was a look through some of the
fabric shops on Arab St, but first, it’s beer o’clock and I find Blu Jazz, the
bar we went to with Linda on Bali Lane. Apparently the big chair they had
upstairs shaped like a hand is long gone. Sad face. Beers downed, it’s time to
hit the shops! But first, we walk along part of Haji Lane and spot an MTV
camera crew filming. I have no idea who the host is, but I take a photo of her anyway!
Suss out a few more eateries on the way around and then hit the fabric shops.
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| I want my MTV |
Suss out a few more eateries on the way around and then hit the fabric shops.
The first shop I go into is owned by a very nice older man
who certainly knows his fabric and as it turned out, he has the best price for
Japanese cotton on his side of Arab St. (I’m going to tackle the fabric shops
on the other side another day.)We have the usual tourist chat – where are you
from, what have you been doing, how are you liking Singapore, good storm this
afternoon – then down to business. $8 per metre for Japanese cotton and there
are some lovely ones, I spot a folded piece of fabric that’s quite nice and he
offers it to me for $7p.m. Happy with that.
In and out of many more shops without any luck, due in no
small part to the fact that their price is $10p.m. I can do better than that! I
find a shop with ready made tops and there’s one that I like and it fits, all
that’s left is to negotiate a price. The lady knocks $3 off, so I buy. I
probably would have anyway. Time for a swim methinks! It’s after 4pm now.
What a surprise when we get back to our room and find our
bed, which we just got how we wanted it has been stripped and remade how we
didn’t want it! We really dislike sleeping under just the doona, we like a top
sheet so we can throw the doona off when it gets too hot. Hotels these days all
seem to go for the doona only option. There’s nothing else for it – I have to
speak to the Manager. I’m not going to complain about it on TripAdvisor later. Mr
Zu is very appreciative of customer feedback and hopefully we now have the
problem sorted. He’s also going to attempt to tackle the lukewarm breakfast
food issue. Good luck with that! And as a token of goodwill, we’re getting a
fruit basket. We thought it might have been some local tropical fruit, but it was fruit exotic to Singapore, so think apples, grapes, strawberries. Very nice.
And he does mention that breakfast is also served on the 5th floor, which is where the pool is, it caters to the Middle Eastern customers, but we are welcome to eat there as well.
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| a fruit basket for our troubles |
And he does mention that breakfast is also served on the 5th floor, which is where the pool is, it caters to the Middle Eastern customers, but we are welcome to eat there as well.
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