One last Sling in Singapore!

A grumpy, middle-aged taxi man with pillar-box red streaks in his hair drives us from Changi airport (Changi is a type of tree) to our New Changi hotel. A miserable soul, who routinely coifs his locks in the rear mirror and overcharges us. We drop bags and head straight to Singapore Zoo for the night safari (opens at 7.30pm).

A good festive atmosphere around the zoo

River fish available for 'feet exfoliation'. yuck.

The backdrop to the scene is a thunder and lightning storm (monsoon season), which results in the Creatures of the Night Show being cancelled to our dismay. Despite the stormy weather the park is jam-packed, and we take the tram tour.  Unsurprisingly, it doesn't compare to the wonders of real safari but nevertheless it is a nice way to spend an hour. There are many unusual creatures to be seen (but no flash photography allowed, so no pictures for you). 

Can just about make out the flamingos...

Never mind the sleepy lions and leopards, the highlight for us is the red giant flying squirrel! So cool!!

Afterwards, we go straight back to the hotel, hot tired and without appetite.

Leaking Lao-Lao does not make it past Singapore.

Next morning, we lay until 9am (very late for us!), pack up our belongings (last time!) and leave the dismal hotel. We dander down the Changi Road and jump on a bus (number 7 seems like a good choice). I have left the map back at the hotel so we decide to hedge our bets and get off at a stop where lots of other people get off! Ugh it's so humid and sticky.

A soya frappe latte something or other for breakfast

The City Hall

We stumble upon the central area - visiting St. Andrews cathedral on the way. 

Then, we do the ultimate tourist thing and go to Raffles Hotel for a Singapore Sling. 

Quite a smart place, but yet folks must through their monkey-nut shells on the floor. Nut shells crunch underfoot and speeded-up versions of Frosty The Snowman and other Christmas pop classics reverberate around the bar. Strange. The best bit? Most definitely the fans on the ceiling. 

We savour every mouthful of this $1-a-sip drink!

Elegant fans on the ceiling

Not so elegant monkey nut shells on the floor

Just like Patong!

Pretty flowers

It is raining heavily outside, but I've got my poncho! We wander down a very clean street and see a GIANT rat, eeeew! The only rat we have seen on our travels. 

We visit the Asian Civilisations Museum to wander through the permanent collection of art, jewelry and sculpture and then to the special photography exhibition,"Neither East nor West".  

We are just in time for an English-speaking guide. This museum is fantastic and the guide is knowledgeable and interesting. The two hours we spend here make our flying visit to Singapore all the more worthwhile! 

The best bit is this picture and the story behind it!......

The story of Cowherd and Weaver Girl...

.....In late summer, the stars Altair and Vega are high in the night sky, and the Chinese tell the following love story. A young cowherd named Niulang (Chinese: 牛郎; pinyin: niú láng; literally "the cowherd", the star Altair) happens across seven fairy sisters bathing in a lake. Encouraged by his mischievous companion the ox, he steals their clothes and waits to see what will happen. The fairy sisters elect the youngest and most beautiful sister Zhinü (simplified Chinese: 织女; traditional Chinese: 織女; pinyin: zhī nǚ; literally "the weaver girl", the star Vega) to retrieve their clothing. She does so, but since Niulang has seen her naked, she must agree to his request for marriage. She proves to be a wonderful wife, and Niulang a good husband. They lived happily and had two children. But the Goddess of Heaven (in some versions Zhinü's mother) finds out that a mere mortal has married one of the fairy girls and is furious and orders her return to Heaven. (In another version, the Goddess forced the weaver fairy back to her former duty of weaving colorful clouds in the sky because she could not do her job while married to the mortal.) Down on Earth, Niulang is very upset learning that his wife is gone. Suddenly, his cow begins to talk telling him that if he kills him and puts on his hide, he will be able to go up to Heaven to find his wife. With tears flowing, he killed the cow, put on the skin and carrying his two children with him and off he went to Heaven to find Zhinü. The Goddess found out he had come and was very angry. Taking out her hairpin, the Goddess scratches a wide river in the sky to separate the two lovers forever (thus forming the Milky Way, which separates Altair and Vega). Zhinü must sit forever on one side of the river, sadly weaving on her loom, while Niulang watches her from afar and takes care of their two children (his flanking stars β and γ Aquilae or by their Chinese names Hè Gu 1 and Hè Gu 3). But once a year (Valentine's day) all the magpies in the world take pity on them and fly up into heaven to form a bridge (鵲橋, "the bridge of magpies", Que Qiao) over the star Deneb in the Cygnus constellation so the lovers may be together for a single night, the seventh night of the seventh moon. It is said that if it rains on the night of Qi Xi, they are the tears of Niulang and Zhinü crying at the misery of their life.

Reminds me of a certain Grump that I know... 

and I discover I am breaking all the rules of how to be a good daughter...

Afterwards, we have just enough time to walk along the Singapore river, passing by the empty bars and restaurants of the Boat Pier. As expected the city, it is all very clean and orderly, and there are lots of skyscrapers and Ferrari's. 

They are very tall!

We are really tight for time, and it takes 40 minutes for us to find a taxi willing to pick-up (turns out there is a congestion charge for pick-ups in the centre). Grab our bags at the hotel, and we dash to the airport. Still no appetite, so no food at all for us in Singapore (a pity as I've heard it is delicious).

Big queues for our busy flight

Our journey home takes a merry while, via Abu Dhabi again. I manage to sleep quite a bit, but poor Mother is less successful.

We touch-down in London Heathrow airport at 6am (according to the Telegraph, the coldest day of the year!). It is a wonderful crisp, frosty morning and we are just in time for sunrise. 

Home sweet home!

We arrive back at the flat and conveniently the Council has erected a Christmas tree outside my kitchen window (well that saves me having to put one up!). 

Tea, newspaper, radio, followed by brunch at The Providores, Marylebone. Ah it's so good to be back.....