Singapore 6

Last day of our holiday, which has gone very quickly!

We had breakfast in The Old Hen, which is where we had our first breakfast in Singapore. I was very impressed with them. Not only is the food nice, and the coffee delicious - but they remembered the variations we had with our orders. Avocado, no egg for Freyja. Eggs on toast, plain butter, not garlic butter for me. Oat milk latte, not cow's milk, for Freyja. Given that we had only been in once, 5 days ago, I thought it was remarkable that he remembered all that!

Checkout wasn't until 12:00, so we went back to our rooms and packed and got organised. At 11:30 we met in the foyer, left our bags, and made our way to the MacRitchie Reservoir Park, which Freyja had found while pottering around on the Internet.

We went by bus. So now we have: taxi, MRT trains, boat, cable cars, light rail and buses on our transport list. I think the only thing we have left is the monorail. No time for the monorail this time. We'll have to do it next time.

The MacRitchie Reservoir Park is lovely. An Oasis in the middle of urban Singapore. We only touched the surface of it, but we really enjoyed our walk around, even if it rained halfway through. At least this time it was warm, light rain.

Had time permitted and the Weather Dogs allowed we might have done the tree top walk. Alas, not this time. 

Freyja saw two small monkeys running up a tree. I did not 😔

When we said we were going to Singapore, Stella said that we had to go to Raffles. You can't, apparently, go to Singapore without going to Raffles - although I have. Several times! It turned out that people had also asked Stephen if he planned to go to Raffles for a drink. They were also asking Freyja. We thought, perhaps, that we had better go to Raffles.

So we did. On the bus.

The Weather Dogs were indulging in a tropical rainstorm when we got off the bus. Fortunately, the bus stop in next to a covered colonnade, which takes you to the staircase for the Long Bar.

Should you be minded to visit The Long Bar in Raffles, you might be best to go during the week, and not mid-afternoon on a Saturday. Be also aware that you might need to queue to get a table. Keep in mind  that the only food they serve in The Long Bar is a large, complimentary sack of unshelled peanuts, which they plomp on the table as you arrive. Peanut shells, by some weird tradition that I don't know about but which you can look up if minded, get thrown on the floor. If you want to eat as well as drink, you need to go into the courtyard, or some other place in the hotel. We did not feel the need to eat sitting outside in a torrential rainstorm!

We queued for less than 30 minutes to get in. We didn't particularly mind. We were undercover and had books with us, plus we could watch the street in the rain from a nice dry vantage point. Freyja and Stephen had Singapore Slings, as is customary. You will be aware that I am not really a drinker of cocktails. I had a glass of wine. We ate some of the peanuts and, as required, threw the debris on the floor. Freyja and Stephen enjoyed their Singapore Slings, though I don't know if they would have them again. We threw caution to the winds and had a second drink. The waiter recommended the Christmas cocktail menu.

Stephen had one of Rudolph's cocktails, I don't remember its name but it was chocolate flavoured and creamy. He said it was very nice, but it would best with a cup of coffee after Christmas lunch. Freyja had a Santa's Old Fashioned. At least, I think it was an Old Fashioned. I had another glass of wine. Nothing adventurous about me!

I'm not sure I would go again, although I wouldn't absolutely refuse. I'm glad I have been in, and it's quite interesting,  but it's a very expensive way to had a drink (which you would, of course, expect)

Then Freyja went to buy supplies for the plane from a nearby vegan deli. Stephen and I went in search of the cathedral, which I knew was nearby. It had stopped raining, and everything was more or less dry!

We fetched up in the Cathedral of the Good Shepherd, which is the RC cathedral. Stephen is an Anglican, and there is an Anglican cathedral somewhere close by. We went in anyway. I think it's beautiful. It's quite understated, reasonably plain, and (I think) gorgeous

We walked by the Anglican cathedral on our way to the bus stop, but didn't have time to visit. Stephen is just going to have to come back, for the monorail and the other cathedral. A perfectly good reason to visit Singapore from Sheffield!