If you have a really heavy wallet that you are looking to unload, please by all means visit Singapore. $50 for two martinis? Check. $300 for a Thai dinner for 4 people? Done. The exchange rate was around US $.80 to S$1, but still?!?! All kidding aside we did have a fantastic time in Singapore due to our company. We were graciously hosted by the Boston couple we met in Perth in their fantastic condo.
We arrived in the afternoon on our first day there and headed straight to the Quinn's. Jaci greeted us with cocktails and cheese and crackers before we headed downtown to meet up with her husband, Ryan. This picture was taken at our first stop of the night with the Marina Bay Sands hotel/casino (Google it!) in the background. It is basically three hotel towers joined on the top by a 'boat' that holds the pool, a viewing deck and a restaurant/nightclub.
From there we headed to a great dim sum dinner and then out to some local bars. It was a very interesting crowd and great people watching. Let's just say that there were lots of women there but I think Jaci and I were the only anatomical females!
The next afternoon Jaci took us into Chinatown for lunch where we went to the Maxwell Road Food Centre for chicken rice. This place is a market (called a hawker center) full of different stalls selling different foods. The place we ate at was by far the most popular and has been featured on Anthony Bourdain's TV show, "Without Reservations".
Here is our yummy chicken rice. It is a flavorful boiled chicken breast on aromatic rice with three different sauces to add to it...garlic, chile and thick soy. We also had dim sum and red bean pastries.
Then we walked through Chinatown which got me really excited for Hong Kong. Oh, and one of the vendors asked if he could sell Nelly a razor :)
This is the largest Hindu temple in Singapore.
Then it was off to the Long Bar at the Raffles Hotel...the birthplace of the Singapore Sling. It was good however with a bill of $88 for 3 of them it was definately a one time indulgence.
We met up with Ryan after he got off of work for a drink at ku de ta which is the bar at the top of the Marina Bay Sands. From there you have a 360 degree view of the city.
We were informed by our cab driver that the haze comes all the way from Indonesia. The cheapest way for them to clear their fields is to burn them and when the weather changes and it starts raining the pollution finds it's way all the way to Singapore.
Here's Jaci pointing out the good spots. That's the infinity pool in the background.
This is the other angle of the pool.
It was a great two nights and we are so thankful to Ryan and Jaci for hosting us. We can't wait to see you guys back home and return the favor in San Francisco!
Just a quick funny story...when we got in our cab this morning to catch our flight to Manila the driver asked what terminal we wanted and I automatically said "international". He started chuckling and said "mam, all the terminals are international". I guess that's what happens when your small country is an island!
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