Singapore

My Hotel taken from Michael’s apartment

July 7th, 2015

I had dinner with Michael at a place next door to the hotel overlooking the Marina.  I met Michael while I was working at Transamerica close to 20 years ago.  Who would have thought that 20 years later we would be having dinner together in Singapore, with me on a business trip and he having moved there. It is a reminder that life is rarely predictable, this is one of the those moments that is a pleasant surprise and all I wish I could savior the moment for a little while longer.

I have had a great trip and it started almost three weeks ago but I have to say that I am ready to go home. There were a lot of late night flights, early mornings , meetings during the day while trying to keep with email at night.  I saw a lot, I did a lot and ans as much as I loved it, it  is time to go back home and I am ready!

Jul 6th, 2015

I went out with the team here in Singapore to have a Duck Lunch.  I have been to this same restaurant before and it was just as good the first time I went.  The bring the finished duck out and present it (with head) and then carve it there at the table.  They ask you what you want to do with the remain duck – noodles or rice and come back a little bit later with a rice or noodle dish.  I love Peeking duck!

July 5th 2015

I got some sleep the night before so I woke up feeling great.  I headed out to meet my friend Michael and we went to the Mandarin Hotel for Dim Sum.  This wasn’t just any Dim Sum, this was high-end Dim Sum.  It was good, better than anything I had.

We then took a boat tour up the river.  The weather was beautiful, not too hot.  After finishing the boat tour, we walked for a while and stopped for a few beers then headed out to “Fair Price”  I love going to a grocery store in foreign countries.

What a great day!

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July 4th, 2015

When we changed the dates of the trip, I was a little bummed that I was not going to be in town for Independence Day.  I love the 4th of July, when I was growing up in the northeast, I loved the summer (although they were very short) and July 4th was the first summer holiday.  BBQs were about BBQ chicken, hot dogs, burgers, potato salad, baked beans and red white and blue Jello.  It was a tradition to cook the meat on the grill and to eat the entire meal outside.

The day always ended with going to see fireworks.  Where I grew up, it wasn’t always a show but rather a few people setting off a few fireworks they had purchased in a state where the sale of fireworks were legal.  I was a little disappointed that I wouldn’t be home.

As my friend Michael and I walked back from his apartment to my hotel, we saw that they were practicing the fireworks show and decided to go to the rooftop of my hotel to watch the show. I have been in Singapore a few times before about this same time of year.  Singapore’s National Day is on August 9th. I knew on previous visits that on weekends, they often practice the show in days leading up to the big day.  I guess that since Singapore is turning 50, they start practicing the show early.

The fireworks I saw were to Celebrate Singapore’s 50th birthday.  I didn’t get BBQ but I did get to see fireworks.

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July 4th, 2015

I have passed by this hotel dozens of times on previous trips to Singapore. It is so elegant and on this trip, I am staying there.  My room looks right at my company’s office here in Singapore and my friend’s condo.  I arrived and by the time I checked into my room, it had started to rain – it rained real hard.  I drifted off to sleep for a few hours and then headed out to take on the day in Singapore.  I love Singapore! Continue reading →

July 4th, 2015

Michael and I signed up for a cooking class.  I found a list of places that offered cooking classes in Singapore and we decided on this one.  What drew Michael and I to it was the menu, Char Kway Teow, Singapore Chilli Crab and Onde Onde.  All three of the dishes are popular dishes in Singapore.  The class was given by Ruqxana in her home.  There were four other people in the class – a couple from Dallas who decided they wanted to come to Singapore for the food and 2 girls who live locally.

It was very nice and we learned how to cook the dishes and then enjoyed eating them.

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August 7th, 2010

All good things must come to an end and today I leave Singapore.  Given the opportunity, I could see myself living there for a few years.  It is hot but great place with many cultures.  The people that I worked with were wonderful and I am glad I got to work with them.  At lunch the introduced me to all sorts of food.  Foo-Leong helped me go down the list of Singapore favorites and I tried hard to try every one of them.  The team including Calvin, Bin and Veron, were very nice and very talented.

Although I am leaving, I am doing so in style.  The world needs to take lessons from Singapore airlines.  Left is a picture of the food section in their business class lounge.  Compare that to the cheese and crackers that United Airlines offers.  Not quite the same experience.

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August  6th, 21010

I went to the Singapore Zoo.  I had doubts if I was going to enjoy it, Zoos can be very iffy.  This was the best Zoo I have been too.  A huge collection of animals that you could get pretty close to.  It was also interactive, you could feed a lot of the animals at certain times.  I think the Orangutan was my favorite.  At the end of the feeding the refused to go away, the zookeepers kept pushing them to go back to their house and they just sat there posing for pictures and waiting for more food.  The last one wasn’t going to leave until it got a carrot.

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August 5th, 2011

I took the Singapore Flyer.  These are the views from the Singapore Flyer.

The old Hill St. Police station

Cathay Movie Theater

Singapore Art Museum

August 5th, 2010

Another day out and about in Singapore.  I took a bus, a boat and went on the Singapore Flyer which is similar to the London Eye but 5 meters higher. I saw the Cathay movie theater and learned it was the first air conditioned movie theater in Singapore.  It is now celebrating its 75th birthday.  The old Hill St. police station was Singapore’s first jail.  During the Japanese occupation, they used to house prisoners.

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