The One with the Singapore Sling

So Singapore sees the end of my time with H, who heads of to Japan, and the beginning of my time alone in SE Asia. Rod has come out for 2 weeks so that should give me some company while I get used to a totally different culture.

It's nice to be somewhere warm again after the last few days freezing in Sydney, but despite the warmth we still haven't managed to ditch the rain.

We spend our first day getting our bearings and avoiding the rain in the shopping centres on Orchard Road. While going for a drink we stumble across this can of pop: Anything which boasts "Any taste for any thirst" This is too good to be true and curiosity of what "Anything" will taste like leads us to buying a can

This drink makes me laugh for many reasons. Firstly - the boredom of the marketing team who obviously came up with the ambiguous name and slogan. Secondly - the fact that now if anyone who can't make up their mind what they want to drink and say "oh... get me Anything" on your round, you can come back with just that. And thirdly - the slogan itself. Surely "Any taste for any thirst" implies that well... Anything doesn't taste of anything. To be honest the taste is both awful and yet not unpleasant at the same time, and while you try and catagorise it's flavour in your head, or liken it to something you've had before, you realise it really doesn't taste of anything, and yet paradoxically it must do (being called Anything!). Ironic or what?!

Anyway sorry for the ramble but it highly amused me!

We decide to get our bearings by doing the duck tour (recommended by Cil who now lives in Singapore), and we were not disappointed. That evening we did the Night Safari at the Zoo. It was great to see so many of the animals that you usually only see curled up asleep, running about and being highly active in the fake moonlight. The otters were a particular favourite - they sound like Gordon the Gopher! The show was also very entertaining, especially the 10foot snake that took 4 people to hold. Sadly the only problem with it being a Night Safari is that I was quite tired adn the tram ride round the enclosures saw me nodding off from time to time!! Oops. I must be getting old!

Next day adn we go for a walk around Little India which is where our hostel is. We visited one of the Hindu temples, and checked out the flower garland shops, and the spice grinder. Then we headed over to Sentosa Island, a rather touristy area.

We immersed ourselves in the tourism nonetheless. Climbed the massive Merlion, visited the Images of Singapore museum which showed all the different cultures, religions and their ceremonies, which co exist in Singapore. I have to say that I love the fact that Singapore is such a melting pot of cultures and races. Next we did a tour of Fort Siloso for a bit of war history, and then a trip on the Cable Cars over to the mainland and back.

Our last full day in Singapore and we tackle China Town. We visited another Hindu Temple. Here, the decorative tower at the front of the temple is juxtaposed with the skyscrapers behind. Another symbol of the merging of cultures. We have lunch in a hawker stand. It's really hard to choose what to ahve as the names mean nothing to me. I looked at everyone elses dinners and started drooling but I had no way of knowing what anything was or where they had got it!!

We headed, then, to the CBD, said hello to the statue of Sir Stamford Raffles, and went to see the Merlion. And on the way back we had another random Singapore thing to try... ice cream wrapped in bread. I had Yam flavoured ice cream and the bread was marbled pink and green. Not exactly a taste sensation but another first at least!

We also heard about the Durian fruit. The locals think that the music halls downt eh front look like this popular Asian fruit. Westerners tastebuds apparantely don't like it (we didn't try it as the smell was bad enough) and the smell of them also stops them being carried on public transport as this sign shows!

Finally it was off to Raffles for our last night and a Singapore Sling. No one had told me how tasty they were!!!! We also ate the peanuts (very disappointing, they were Lionel!) and as tradition allows threw the shells on the floor. There is something very rewarding in doing that!

Our last stop was the Fountain of Wealth. Allegedly the largest fountain in the world. If you walk round it three times in a clockwork direction you are supposed to gain big fortune. We didn't understand that it was the tiny fountain in the middle you circled. A bit late for H who had powered 3 times round the large circumference in the hope of more pennies to prolong her trip!

And then, after nine months together, H and i said goodbye and went our seperate ways.... Miss you already dude!