Around Town

In Chinatown
outside temple

Singapore Botanical Gardens

Tire-size lily pads in 
Singapore Botanical Gardens

It's been a while since the last post.  August has been busy, with travel and family, so wanted to inject a quick posting with some interesting pics.  A little over a week ago, Chris' brother, Pete, and his wife, Mary, arrived, so we have been revisiting some of our favorite haunts in Singapore with them.  For the long holiday weekend (end of Ramadan), we had a car, so went many places with Lucy Blue, including some new locations - we don't seem to run out of new discoveries here! 

We really covered some ground, so these few pictures don't really do it justice.  During the week, we went to Chinatown, Arab Street, Tekka Market in Little India a couple of times.  And of course with every visit, we sampled the local cuisine.  Once again, we had an incredible lunch at Eight Treasures Vegetarian Restaurant in Chinatown, including Black Pepper "Chicken" that really wasn't chicken...

Over the weekend, since we had wheels, it was mostly about what we could do with Lucy Blue, and there is plenty.  We went to Tanjong Beach at Sentosa, which was blissfully uncrowded, especially amazing on a holiday weekend.  We visited the Botanical Gardens, which WAS crowded, but still gorgeous.  Pete, Mary and I visited the National Orchid Garden inside the the park, while Chris waited outside with Lucy (that is one of several sections where dogs aren't allowed).  Later that day, we went to Bukit Brown, a large tract of undeveloped land that contains an old Singaporean cemetery and many walking trails.  It was a beautiful spot with many imposing and very old headstones.  Unfortunately, a highway will intersect the park in the future, so believe it or not, we saw a trailer for families to register for "exhumation", for those whose ancestor's grave sites are affected.  Progress....

At the Botanical Gardens

One evening, we went to the hawker stands at East Coast Lagoon where we indulged in Chili Crab, bbq'd stingray and a few other dishes.  I think the Chili Crab was mostly consumed by Chris and Pete.  A bit too messy for me.  And it was so good, we went again two evenings later.  That was Sunday night... on a holiday weekend... it was a zoo.

Bukit Brown

Are we going to eat all that?
  At East Coast Lagoon Food Centre

Gardens by the Bay

Lucy with her Uncle Pete at Sentosa

Monday morning was the day allocated for the observance of the end of Ramadan, Eid al Fitr, so Chris didn't have to work.  We drove out to the new Gardens by the Bay, a large park next to the Central Business District where conservatories house orchids and forest greenery, and "super trees" are being cultivated to hold thousands of plants (see pic) - these trees are hundreds of feet tall, and we believe the structures double as supports and irrigation systems.  This is one more new modernistic site in Singapore that is intended to add to the city's unique landscape.  We wondered what the city's plan is for 50 years down the road, and knowing Singapore, there probably is one already...

When are we going to play ball again?