Another fabulous day with friends

This morning we started out to breakfast a little earlier, and then caught a taxi to Fort Canning Park for a wander through the greenery. The park is right in the city, between Orchard Road and the CBD, and is built around the remains of WWII bunkers.

Taxis: quite cheap in Singapore, and much more convenient than the MRT for direct access to places, especially with four people. There are certain times of the day - shift change, dinner time, when hailing a taxi is a difficult sport, however.

We left the park behind and after a few blocks' walk in the mid morning heat, gratefully took a seat in the air conditioning of a coffee house.

Beers at Peranakan Place

We introduced C & D to the warren of underground shops between Raffles and the Marina, but between us all, bought nothing. Another taxi back up town to the Peranaken Place, a preserved traditional style street of shop houses with bars right on the middle of the bustle of Orchard Road.

After a beer and some tasty satays, C & D walked back through the breaking thunderstorm to the hotel whilst we investigated our favourite shops uptown.

Singapore rain

At six we availed ourselves of the free cocktails in the hotel bar/restaurant and the light entertainment provided by the bar staff. Then it was back in to another cab and across town the Bar Opiume at the Asian Civilizations Museum which is on the riverfront at Boat Quay.

The setting was beautiful, with tables outside under bright red chandeliers, with large candles and vases lining the tables and lounges. It was billed as having happy hour (which it didn't) and in being renowned for its wine bar (no wines on the list). Things didn't get any better from there with the cocktails all poorly made, so we high tailed it through the evening to Lau Par Sat, our favourite local eatery, located close to Raffles Place MRT in the CBD.

We ordered Tiger beer by the jug, stingray flap in tamarind sauce, satays, char kway teow, black pepper crab and maturbak (thin pancake cooked with fillings of chicken or vegetables) and shared, whilst sitting in the open air enjoying the bustle of the eatery.

We decided that it was appropriate to celebrate the end of our short holiday at The Long Bar at Raffles. We sat out on the verandah in the warm night, sharing fabulous champagne in frosted glasses, and travel stories.

Fort Canning Park

Boat Quay