Singapore Xmas 2010

Christmas Day
We awake to sweaty muggy heat and a room full of random people we don’t know – no stockings and presents – its seems like Santa skips off Singapore when he’s doing his rounds. We don’t need presents though, this whole journey is better than any gift we could have and waking up to sunshine everyday beats a brand new ps3. We get our stuff together and head across town to lavender on the MRT as we have booked in to the drop inn so we can have a nicer private room. I stop on the way at an awesome food court where we get brunch. There are a lot of stands that do a kind of Malay pick and mix where you get a big chunk of rice then you select various meat or veg dishes to accompany it and you pay a small amount for each selection. I get an awesome chicken and pork one, along with some vegetables all for 3$ (£1.50). The hostel is a long way from the station and it takes a while with our bags, the area is very different with a few banks and office buildings and much less nightlife, but still a pretty decent spot.
We c heck in and make use of free wi-fi, watching the final apprentice and sending e-mails etc. The hostel is pretty cool with a good chill out area ad friendly staff. They also let us buy beer from across the road and drink it in there which is good. I’m determined to have a few beers (come on it’s Christmas!) Even if it is super expensive! Around 3 we set off into the city to enjoy Christmas day – I stop at the shops on the way to pick up beers and drink them en route – I make sure I don’t take them on the train though, I’ve already been rollocked twice for trying to have a sip of water, it’s probably the death penalty for beer on the tube!
We head to the Marina bay sands hotel as we have decided to splash out and enjoy ourselves given that it’s Christmas. On the way the skies begin to darken and It looks as if another thunder storm could be on the way. We begrudgingly part with our $40 4ntry fee and head to the elevators to go to the roof. The view from the top doesn’t disappoint – the skyscrapers across the water slowly begin to shine as the daylight fades – lit up they are incandescent testaments to singapore’s wealth and success. The scene is dramatic as orange light turns into sinister dark cloud and thunder and lightning cracks on the horizon. Suddenly the heavens open and the sky flashes and a full on storms breaks loose, a bit scary when you’re in a garden in the sky. We are ushered away from the open areas and forced to seek refuge in the corridors and halls leading between the various areas. Here we see an amazing swimming pool that edges onto the horizon, literally going all the way to the precipice! On looking tourists and ourselves dream that one day we can afford to stay in the hotel and swim there. As the storm worsens and is unrelenting we eventually rush back down to ground level anlong with other disgruntled tourists, we however are delighted – as soon as it started thundering I prayed it would continue, the reason being as our visit was cut short we are entitled to a full refund, and that meant we could afford the luxury of a beer in a bar! Merry Christmas!!
We made the romantic walk back along the bridge and to the Merlion where we were due to eat our Christmas dinner- lightning dramatically flashing across the skyline at regular intervals. We had an amazing view right on the dock where the boats go and the merlion spits water into the bay. The food was good too, roast turkey with stuffing and vegetables, presented in a gourmet style – the only downside was that when I asked for cranberry sauce we just got a bemused look of confusion, still plenty of gravy did the trick and it was top notch, and no washing up! For pudding we had traditional Christmas pudding and custard and it was the highlight of the whole day for me – lush and moist and rich with brandy it was a delight, I ate mine and half of Kath’s and I could have had more! Polish it off with a black coffee and it was a brilliant Christmas dinner in the best setting ever, the storm around us adding to the excitement and atmosphere.
We finished up with a boat ride in the rain to the quayside, the boat captain allowing us the opportunity to drive the boat and pose for photos, sadly though all the pictures were munched by windows #(bummer) so this account while have to help our memory of the night. Due to the rain the bars were quite dead and we end up having a drink in the man utd cafe as it is the cheapest place around and I like looking at the signed shirts and memorabilia. We finish up with drinks back at the hotel – me pushing the boat out for a 8$ glass of wine. All in all a top day that wasn’t ruined by the rain – it only added to making us feel at home on this first Christmas away from family.
Boxing day
Today were feeling better and it’s a good job because the order of the day is eating and drinking Singapore style. We meet up with our friend Seth from our adventures in Agra – being the top man that he is he greets us with a Christmas gift, it is a brilliant gesture and means we don’t have Christmas without a single present. Seth knows his way round Singapore and starts by taking us for lunch near Arab Street where there is a famous mosque, it is pretty impressive but after India it’s hard to be moved by anything less than spectacular. We sample Malaysian food, in a similar pick and mix style as before, it is delicious and spicy and a real joy to be able to eat it!
We get the tour of Singapore, passing on the way an amazing gothic building which we learn has been purposefully built to resemble Gotham City; it is spectacularly sinister and stands out from all the shinning glass and mirrored structures. We also learn interestingly that feng-shui has a big role to play in the layout of the city, with pointed edges often aimed at empty plots of land or parks because it is considered bad luck to build in line from them. Once were back near Raffles and the built up area we sample a strange local craze called bubble tea. The tea has an unusual taste, somewhere between tea and coffee and it has 100s of weird balls at the bottom of it which are really chewy – it is bizarre to drink and chew and the same time.
We then head to the top floor of the library where you can get a very quiet and free view of the skyline, Seth agrees that it looks like Sim City with all the perfect lines and clean surfaces. We then head for a beer, myself sampling some mee hoon noodle soup complete with minced pork and meat balls. We order some mad strong beer which Kath has to water down with lemonade – seth suggests mixing it with Guinness which sounds pretty hardcore!
A little tipsy we head on for dinner and find the best food court in Singapore, with row after row of stalls selling all kinds of amazing stuff. We have chicken rice, which is strips of chicken with an amazing kind of black bean sauce served with tasty rice, and we also have some Singapore noodle dish with prawns. We finish up by sampling the Durian, not for the faint hearted! The fruit stinks to high heaven, a sort of putrid sewerage smell and this isn’t exactly appetizing. The fruit itself is bizarre, turning into a gooey mess as soon as you tuck into it, parts are pleasant and sweet but some still have the flavour of sewers and rottenness that you get in the smell. All in all I’m glad I tried it but wouldn’t pay for it again, Seth on the other hand loves it, apparently the locals say you can’t beat Durians when it comes to fruit, I disagree!
We part company with Seth and vow to meet again, he is such a laid back and friendly guy, hopefully we can show him round Manchester one day. Afterwards we head back to the hostel to grab our bags and head for the train to Kuala Lumpur. On the way to the train we get lost and end up having to flag the cab but we make it there in the end. The train is even more spacious and comfortable than those in India, with wider berths and quieter carriages. We miss the guys coming round selling chai and samosas though. The only sketchy part of the journey is when we are marched off the train to clear customs, it all is simple enough but a bit confusing when you don’t know what is going on. We have to leave all our stuff on the train and are worried it will leave without us. Fortunately everything is ok and we head off to KL.