Singapore

 

My first stop on my trip to Australia was Singapore. Interesting place, the economy very much based around trade with the rest of the world. I found it to be quite expensive there and most goods were cheaper in the UK.

The temperature most of the time I was there was in the mid to low 30’s and very humid, we had about an hour of thunder storms most days late in the afternoon.

 

Below are pictures of the dock area, which is now a big marina. the circular building is the hotel that I stayed in “ not recommended”

 

 

 

 

 

The old dock area. The old waterfront with the older buildings now converted to restaurants and bars.

 

 

 

One of the many temples I would see during my travels in Asia.

 

Man sat outside temple, not sure why but I thought he made a nice picture.

 

St Andrews Cathedral.

 

Raffles Hotel. Too early in the day for a gin sling.

 

Shopping!

A whole shopping mall devoted to Hi-Fi, individual shops for each brand. With no customers. Just fronts for export business. You see the same in other malls for cameras and other consumer products.

 

 

 

There are also some quite unusual names for shops!

 

 

A leaf from one of these trees fell and landed on my neck, it stuck because it was a hot day and I was wet with perspiration.  I brushed it off quite quickly and thought no more about it. within 5 min the side of my face had gone numb just like a dentist injection, this cleared after about 30 min. by the evening I came up in blisters which lasted about a week. I was still itching 3 weeks later. I think it must have been very toxic, I don’t know what the plant is but the leaves and flowers are very much like the oleander shrub, I have never seen in the form of a tree before. 

 

These are resting spots, They have large fans that are operated by solar power, the fans are switched on by motion detectors when you stand underneath them. A welcome respite on a hot day. 

 

Some nice bronze work.

 

 

This is a bronze pigeon.

 

 

The Merlion

 

The Sands Hotel and casino.

 

Views of the city from the observation deck.

 

This is the Singapore Flyer, similar design to the London Eye but bigger 165 m high.

 

This is looking from the observation deck to the area for hotel guests, showing the swimming pools and gardens.