Penang - what a great city - delayed

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Between Alor and Lembata

All the smiling curious and cheeky kids that followed us around

Between 10 - 16 August. Delayed due to missing network
The 3 of us on board of Cognac The Captain (“ Bobby” ) The Admiral (Tinker ) and The Purser (Woofer –Gary ) have left the anchorage in Alor altogether with the rubbish of the city in our wake.

With an 8-9 knots tide behind us we found a very nice and quite anchorage where we decided to stop for the night. This was one of 2 anchorages on our way to Lembata. This was really our first time we had a chance to visit a small fishing village. The first thing that happened was arrival of lots and lots of small canoes/boats with families just coming to have a look and call out to us “MISTER MISTER” maybe expecting to be given a something a gift which was really lovely and welcoming and after couple of hours a bit tiring. Had a group of teenage boys that stayed around and played and played with Robert ending up in the absolutely crystal clear water with them. NICE!

Robert fooling around as he does with the boys.



Roasted bananas on the beach...tasted a bit like hard potatoes with
 banana flavour ans sand.



and the typical...same...same really.This was a clean village by comparison.

 We visited our 2 villages and had fun with ALL the kids and so many of them. So many little smiling and cheeky faces. We ate roasted bananas on the beach with the locals seen delightful and very basic houses bought some strange looking fruit from a wide eyed girl (absolutely classic) seen pet pigs visited the only little shop seen a classic petrol station people drying fish more fish very little fish-still alive too on the stick and drying in the sun fruit and “stuff”. Lots of thing come under stuff category.

Told you this was a classic...

Really simple and sometimes qute houses

There are really lots of those with small little happy communities. They live extremely simple lives. They fish and fish have lots and lots of children and no one seems to be doing anything like work.

Pig pet...why not...

Their day starts with prayer really early for those who practice Muslim faith or a very early wake up call for those who practice the many other religions. All this is very loud and very loooong. Than it is time to burn rubbish cook eat and burn rubbish again religiously at 5pm. With all this burning there is enormous amount of rubbish that just floats around in the water. Has to be seen to be believed. Even photographs don’t show it the way it is.

We stayed as long as we could before our last stretch before Lembata and enjoyed every bit of it even the early morning “singing wake up calls”.

Singapore - we loved it!!!!

On the 5^th November Deepavali the most important Hindu celebration of good over evil, and light overcoming darkness happens in Little India, the streets of Little India light up. The festive stalls are decorated with wares such as fragrant flowers, garlands used during prayers, traditional oil lamps and beautiful Saris with intricate brocade patterns and glittering gems. Colorful Indian outfits, intricate costume jewellery and traditional arts and craft are also on sale. Indian delicacies can also be found in abundance, flower vendors selling garlands of jasmine, kachang puteh (roasted nuts) sellers on pushcarts and street-side newspaper vendors are just some of the interesting sights to be found

We went to see it against the advice of locals had a great time and dinner with friends visiting from home. Visited Mustafa Centre where one can buy just about anything-such fun. Little India is worlds apart from the rest of Singapore full of man on 2 year contracts from India Bangladesh and Sri Lanka to do the jobs that no other want to. I asked a man for  time outside Mustafa centre and he told me it was 5pm… in Bangladesh…I had to laugh…so sweet and he could hardly speak English too.

The lights

Shopping in Little India is an experience of course.
This woman wanted to sell Robert a shiny very fitted silver shirt - very Bollywood
Pitty it was too small.

1^st November We left with a mission to pick up ice cream powder at Bugis area so that we could enjoy it when at sea and we got lost. Found ourselves again, shopped and bought 8 pairs of earrings for 10 dollars, were privileged to pray in a lovely Goddess of Mercy Temple with pray sticks and incense and  silently witnessed faith at work-hmmm. Got some luck, smiling eyes and laughter from an absolutely giant gold Buddha at Fortune Centre. Ate pig trotters with the locals, stumbled onto  the one of the most beautiful buildings  in the world at 

Parkview Square

 …stunning does not describe it. It is imposing monumental and stylish.  Imagine 50 foot ceilings with finely handcrafted details in bronze and 3 storey wine chiller. Pictures not allowed.

Moved onto beautiful and trendy 

Haji Lane

 with that “Notting Hill” feel than colourful and fragrant Arab and Kandahhar Streets at Kampong Glam Singapore’s Muslim centre. It’s name derives from Malay KAMPONG=village and GELAM=a type of tree that once grew there. What a day!

Kampong Glam

China town with it's many Hindu temples

Casual meal in front of a temple.

Decorations were amazing. I almost entered one of the temples
and did not realize I had to remove my shoes...hmmm

Trying the ice cream in bread (…..oooo don’t if you don’t have to )on the way to Orchard Road During our first few days we visited the one and only Orchard Road – devoted purely to Gods of Shopping. We found some pockets of delight here. Would you believe that not so long ago it was a simple nutmeg and pepper plantation and now the shrine for Chanel SYL Dior Lui V and so many new high end designers. Among these designer mobile phones priced at US$ 187 000 there was a basic model at US$ 97 000. Did they look spectacular – no. They looked like a very ordinary $90 - phone.

On the grounds of Instana which is in the middle of Orchard road
young girls are waiting to present to the president

The president at his home which is opened to public once a year and we were there.
Lovely grounds and residence

Instana...just watch the size of the grounds.
What you see in the distance is Orchard Road

Perankan Houses. Colorful beautiful and belonged to rather wealthy families. Perankan means Straits born Chinese to Chinese father whose surname was given to the children and Malay mother who contributed the culture and good taste. I so wanted to see these houses. We travelled a loooong way, got lost a few times and while being lost found an amazing Chinese restaurant(we think it was chinesse as no one spoke a word of English to tell us otherwise) with food so delicious and cooked in huge 7 feet hight urns outside the restaurant. The only drawback here was the fact that we had NO IDEA what we were eating. Did it matter – not at all it was so good.We did find some very odd ligaments and lengths of bones. Just around the corner we saw perankan houses.

That we think Chinese restaurant

Clarke quay once swampy stretch of riverfront has been transformed to eating and drinking precinct where most whimsical designers have been given the green light and carte blanche to bring their dreams to life. Lily Pad umbrellas straight from DR Seuss coloring book have a place here.  Actually Alice and Dr Seus would feel quite at home here. A bit of the absurd and outrageous – and nothing wrong with that. Simply a place for every mood here 

Amongst the many shops bars and restaurants The clinic must be the most outrageous and original. You can rest here in a wheel chair or hospital chair and be fed liquid dinner from a drip for $70-.

Raffles Hotel architectural landmark practically sums up Singapore’s vibrant colonial history. Named after Singapore’s founder, Sir Stamford Raffles is an example of elegant colonial architecture and has an amazing history. It opened in1887 by Sarkies brothers from Armenia with 10 rooms. It was always synonymous with oriental opulence hence attracted the elite. One should have High Tea  here at the Toffin Room and Singapore Sling in the long Bar where you throw peanut shells on the floor. Singapore sling was designed here and initially for the ladies hence it’s pink color. We visited Ruffles Museum which was fun personal and interesting. Full of thank you notes from guests, items of clothing(fascinating) and photographs. It must have been so much fun staying at that hotel in it’s glory!!!

Raffles Hotel architectural landmark practically sums up Singapore’s vibrant colonial history. Named after Singapore’s founder, Sir Stamford Raffles is an example of elegant colonial architecture and has an amazing history. It opened in1887 by Sarkies brothers from Armenia with 10 rooms. It was always synonymous with oriental opulence hence attracted the elite. One should have High Tea  here at the Toffin Room and Singapore Sling in the long Bar where you throw peanut shells on the floor. Singapore sling was designed here and initially for the ladies hence it’s pink color. We visited Ruffles Museum which was fun personal and interesting. Full of thank you notes from guests, items of clothing(fascinating) and photographs. It must have been so much fun staying at that hotel in it’s glory!!!

Yet colonial and it’s amazing history has something…that special something to add to the experience not to mention that it is absolutely breathtaking stunning.

Worlds famous Singapore Sling cocktails at the Long Bar where the feeling was definitely African with the dark interior  all unusual gentle ceiling fans and peanut shells crackling on the floor as we walked. The Raffles Hotel recipe for the pink nectar consists of gin, cherry liquer, Benedictine, pomegranate juice and pineapple juice from Sarawak pineapples, to create the foamy top…drink your heart. Enjoying well deserved Singapore Sling in the Long Room

Travel on MRT is another experience in Singapore with many restrictions.
Everything is very organised and very clean.Everyone but everyone is on their mobile phone playing games.Young, old and very old. No one talks. One other thing couple actually. The MRT is kept so so clean.Why? How? Well if you do anything wrong in this city it will be found out as everyone is on a lookout. Taxi drivers in particular.You will be caught and if you don't pay your very high fine you or your children don't get entry to the university - simple .
The other thing worth a mention is the fact that this is one of the FATTEST nations we have seen. Extremely surprising and it is all the young people. They are massive.

That majestic Parkview 

Witnessed loud and boisterous dragon boat racing at Boat Key Singapore River and were fully intending to have lunch at one of the restaurants. Unfortunately the “aggressive nature” of the restaurant owners rather angered us and we escaped that area to have quite lunch in the back streets. 

How is it possible to get lost looking for a mixer and find yourself at a major Bollywood wedding exhibition.It is possible.That exhibition was unbelievable.How would you like this for your wedding?

Interior of the exclusive Raffles marina

Back in civilization again!!!!!!!!!!

Imagine 710sq m with 4.8 million people an island, a city and a country.

Intriguing blend of Chinesse (over 72%), Malay(13%), Indian and westerners without the dust and grime of the rest of Asia. It’s history dates back to the third century when they called it "island at the end of a peninsula".  Later, Temasek "Sea Town”.And the legend has it that a Prince from Palembang was out on a hunting trip when he caught sight of an animal he had never seen before. Taking it to be a good sign, he founded a city where the animal had been spotted, naming it “The Lion City” or Singapura, from the Sanskrit words “simha” (lion) and “pura” (city). That is why the mascot of Singapore is the Merlion half fish and half lion.

We loved Singapore and all the experiences we had here.

Getting here was like a huge milestone and felt like a real achievement.

We both have been to Singapore before and made “our own” new memories this time.

We have seen a lot and experienced a lot in this city, something we will never forget.

Each day was usually an unexpected adventure.

Most importantly we have resolved all our technical issues and had our engine serviced. This took time perseverance a lot of patience much more than we have anticipated.

This will be a picture story of Singapore the way it unfolded for us. Enjoy as we have and we hope that one day you too can come here and have make your own memories.

Raffles marina when we first arrived.
That pool was well used...so great!

Have you ever considered swimming in the cascading pool on the 57^th floor with seemingly nothing between you the sky and the rest of the world the size of 3 football stadiums? We have not and there it was. Absolutely spectacular. The ultimate experience of living on the edge within 6 inches of the end of the earth. It’s name Marina Bay Sands 3 ridge shaped buildings with rooftop swimming pool in a shape of a boat shopping mall and a casino. Now wait not allowed to call it that!!! Casino=Integrated Resort=IR preferred euphuism by the government. One more thing if you are a resident you have to pay $100 to enter. Foreigners free with a passport we did not have them on with us so we have not seen IR.

This was a super long day one of us suffered a bad case of double “FF ”for chaffing. A rather private affair and part of walking for 13 hours in heat. It was really funny at the time. Nothing a good Chinese medicine couldn’t fix we decided and explaining what the problem was in the Chinese medicine shop was hilariously funny.

The new vision for Singapore with the surrounding new buildings
and the DNA bridge to link the new and the old parts of Singapore.
Astonishing architecture and all on reclaimed land.

Marina Bay Sands - An opening of a new gallery and what an opening that was...
Somehow we became celebrities for the evening, had pictures taken for the paper and an interview...The artist was rather interesting.He flew in from China for the occasion.