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Author - graham

Late Traveller and facilitator looking forward to sharing my travel journey as I backpack around South East Asia and maybe the world.

Fort Canning

Part of the 19th-century fortifications to protect Singapore, Fort Canning was built on top of a hill overseeing the coastal port and was home to both European and Indian soldiers.

It is a great place to visit as the gardens are shaded from a hot city, I went along around lunchtime and with the exception of a few people taking a break from work to enjoy the green environment and a few tourists like myself, it was quite deserted so you can slowly walk around and enjoy the peaceful surroundings, there is also a battle box which is an underground military site that was used during WORLD WAR TWO

It is situated in the heart of the city with the famous shopping area of Orchard Road on one side and the river lined bars of Clarke Quay down the other side.

Chinatown Heritage Centre

Holiday’s are about visiting new and exciting places, some local to us, others far away. If you are like me, then visiting faraway places intrigues me because of their culture, belief’s and customs as well as their History.

Being English comes with its own set of challenges when visiting other countries, whether it is the recent history of our place in the region or from a long time ago, we have certainly left our mark on the landscape virtually everywhere.
So whatever your views on the subject learning about the history of the place you visit is always a good point of interest and none other than what I found in Chinatown in Singapore.
Nestled in between the many shops and market stalls as you walk down Pagoda St is a 3-story building that houses possibly the best historical treasures in the world!

(okay that is my opinion, but it is definitely a place to visit)

For S$15 about £8.50 you can lose yourself for a couple of hours (yes really almost 2 hours) by visiting the history of SG. From its origins of a colony of the East India Shipping Company to present day, it charts to progress Singapore has made, the people that made it what it is today and how they all came to be integrated into a part of the world that at first seemed so far removed from their homelands.

Learn about the trials and tribulations of many types of resident that came to settle in SG and how they lived, worked and prospered. How they overcame many barriers and found themselves in a new world, where dreaming of returning home rich and prosperous quickly turned to despair for many. Yet they survived and helped build the foundations of what we see in Singapore today.

All of this is accompanied by your very own smart device where you can listen as you go around to the narration of each part of the dwelling and the history of Chinatown.

TIP OF THE POST
Take your camera as they allow you to take photos, just not flash or video, but it is well worth it.

Marina Bay Sands

Ok, I am on a budget which unfortunately doesn’t extend to stopping here, as the rooms can start from around S$500 per night, but for around S$23 (about £13, book your tickets from the lower level of reception) you can experience the view and at least dream for a while of having the wealth to experience the atmosphere of staying at the Marina Bay Sands Hotel.

It does get busy so pick the right time to go, although they are in no rush to get you to leave, so enjoy the surroundings and you can get a drink for the little counter on the viewing area as well as access to toilets, and if you are lucky (although they say you cannot) you may be asked if you want to get a drink at the bar.

This is apparently only for people who pay to sit there ( book from the main reception) which you pay to redeem against the bar drinks, however when we went my cousin was asked if we wanted to sit in the bar, I assume it will depend on space, so if you really want to experience the seated bar area, you will have to pay the extra to guarantee a place.

coke float available from the viewing 

TIP OF THE POST

“If you are like me and just want to see the view, then go for the cheaper option and stand around the viewing area. still worth it for the view, which is better if you are not afraid of heights and can get close to the edge to get a good photo :)”

September, 2018

Singapore F1 Grand Prix- day 2

Full of excitement from yesterday, Saturday promised to be more amazing and it didn’t disappoint.

From extra practice session where Ferrari took a commanding lead to the qualifying which put Mercedes and Louis Hamilton on Poll for the main race, to then watching Liam Gallagher Live and the Headline act of The Killers!

Remarkable and such an atmosphere with, what seemed like the whole of Singapore getting into the spirit and music playing till late into the night at the Padang Stage.

Raffles Hotel- The Long Bar

Not surprisingly, very busy and although depending on the time you visit, you may have to wait.

I would say its definitely worth it.

No cost to enter and I think it’s worth paying the £15-17 for a Singapore Sling.

Just to have your photo taken in the Long bar and experience the surroundings.

The staff are very friendly and there is no rush to get you out, just sit back and relax and enjoy your drink and the ambiance.

Picture the scene in colonial Singapore around 1819 and named after the founder of modern Singapore Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles, as a British colony.

The hotel has a famous Long Bar, where the Singapore Sling was invented and is still served today.

We tried the 1915 gin sling and the original and loved both.

Also feel free to drop litter (the only place in Singapore when you can) the shells from the monkey nuts litter the floor where people sit, making it an unusual but funny sight.

Currently, the Hotel itself is closed and is due to open the early part of the next year 2019.

So a visit over the next few months will mean you can only visit the long bar and not the actual hotel, but I am sure the finished result will be worth the current disruption.

Directions below

Take the East-West Line GREEN colour line on the MRT two stops to Tanah Merah, then change trains staying on the East-West line for approx 9 stops till you reach City Hall.

From there it is about a 10-minute walk to Beach Road and Raffles Hotel and Long Bar

Tickets and information
SMRT – 1800 336 8900

Singapore F1 Grand Prix- day 1

First ever Grand Prix I have seen. The only night race on the whole circuit and certainly, in my opinion, the one to see if you enjoy racing.

I had the pleasure of being invited to witness the 3-day event commencing on Friday 14th Sept which saw practice sessions for the F1 cars along with Porsche Carrera Cup Asia and Ferrari Challenge Asia Pacific sessions.

Complete with entertainment throughout the day and night featuring Bjorn Again, local artists TheLioncityboy, Miss Lou, ending with King of Asian Pop Taiwan legend Jay Chou


More to Grand Prix than Lewis Hamilton

I was surprised by how much more there is to a F1 Grand Prix. The sheer size of the event makes your realise that whatever your feelings about the race itself being dominated by one person, it certainly is a major achievement to put on.

Additional races such as Porsche and Ferrari in their respective cars that look more suited to the roads than the track.

We spent hours walking around looking at what they huge machine produces in terms of merchandise and revenue streams. Food outlets from hot-dog stalls to full sit down restaurants that have been built in a few weeks to cater for the thousands of people visiting for the 3 days.