Singapore

Monday 3 June

As  expected it was very warm and humid in Singapore when we arrived late morning at the hotel.  

From here the city is pretty spectacular, and I think would be good to live in if you could get used to the heat.

Our friends Sally and Pad-ma who we met in France joined us and took us for a look around. We went to the top of the Sands Sky Park building for the view over most of Singapore, albeit rather hazy. There were dozens of big cargo ships waiting off shore for space in the port. 

The Sky Park building itself is very unusual -  three towers topped with a 'boat' shaped structure that joins them all together.

The 'boat' is not just for show either, but contains restaurants and a garden complete with infinity swimming pool. 

The adjacent Marina Gardens area looks amazing from a birds eye view and was just as fascinating when we walked in it later in both daylight and after dark There are giant man made 'trees ' that are lit up in coloured patterns after dark to the accompaniment of classical music - yes it does sound gross but it's actually very well done. The other garden vegetation is lush and tropical.

We ate the local cuisine, local style, courtesy of our friends which was fun and we got to try some new things like okra and some very strange (to western tastes) icy desserts - they were filled with corn kernels, beans, brown sugar and an unknown fruit a bit like a lychee. 

To top off the evening some of us decided on a whim to have a Fish Foot Spa. Yes you guessed it,  you put your feet and lower legs in a fish pond and the (special type of) fish eat away the dead skin cells  leaving a lovely smooth finish. I kid you not. And there is a full body fish spa experience available too.