Singapore

11/1 9:04AM On the Bus Going from the hotel back to the airport

"Do Not Compromise Security Through Blogging"

Sign next to the front gate at the Changi Air Base (West)

Gas 1.706 a liter for Formula 95 at a Shell Station (it wasn't called Shell, there was a different name, but a Shell logo)

9:53AM

Tenah Merah Station

Waiting for the subway train. At this section of the line it is above ground. Once it gets close to the city it goes underground. Same for the line on the West side of the island.

I didn't check out the exchange rate when I arrived early this morning and it cost me. I exchanged money at the hotel for 1.35 (100 = 135). As I walked through the airport a little while ago (I used the hotel's airport shuttle to get me to back to the subway station in the airport) heading to the city I looked at the exchange rate counter and it was 1.45. SO I have 10 less Singapore dollars in my pocket because of my carelessness. Luckily I only exchanged 25% of the money I have on hand.

Plus at the hotel they told me the MRT is in Terminal 1, which is wrong, it is in Terminal 2. I took the shuttle from 1 to 2, no big deal.

Not much out at Changi Village, especially if the weather is bad, like it is today. Not even a sunrise, but some lightning and a little thunder, which was nice.

10:06AM Ajunied Station

Starting to get really crowded in this subway car. Where are all these people going on a Sunday morning.

10:21 AM Almost at Orchard Station, it is next.

10:39AM In The Room... I Love Hilton!

(The exchange rate here is 1.41)

11:25AM Leaving the hotel to wander around and head to the Singapore Botanic Gardens

11:51AM The Tanglin Marketplace, a small market, is in the basement of the Tanglin Mall as well as La Tanglin Boulangerie (fresh bread and sandwiches), a chocolate store called The Cocoa Tree, a GNC, and a food court (BBQ and donuts).

11:58AM Friven & Co has "Denise the Wine Shop" (it looks like a place to eat) in the front (denisewine.com.sg). It is at the intersection of Tanglin Rd., Grange Rd., and Napier Rd.

12:06PM The U.S. Embassy looks to be ready for an invasion. Architecture is like a modern fort.

1:54PM Lunch Time (I didn't have breakfast)

The last meal was on the plane from Tokyo. I believe this restaurant is called Halio. It is next door to the National Orchid Garden, which is a small part of the Botanic Gardens. I think I forgot to change the time on my camera. I will wait until I am done here, so all the pictures have the same time. I should be able to adjust the times in Aperture.

Cinnamon French Toast and strawberries. Very good french toast, probably better then Poseidon in Del Mar (or Solana Beach), but the fruit isn't as good. Hard to compete with California fruit.

I did see some enormously wide carrots at the Hawker Center in Changi Village. Not excessively long, but much too wide to eat without cutting up.

2:10PM Done with lunch. The orchids are next.

11/2 The Toast Box

Looking for something small to eat (that isn't a muffin from Starbucks) for a little breakfast and I found Toast Box in the basement of Wisma Atria mall (a small mall) just next to the Orchard Road MRT station. I was looking for Bread Talk, but they don't have much ready to eat yet. SO I am eating Peanut Thick Toast from Toast Box. Also available is traditional Kaye Toast, Floss Thick Toast, Otak Thick Toast, Boluo Yao, Hebi Hiam Soft Bun, and a couple of noodle (+ something) dishes in a bowl. Nice. Cheap too.

11/6 12:27AM

Airport Shuttle Service $9 Singapore Dollars to Robertson Quay

Cooking class tomorrow (later this morning)

7:53PM

The Tapas Tree

I just finished a small baked salmon (it looked grilled) in a lemon butter sauce. Very good. Sangria (red) is the drink (2 for 1)

My timing was good today. I arrived at the cooking class just behind 4 other class participants, which made it easy for the taxi driver and I to know that that was the place.

The cooking class was demonstration style with tastings as the preparation of a dish progressed.

Next I will get some night shots of the Merlion and other night stuff on this side (One Fullerton Place) and then walk over to the Esplanade Mall to look for Max Brennar Chocolate Bar and take pictures of the Fountain of Wealth at night.

9:31PM Max Brenner Chocolate Bar at the Esplanade Mall

I think I will have a Chocolat (the menu proclaims it to be better than hot chocolate). 5 varieties to choose from. I think I will choose Venezuelan Dark Chocolate. Still deciding on whether I want a desert or not.

It looks like I got a lot of good pictures of the Merlion and surrounding area. After the "better than" hot chocolate I will try to get some pictures of the Fountain of Wealth (maybe with me in one of them as well). Followed by a longish walk through City Link mall to the City Hall MRT. At Clark Quay MRT station I will haev a long walk to the hotel. Along the way I should be able to get good pictures of Clark Quay and Riverside Point. I should try to wander around Robertson Quay to see what is there.

Finally I will call it a night. If I don't fall asleep I will try to edit pictures and/or transcribe more of these notes. If I can get some of it done I can post more to the internet.

The "better than" hot chocolate is very rich and creamy. Milk chocolate might be a better selection (I chose dark chocolate.) It is good but maybe a little too strong and bitter for this style of drink.

After the cooking class I went back to the hotel to change. I went to a cafe for a few hours and was able to get on the internet to check email, check the news, add my plane ride journal to the blog, and add more pictures to the internet.

Once that was accomplished I took a shower and got a water taxi from Clark Quay to the Merlion. I arrived just as sunset was beginning, but the Merlion has very large buildings behind it to the west so the area doesn't shine as much as it could at sunset ... but I still got some good pictures.

9:52PM I hope I can find the fountain of wealth.

(I didn't make it that night. As I started to head to that area I came upon a large amount of steps and my legs said no. So I made my way back to Clark Quay and took more pictures.)

11/7 10:15AM

Siting in a Starbucks in the Robertson Quay area. Using the free SingTel Singapore wireless internet to check email, upload pictures, etc.

They are playing Christmas music. Something from a Charlie Brown Christmas soundtrack currently.

12:49PM Done (for now) at Starbucks. I uploaded more pictures plus added descriptions to some Tokyo pictures.