Out and about in Singapore

Yesterday morning we decided to negotiate the very efficient public transport system by ourselves and navigated our way to the Gardens by the Bay.  The most challenging thing was figuring out what tickets we needed to buy and then work our way through the queue to actually get them - should have booked them online.

We went up to the skybridge, which gives a view across the park, the waterfront and across to the iconic Marina Sands Hotel.  Have to admit that I was happy when we decided to come down from the bridge as it was quite high and you could feel it shaking when people were walking around.  We were advised to do the walk as soon as possible as it is closed in bad weather.  We could already feel the wind starting to pick up and can imagine that it could get quite windy.

There are two large domes that cover the gardens - Sky Dome and Flower Dome.  As we had limited time, we decided to only visit the Flower Dome.  There was a special tulip exhibition which really was spectacular  (except for all  of the tourists trying to take photos).  They were mass planted in colour blocks, interspersed with blue and white hyacinths and daffodils.  Has inspired me to do the same next time I am planting spring bulbs.

The different garden areas reflected different countries or continents.  Many of the plantings were quite familiar but there were some pretty impressive succulents and cacti as well as crazy looking Baobab trees. From there we walked through the park to the Helix Bridge which links the Marina Centre with Marina South.  At the base of the bridge is the grandstand and area used for pit lanes when the Grand Prix is held here.  Drive to Survive fans will understand!  Passed by the Art-Science Museum, another interesting looking building that was inspired by the lotus flower.

We braved the crowds and walked though the Marina Sands Shopping mall that was wall to wall, high end fashion stores.  The window displays were quite something and worth a look.  On the lower level is a 'canal' complete with small replica gondolas and hump backed pedestrian bridges.  Only thing missing were the gondoliers singing.

We came back to our 'local' food court and met Elton for lunch.  Had planned to go out exploring again but it started pouring down, which had the bonus of cooling things down a little.  Once it stopped, we went for a walk in the local park, but the stream were we had seen the turtle was wet and truly flooded.  Nice to be out while everything was fresh after the rain.

Dinner was mookata, a Thai meal, where you cook the meat on a hot plate at the table.  It was a slow precess, but a great way to spend the evening together.

This morning Elton and Jucintha took us to Haw Par Villa, built in 1937 by the developer of Tiger Balm.  it was an eclectic park with over 1,000 statues and 150 dioramas depicting scenes from Chinese mythology, folklore, legends, history and illustrations of Confucianism.   It was fascinating in an odd sort of way but definitely worth the visit.  

It was sweltering hot so we headed to a large shopping mall nearby for lunch - Japanese pizza, which happened to be delicious.  Caught a cab back to the apartment and arrived back just as a massive electrical storm arrived.  Don't think I have ever heard thunder as loud.  Am now hoping the it passes by before we fly tonight.

We are now packing our bags before heading to the airport for our last long-hall flight.  Has been fantastic catching up with our Singapore family, who head off to Turkey next week, for their own adventures.

Next stop Christchurch

To Singapore

We bid a final and very sad farewell to our wonderful daughter, at the train station at Queens Park.  The rain held off long enough to get onto the train before it poured down.  It was such a treat to be able to spend the time with Ella and now visualise her everyday life in London.

Our trip on the Bakerloo and Elizabeth Lines, to Heathrow, has become quite familiar and we felt like old hands.  Check-in went smoothly and our bags were not overweight, which was a relief.  We flew on a Singapore Airlines A380 (the two storied one) which was so nice.  They feel so like there is much more space and are incredibly smooth.  The flight attendants were very polite and the service very efficient, considering how many passengers there are on those monster planes.  I really enjoyed tracking our flight path and picking out the countries and cities as we flew over them - no clouds.  Sadly very little sleep again.

Arriving in Singapore was painless, though we had forgotten to complete the online arrival registration, which caused a bit of a delay.  When we got the baggage claim area, our bags had been removed from the conveyor belt and were sitting sadly with only one other bag.  The opposite of standing with baited breath, hopping the your luggage would appear.

David's brother Elton had borrowed a friend's car and drove us to their place.  Considering how hot it was when we arrived we so appreciated not having to make our way using public transport.

Their apartment is quite a bit bigger than we had expected and we have room to spread out, so don't feel like we are cramping their space.  Delicious beef stir-fry dinner before heading to bed, even though it was only early afternoon London time.  Thank goodness for air conditioning.

This morning we went to the Mustafa Market where you could find just about anything you could possibly  want to buy, and copious quantities of it.  Again we loved the different sights, sounds and smells of the market, but were restrained in our purchases.

From there we walked through Little India with its amazingly ornate temple, on toward Chinatown, through a predominantly Muslim area.  Apparently this is considered a tourist area, but we enjoyed seeing the quaint and colourful shops and exploring the alleyways.

We caught the bus back, enjoying seeing the world from the top of a double decker, as opposed to the underground, and had lunch at one of the many food courts opposite the apartment block.  Not sure what was better, the food or the cold drink!

Had a bit of a rest before walking to a beautiful park about five minutes away.  We had a great time watching a heron fishing for its dinner and then a friendly turtle that kept popping its head out of the water on the edge of the stream.  The breeze was deliciously cool amongst the trees.

Back to the food court for the boys to have  a beer before dinner and saw a couple with their dog in a backpack!  It was a seven year old long haired chihuahua and they take it cycling with them.  The dog seemed completely unfazed by its unusual mode of transportation.

Dinner was satay and fried rice, followed by fresh mango - absolute heaven.

Time to move on

 Sunday morning the sun shone for us as we headed back to Bath for Ella's requisite morning coffee (and a perfect hot chocolate for me, that David ended up drinking half of, as it was so delicious).  Could spend days just wandering the city and finding something new and different to feast your eyes on.

Our meandering drive took us through Newton St Loe, a tiny and very cute village owned by King Charles, then to the Slaughters - Upper and Lower,  also very quaint, with a stream flowing thought both.  Then Burford which, even though it was heaving with people, was another delight.  Just never tire of how beautiful the villages are and so full of history.

We had time before returning the rental to have another quick visit with David's cousin Wendy, which was a great opportunity to strengthen the family connection.

Dinner was Ella's favourite Thai takeout and it was delicious.  Making the. most of our last evening together.

This morning we went though the challenge of trying to fit everything back into our bags - including my Beatrix Potter collection!  Am slightly under he maximum weight which is a relief.

Ella and I walked to Queens Park so that she could do some chores - and get her morning coffee.  David and I will head off shortly to fill in a few hours before we have to say our final goodbyes.  I'm on a mission to find a 'funky' pair of British socks - about all that I will have space for in my bag!

Time for a Bath

Woke to a chilly morning (4 degrees) and a layer of mist.  The sun did come out and we enjoyed exploring under blue skies, for most of the day.
We headed to the lovely village of Pensford, set in a steep valley, with an old viaduct stretching across the houses.  The streets were narrow and windy with cute stone houses named between them.  There was a plaque commemorating a flood that took place in 1968 and the flood level was well above our heads.  Many of the houses would have been flooded to roof height, or to the top of their ground floor.  Hard to image where the water came from when you looked at the gently flowing River Chew that we walked beside today.
From there we drove to Weston Super Mere, where David had heard about the original pier that had fallen into disrepair.  The township of was similar to Blackpool or Brighton with its tour shops, ice cream parlours, amusement arcades and Ferris wheel.  Further along the coast was the original pier and, even though we weren't able to walk out to it, it was still an amazing sight.  A photographers dream.  A picnic in the car (too cold outside) and then we wended our way back to Bath.
We had forgotten just how beautiful Bath is with its spectacular buildings constructed of the soft honey coloured stone common in this area.  Walking through the city and across the River Avon, a treat was revealed around every corner.  There were loads of people, but it gave it the vibe of a busting European city.  We just wandered and enjoyed every moment of it.  Even got to try some delicious and unusual fudge - apple and cinnamon combination and raspberry white chocolate pavlova.  Fortunately they were only samples otherwise we might still be there!
Before departing Bath, we drove up to the Royal Crescent, a row of terraced houses built in the late 1700's and designed around a curved shape.  Am guessing that it is a fairly prestigious part of the city to live and can totally understand why.
Gathered ingredients for our dinner before heading back to Beech Cottage for the evening.  Now sitting relaxing and enjoying the sound of gentle spring rain falling.  A very pleasant day had by all.

London again

Managed to make it safely back to the airport and return the rental car - along with all the stresses that go with that process.  Flight back to London was uneventful except for another fairly 'hairy' landing.  Made our way to Maida Vale which is two stops from Queens Park and our home for the night.  It was a interesting spot with with lots of cultural diversity.
We were invited to have dinner with Ella's Nanny family which was an absolute treat.  We had lots of laughs and it was wonderful to see her relaxed and so much part of the family.  They have been incredibly generous to us and invited us to stay on Sunday night, so that we can spend the evening with Ella.  They will be at the lake house, so we will be able to just hang out together.
This morning David and I headed into the city, including a trip back to Harrods, Kensington Palace and Kensington High Street.  We used the buses for much of our travel and really enjoy being able to experience the trip from atop a double decker bus.  
Ella was able to finish work mid afternoon and we tubed to Heathrow to collect our latest rental car.  Had the choice of four different cars but selected the Clio as we had so enjoyed the one we had in Ireland.  Ella did an amazing job negotiating us out of the city, especially on a Friday night.  Not surprisingly, our rental car dramas continue - This time tyre pressure warning lights.  Stopped at a services and checked pressures but warning light is still on.  Decided to risk it and carry on as we aren't really going to be travelling huge distances. 
We arrived at our delightful Air BnB in Corston, Cotswolds.  It is a stone cottage at the back of the owners property, with a very pretty spring garden.  Not sure that we are going to get the weather to really enjoy it, but still a very nice place to be.

Time to leave

We bid goodbye to Borris and began the day with the obligatory visit to a ruined castle, in fact, we visited two, just to be sure.
First stop was only 15 minutes drive on the usual skinny roads and was called Ballyloughan Castle.  It was on private land, but David did manage to get close enough for some photography.  It was huge and covered a significant area.  The 'mind the bull' sign made me decide to wait in the car!
Second castle was only a few more minutes down the road, called Carrigadrohid Castle.  It was also on private land, but had a gate and a path mown across the field for access.  It was unusual in that it was built in a square design with a central courtyard.  Even though there wasn't much left standing, it was still easy to see where the living quarters had originally been.
Set Google maps (what did we ever do without them?) for Dublin.  The roads were faster and wider, but we almost miss the narrow windy country lanes. 
Found another tiny parking building in the centre of the city any walked to St Stephen's Green, a very pretty garden with a lake, spring blossoms and plenty of seriously big seagulls.  It felt like a tranquil oasis in the midst of a bustling city.
In our search for a public toilet, we ended up visiting Stephen's Green Shopping Mall.  What a treat that was, not for the shops but for the building with it's impressive staircases and ornate ceiling.
Continued our walking tour to the Ha'penny Bridge, a pedestrian bridge that crosses the River Liffey.  The bridge was built in 1816, made of cast iron and cast in Shropshire, England.  Prior to that, there were seven ferries crossing the river.
Managed to find our way back to the car and drove out to Howarth Peninsular which forms the northern boundary of Dublin Bay.  It was described as a fishing 'village' but is really more of a significant township. We walked the pier out to the lighthouse in a howling wind, where the spray was being blown right across the path.  There is a cliff walk, but decided against that due to the strength of the wind.
On to our final Irish AirBnB which we chose for ist's proximity to the airport.  The address is Foxhill Lawn - imagine quaint cottages, with spring blossoms and lots of green spaces.  Reality is none of that, rather rows of semi-detached houses on the outskirts of the city.  
David wanted to have a Guinness at an Irish pub before we left so we visited the Water Mill Bar not far from here.  He was very happy that it had the atmosphere that he was looking for and the Guinness was surprisingly good.  Needless to say, I drank tonic and drove us back!
We will be sad to leave this beautiful country behind but looking forward to being able to spend time with Ella again over the weekend.  Hopefully the wind has died down before we fly out tomorrow.