Singapore – on top of the World

It’s been a while – more than a year in fact – since I wrote an update, and, as is usually the way, it is Social Media (in this case Facebook) that reminds me of the wonderful memories that have started to drift into the dusty filing cabinet at the back of my mind.  Sooooo… dragging out photos and recalling the special moments has the added pleasure of bring me back to what I love – to write.

Back to Singapore.  Having already ticked off a number of “experiences” I was determined to have, I had planned to use today to explore closer to home.  The view of the Marina Bay Sands Hotel had been tempting me all week, and, as I was intending to save a visit to the Gardens by the Bay for my last morning (tomorrow!) I decided to combine a visit to the boat-topped hotel with a boat ride around the harbour.

I wasn’t disappointed by the view.  It really is extraordinary – and a little scary – to walk along a structure that appears to be balancing precariously on top of three (very high) towers.  Given that I was frozen to the spot when walking across the bridge between the Petronas Towers, I was really quite proud of myself for even attempting it.  Of course, you can’t see directly downwards, but in the back of your mind there is always the fear that something will happen and the “boat” will slide, in slow motion, to the ground 57 floors below.  I think it’s fair to say that I needed rather than deserved the drink I treated myself to at the bar.  Having learned my lesson – that Singapore Slings are best provided by the lovely team at the R-C – I played it safe with a rather good gin and tonic (to settle my nerves – purely medicinal).

Once again I found myself in company – this time a pleasant couple that were on a cruise, spending a final couple of days in Singapore.  They were German, and their English was as limited as my German, but the international language of alcohol and some hand gestures was enough to further our friendship to the “selfies” stage.

The infinity pool is limited to residents – and to be honest (not being one of the world’s “beautiful people”) I wouldn’t like to have so big an audience for a swim.  Having said that, the view is extraordinary, and seeing folk leaning nonchalantly against the falling edge with a cocktail in hand and an uninterrupted view of Singapore is almost enough to tempt me in.

There’s only so much of a view you can cope with, and, knowing that I wanted to do the boat ride before heading back to the hotel, I set off back down to the harbour.  I did of course go via the mall – which is so typically Singaporean, in that it is clean, pristine and full of interesting shops and even more interesting people – but after ten days in this city I didn’t do much more than window shop.

I was fortunate enough in arriving at one of the boat moorings at the right time to be the only passenger – which was great, as, although there is a recorded guide, I was also able to ask questions that I might have felt less able to ask on a crowded boat.  It was lovely to chug around the harbour – glimpses of “old” Singapore among the new high-rises, as well as a different view of some of the history – the statue of Raffles, and old government buildings and so on.  British links to Singapore may not be as strong as they once were, but the evidence of Colonialism is everywhere.

In the interests of enjoying the warmth of the day, I headed back to the hotel on foot – over the modern footbridge that links one side of the reclaimed harbour land with the other.  Amazing bridge, with wonderful shapes – paradise for a good photographer, challenging for me.

The high humidity in Singapore is exhausting – by the time I got back to my hotel, I was ready to stop any form of activity.  However, I had one more “bucket list” item to tick off on this, my final full day in Singapore.  In spite of having been at the R-C for ten days, I hadn’t yet made it down to either the pool or the spa – and, given that I’d spent two days pretty much on my feet, it seemed like the perfect time.

The R-C spa is wonderful.  It is, however, also extremely expensive, so I regretfully passed up the variety of treatments on offer in favour of the jacuzzi and the pool.  I do love a hotel where they not only provide extra towels for the pool, but ones that are so beautifully soft that you want to just lie on them and sleep.  That may be just me of course.  One of the little extras at the R-C is that there is a bar by the pool, which provides water and sorbets – all included and brought round at intervals to your relaxer.  It was an hour of peace and absolute relaxation that rounded off an active and very full day.  The only reason I left the poolside was because it was time for a Singapore Sling – so I happily returned to the comfort of the lounge to pass a very pleasant – if tinged with sadness because it was to be the last – evening.