Singapore -- Lion City

Trip Start Oct 07, 2008
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Trip End Nov 16, 2008


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Flag of Singapore  ,
Saturday, October 11, 2008

Raffles
Raffles
My flight arrived late after 1.30am so I went straight to the Raffles Hotel for the night.  The Raffles is an incredible, stately colonial hotel that has seen its fair share of notable guests.  Now my name is included in the same guestbook.  To my delight, I was upgraded to a "personality suite".  In my case the "Joseph Conrad" suite.  I'm not a literary aficionado but for those of you who are you would have liked to have perused the library of his books that were available in the room. 
Raffles entry
Raffles entry
The suite was classic old Singapore designed before air conditioning.  The ceilings were over 15 feet with louvers and ceiling fans to assist in cooling the room.  But these days they do have air conditioning.  

The Harbour
The Harbour
Singapore is a shoppers' paradise with all brands available and good prices to be found.  Especially with a strengthening US dollar.  Lest we not forget that "shopping" is Singapore's national pastime. 
Singapore Flyer
Singapore Flyer
My goal today was two-fold:  the new "Singapore Flyer" and shopping.   The Singapore Flyer is the city state's newest attraction:  a huge ferris wheel that takes 30 minutes to complete a revolution overlooking the city and the harbor.  Frankly, nothing more than a bigger version of the London Eye except with no crowds of people and no waiting.  
me
me

After that, shopping.  Need I say more?  But I didn't buy Jimmy anything pretty...yet.
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