LAST DAY IN SINGAPORE

We arrived home from Singapore last month but so many photos to sift through and save for a photo book and blog. On the last day we had free time. Our friends and direct neighbours, Sue and Trevor and us teamed up to go sight seeing. Unfortunately, it was raining but we still went to walk the Henderson's Wave Bridge. It's a wavy bridge spanning a forest and we had great views of the city.

 There are no slums in Singapore. The government provide public housing for those who can't afford a private home. These coloured towers in front are public housing blocks there were hundreds of them.

 Then we spied the cable car going to Sentosa Island. So we walked up to the top of the hill and boarded the cable car, which Bill was pleased to see it was made in Switzerland.

Our friends and neighbours, Trevor and Sue.

 We swung over the water between the mainland and Sentosa Island. The channel gets smaller each time we come to Singapore because they are reclaiming land. The harbour is one of the busiest in the world with it being a gateway to Asia. There are always many, many vessels waiting in the harbour.

 Flying over a docked cruise ship.

When we arrived at Sentosa Island we caught a free bus which takes you all around the island. There are stops along the way where you can visit the beaches or the many attractions including amusement parks and a huge casino. 

We stopped for a coffee and a chat with some locals.

 In the bus we passed the huge Merlion. The Merlion is Singapore's icon. It has a lion's head and a fish body. Merlion means 'sea lion' and represents Singapore's origin as a fishing village when it was called Tamasek which means 'sea town' and its original name Singapura meaning 'lion city.' The original sculpture of the merlion is in Marina Bay but this huge 37 metre tall replica on Sentosa was made by an Australian artist, James Martin.

ANZAC DAY

ANZAC DAY  is a national day of remembrance in Australia and New Zealand. It was originally to honour Australian and New Zealand Army Corp (ANZAC) who fought at Gallipoli against the Ottoman Empire in the First World War. ANZACs landed on the beaches at 4:00am on 25 April 1915. Now we commemorate all Australians and New Zealanders who served and died in all wars and peace keeping operations.

There are marches, services and get togethers all over the country. Residents of our little village organised a little service and a Sausage Sizzle by the pool.

 One of our residents made this memorial and placed in our foyer garden

 The tables decorations

Bill receiving his snack. Sausage, onions and sauce rolled in bread.

 Marilyn found a patriotic spot.

 Many residents turned up and enjoyed each other's company.

 We have made lots of friends here and some old ones have moved in too.

Brian, a returned serviceman, read the ode of remembrance: 

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old: 

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. 

At the going down of the sun and in the morning 

We will remember them.

 Lest We Forget

 Rob raises the flag from half mast. Gwen wears replicas of her husband's medals while he was marching in the city parade.

  

HARMONY

It was our last day in Malacca before returning to Singapore. Our guides took us for a walk through the streets to visit places of worship of some of the different religions. It is great to see these temples and mosques next to one another, with people coming and going all day to pay their respects. It seems these people of different beliefs can live in harmony with one another. 

Our group of villagers filling up the footpath.

A beautiful Chinese temple

I was amazed at the tolerance of the locals trying to do their prayers while tourists were mingling around them. 

Down the road a bit further we were welcomed into a mosque.

And then a bit further on we entered an Indian Temple

Worshipping 

The "priest" singing prayers.  Then we waited for the bus to take us to a Malayan Village. Bill and Chiou See share a joke (our CEO who organised the trip)

The bus dropped us near the bridge which we crossed to enter the Historic Malayan Village.

The architecture is quite different from the surrounding modern towers.

One of the houses is now a museum. 

 The lady showing us around was 100 and she had been born in this house.

Then it was back in the bus for lunch in the Eurasian district where decedents from the Portuguese and other European occupiers of the land live. A large statue of Christ was visible in the square.

We had lunch in a Portuguese restaurant, once again another interesting and delicious meal.

JONKER WALK

One evening in Malacca we walked from our hotel to Jonker Walk, the main street in Chinatown. The shops used to be antique shops but now they are mostly clothing and souvenir shops. However, on the weekends it turns into a bustling night market. It was jammed packed with people. I'm not a fan of crowds but this was a great experience.

 There was every kind and colour of food that you can imagine. Dumplings. 

 Drilling a hole into a watermelon and mushing up the inside and then insert a straw.

We stopped for dinner at the Geographer Cafe. Set in a traditional, pre-war Malaccan shop-house in Chinatown, the beautifully preserved building is a historical artefact.(photo from the net)

 After dinner, losing our sense of direction, we jostled up and down the street to find Dutch Square and a rick shaw for a ride home to the hotel.

 The rickshaws were brightly decorated with dazzling, flashing lights and loud music.

 It was fun but scary when we got onto the main road.

 We chose a Pokemon decorated one. Thought my little grandsons would have loved a ride in this.

He dropped us safe and sound at the hotel.

RIVER CRUISE IN MALACCA

When we were in Malacca with our tour group from the village, we were taken on a river cruise in the evening. It was cooler and the scenery and bridges were very interesting.

 A heritage Malayan Village

Then it was off to dinner for another delicious banquet. Our CEO, Chiou See and her family found us the nicest restaurants that could seat 57 of us.