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Rapport from Tasmanian, Australia
Our Singapore
Holiday
Singapore to us always
appears to be a country undergoing continual change.
This was our fourth visit since 1974 but the third visit
was 14 years ago.
Ms. Connie Tai ensured that our ten days were fairly
busy especially our first day which was a Sunday. After
being met by Connie at the hotel and confirming
arrangements for the next day we started with a
leisurely breakfast. The pace gradually quickened as off
we proceeded in a taxi to a Tamil Language Competition
where the children gave impassioned recitals in the
Tamil language. The performances were enhanced by the
delightful costumes that parents had obviously spent
many hours preparing. Equally rewarding was to see the
support by parents with their proud beaming faces as
their child gave their oration.
We then proceeded to a meeting of the Kreta
Ayer Stamp Club
to meet committee members. Meeting so many hospitable
people at both places made it a humbling yet memorable
day indeed. Towards evening we had a brief visit to the
Singapore Flower Show before having the first of many
meals with Connie. A little local knowledge gave us a
week of new culinary experiences. We like our food and
had anticipated a week of exotic flavours for which
Singapore is known. We were not disappointed and thanks
to Connie and her friend Felicia we visited many food
courts and restaurants that we would never have found by
ourselves.
After several guided trips to various shopping centres
or areas of geographic or cultural significance we were
gradually tested to see if we could negotiate the Metro
system with our 'chaperone' close behind. Singapore must
surely have one of the best transport systems in the
world, certainly the cleanest and fastest we have
experienced. We frequently compared this with our first
trip in the hot and humid conditions of the early
1970's.
We have lots of photos to be downloaded, sorted and
filed which will keep us busy in the hot summer months
when even in our native Tasmania one should stay out of
the sun.
For anyone enjoying orchids, Singapore is definitely the
place to visit. The Flower Show was a sheer delight and
to put the 'icing on the cake' a visit to the National
Orchid Gardens is a must. To experience the density of
the generated mist soaking in the 'cool house' was a
highlight with Gaye and I trying to out do one another
spotting orchids secreted away among the ferns and
mosses.
Other highlights included a night out at the Night
Safari. To see animals active and so much livelier than
during the warmth of the day was a real delight.
Coming from an island state where at best the economy
could be described as sluggish and to view the scale of
reclamation and construction occurring on Sentosa Island
– never have we seen anything comparable.
In summary this would have been the most enjoyable of
our four trips to Singapore in no small way due to the
friendship extended by the people we met everywhere.
Graeme and Gaye Chequer
September 2008
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