Saturday 6 December 2014

Adventures in Singapore

Good afternoon, one and all. Recently in my life:

1. I got Twitter! This was exciting. Also scary, when I realised that people from my Facebook (ie, whisper it, real life people) could find me because I was using the same email ..... I may have deleted my new account, made a new email, and used it for a new Twitter. What? What?

Anyway, you lot can follow me @Emily__Etc. 180-CHARACTER-GENIUS COMING SOON (or so I hope).

2. I discovered that Daniel Handler and Lemony Snicket ...

are the same person.

When was anyone planning on telling me this?? Did you know?? IT'S WEIRD KAY!

3. I finished Department 19: Battle Lines. WHAT WHAT WHAT. Frankly I shouldn't be allowed to read emotionally intense thrillers ~cough~ Skulduggery Pleasant ~cough cough~ because I am left simply a wreck. I've also got a major new fictional crush. Like that's going to help me in any way.

4. I went to Singapore!

...

OK, so, when I went to Singapore to see my brother, sister-in-law and nephew Arthur it was mid-October. But posts take a long time to write, OK? And, in my defence: school. So without further ado ... my Singapore Adventures!

We stayed in the Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel. In Chinese culture a water feature symbolises wealth, prosperity etc. so in affluent parts, every - single - building - has a water feature outside. Our hotel's, as you can see, involved a large golden ball. 

  
The hotel was very, very tall and very, very fancy. In the foyer there resided a glass case full of desserts, all the time. 

The outdoor patio, on the river.





Each morning we walked along the river, past the boats and small shrine en route, and across a bridge. 



A bit further on we reached the apartment building where my brother and sister-in-law and my nephew Arthur live.



Like all the other building's in Singapore's richer parts, it was very, very tall. It also had a lovely swimming pool.


Over the week, we went on a lot of trips. 

1. The first day was Sunday: church and an Indian restaurant.

2. On my birthday, Monday, Henry and I went secondhand book shopping



I didn't get any pictures of the amazing labyrinthine shops we went to, but I did get some v. exciting books. 

3. Then we went to the Raffles hotel for afternoon tea. It was very posh. 

 Tiffin Room
Picture of the Tiffins Tea Room taken from the hotel website. [I do not own this picture]





4. One day, we went to the Botanic Gardens



A water feature at the entrance. Surprising. Not. 




The Orchid Garden // more orchids // there were a lot of orchids // goldfish pool

Did you know Singapore has a national orchid? (They like their orchids.) This is it. It's called Vanda Miss Joaquim

 


 

Patterned leaves // orchids // other orchids // I took a lot of pictures of orchids


Some of them looked vaguely poisonous.


5. Another day, we went to Chinatown

Paper lamps and beautiful coloured facades abounded.



Tattoo parlour // outdoor tat market // amusingly named eateries // pretty facades 




Durian skins in a dustbin - did you know that this fruit is banned in many places because of its smell? // more facades // sightseeing bus // lantern


One of the interesting things about Singapore was the fusion of Indian and Chinese cultures. A Hindu temple in Chinatown, sacred cow perched on the roof.  


We also visited Chinatown's cookshops. (My mum bought a huge meat cleaver.) I was excited by all the shininess ....




Ooh shiny ladles // pretty plates // gigantic woks // a frankly terrifying industrial-sized beater



Little handmade crafty shop // outdoor food stalls

6. On the last morning, we went on a historical tour.

Singapore is famous for its colonial black and white houses, a few of which we toured. 



The whole house was a museum/gallery/shop.

Statue in the drive // elephants by the door // wooden wheel // tiny reading statue





There were a lot of beautiful cabinets.





Beautiful carpet // necklaces // lovely box // Singapore map






trio of statues // hanging ... things // beaded doorstops // horse




Goodbye to the beautiful black and white house.

This was a Danish seamans' church. (Because why not.)



House-side // "ooh stars"




Some more they-look-a-bit-poisonous flowers // amazing spiral staircase // a boat on the wall (seamen, right?) // beautiful tiled floors.

The tour was presided over by an eighty-something slightly-mad historian, and it was a great experience. 

7. That night we went to the hawkers' market.

It had this amazing structure inside.


Food cooking on the street // our plates when we were finishing

Singapore was a brilliant place to visit - I really want to see more of Asia. I was so blessed to be able to go there, to see my family and to meet my nephew Arthur!

Very cool hanging light formation in Singapore Airport. Until next time!

So tell me: have you been to Singapore? Or somewhere else cool recently? Bonus question: what's the farthest you've travelled from home? Oh, and do you have Twitter? What's your name? ALSO, have you read Department 19?? CAN WE FANGIRL??

Emily x

PS Did you know that Daniel Handler and Lemony Snicket are the same person? I'm not processing this well.

21 comments:

  1. Ooh, Singapore! I've never been to Singapore, though I have been to Korea to visit my family.

    Daniel Handler? Lemony Snicket? Whaaaat...???

    ReplyDelete
  2. It was so good! Such an interesting trip.

    I KNOW. I KNOW!!!!!!!!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  3. You have Twitter?! WE GET TO ENJOY TO 180 CHARACTER GENIUS?! YAY! *Goes creeping your page* Consider yourself followed.

    Whoa, Singapore looks awesome!! I really like the structural details of the market. And...and...desserts on display at the hotel ALL THE TIME? *Drools*

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    Replies
    1. Haha don't get too excited! Thanks for the follow. :)

      It was beautiful! And the desserts, yes, unngghhh I wanted them ALL!

      Delete
  4. I had no idea who Daniel Handler was. . . Well, I guess I know now. ;)

    Secondhand bookstores are the best! Anything books is the best. . .

    These pictures are beautiful. The vaguely poisonous orchards are cool. I like the color. Singapore sounds pretty. I heard that in China there are no traffic laws. Is it like that in Singapore too?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. He wrote Why We Broke Up! WHICH YOU SHOULD READ.

      You speak the truth. Everything books. Everything.

      Thanks! Haha they were quite cool. Singapore was beautiful. Umm not really! It was OK :L

      Delete
  5. Sooooo beautiful! I haven't been to Singapore, but I have been to Malaysia (it was a like a few hour stop over) and it kind of looks similar! Although these pictures are just so beautiful. XD And I spy Skulduggery...!! FLAILS.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks! It's an amazing place. YES YES YES!!!!! HOLD ME

      Delete
  6. Such beautiful architecture! Singapore looks like a fairytale. I'm getting a Mulan-esque feel to it. But that's probably because I relate everything in Asia to Mulan. I have (obviously) never been but I have this great plan to visit everywhere in the world so it is on my list. The farthest I have travelled from home would be Geneva in Switzerland or else south of Spain.
    TWITTER!!! *high five*
    No, I have not read Department 19 but it has now been added to zee tar list.
    Dracula? Frankenstein? This sounds very halloweeny...

    I must also read Skulduggery....hmmm.... I've never heard much about except here....

    Marian ^_^

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. This made me laugh out loud! "Mulan ... I have (obviously) never been" oohhh Marian this is brilliant :') :')
      Ooh Switzerland! I would love to go though. Good luck with your great plan!
      TWITTER! Thanks for the follow!
      OH MARIAN YOU NEED IT IN YOUR LIFE LIKE YOU NEED IT SO MUCH OH MARIAN ~quivering fangirl heap~
      Yesss indeed ~manic laughter~ YOU SHOULD READ IT KAY

      Yes. Yes you should. You know when you're so passionate about something you don't even use cap locks? Yes. That is me. Skulduggery. Oh my. Oh dear. Oh my oh my oh my--

      ...

      ~news reporter voice~ "the tragic death of a fangirl in Glasgow. Emily, 16, couldn't even to the extent that her heart stopped. Author Derek Landy has offered condolences to her family."

      Delete
  7. I've never been to Singapore, but I would love to go. It sounds like you had a fantastic time and the pictures are excellent by the way. The farthest I've ever been from home is London, UK which is approximately 9 and a half hours on an airplane from Ohio. I would love to go back someday. I do have a twitter account (@SunSoar25) and I'm currently following you, if that's alright. You're more than welcome to follow me back! Unfortunately, I haven't read Department 19, but it sounds really cool!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks! It's a great place. I would recommend. Nice, I love London! 9 and a half hours is no fun though. Glasgow-Singapore was around 15 hours overall, but with a stopover in Dubai. Thanks, will do! :) Department 19 is aMAZING OH MY WORD OH MY WORD OH MY WORD

      Delete
    2. It's a great place to visit, but I don't know if I'd want to live there! :) Wow! 15 hours - at least there was layover!

      Delete
    3. Me neither. Too noisy; too many people, and no one's friendly (unlike Glasgow!). It would be fun for a short time though!

      Delete
    4. Yeah! Personally, I like my space living out in the country! :)

      By the way, I tagged you for The Taytay Book Tag! Check it out: http://never-anyone-else.blogspot.com/2014/12/the-taytyay-book-tag.html

      Delete
  8. Looks like you had a great trip! I'm so jealous of that secondhand book shopping. There's only so much of that I can do before I exhaust my local options.

    Merry Christmas!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I did! The book shopping was amazing -- living in the countryside, I have no really local options so I was stunned to see so many bookshops packed floor to ceiling, and in the same complex!

      Merry Christmas to you too!

      Delete
  9. Emillyyy!!! you were closer to me then! I wish you could visit Indonesia too.
    Yep I've been in Singapore because it's close to Indonesia.
    Anyway, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, may you have blessing New Year!
    Thank you for visiting my blog and I sorry for not being here for such a long time.

    Blesing and hugs.
    Delvalina

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I would love to! I want to travel all around Asia.
      Thanks -- you too! I hope you have a blessed year in 2015.
      It's a pleasure. Glad to see you now :)

      Emily xx

      Delete
  10. Hi Emily,

    I'm from Singapore! It's a beautiful city isn't it? Orchid is indeed our national flower. I've been to some of these places like the Botanical Gardens a few times.Hope you enjoyed your visit here. :)

    Dian
    The Happy Candle

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It is indeed! I loved my visit. The Botanical Gardens were stunning.

      Thanks for stopping by :)

      Delete

Thanks for commenting! :)