Singapore Slings Virgin Style and the most famous doorman in the world

Today was another great day here in this beautiful country. Once again, it started off at the pool. We didn't go to the beach today because the boys were too busy playing at the pool with a new friend they met. They must have played for two hours with this boy, who looked to me to be about 7. I asked Patrick where he was from and Patrick told me Singapore. He spoke English with a bit of a British accent. I asked Matthew where he was from and he told me, "Well I don't think he is Japanese because he laughs Mommy- and you know, Japanese don't laugh." I had to keep from falling off of my chair with that comment.

We had a good lunch at the pool bar with more humor from Matthew. He had ketchup all over his face because he has french fries that he was eating with a toothpick and then dunking them in the ketchup. I said, "Matthew, look at your face- it is so messy." His response to me was, "Mommy I can't look at my face because my eyes are on my face, silly." Gotta love Matthew-isms.

After lunch we went back to the room and cleaned up to get ready to head off the island. We were on the hunt for Singapore Slings, the famous drink created at the Raffles hotel, and the most famous doorman in the world. We took a cab from Harbourfront Centre and asked to go to Orchard Road. Let me tell you...the cabbies here are like tour guides. The entire 20 min ride was filled with him telling us about the history of Singapore and what certain buildings were. A far cry from New York City cabbies. Once we got out, we were surrounded by malls and shopping arcades that stretched for what seemed like miles. People don't say to go to Singapore to shop for nothing. We headed to the MRT station (subway) to give it a try. If I can do the Japan train system, I was certain this would be a breeze. It certainly was. You put your money into a machine, point to the destination on a map, and it spits out your ticket. We rode the subway to the Raffles area, and found the hotel. It is not your typical tall hotel in the city. It definitely has the British flare to it- only 3 stories high, white, and older looking. The gardens are filled with a fountains and tropical plants. We went to the Long Bar, where we had our virgin slings and ate peanuts which we peeled and could throw the shells right on the ground. The boys were thrilled by this. I am pretty sure the Singapore Slings are a whole lot tastier if they are the real deal, but we had to make do this time. On our way out we managed to snap a picture with the famous Sikh doorman at the entrance to the hotel. It is said he is the most photographed doorman in the world.

We got back on the MRT and took it back to the Orchard shopping area and pooped into the Plaza Singapura. According to legend, in the 14th century, a prince set foot on an unknown island and named it "Singa Pura" (lion city) after seeing a magnificent animal thought to be a lion. This plaza was about 8 levels and quite impressive. At the top, we went to a food court and saw a "Dessert" place selling individually wrapped portions of fruit that were in a big cooler case. You hand the lady a big bowl and tell her what types of fruit you would like and then she takes each out of the individual wrapper, cuts them up, and arranges them so beautifully in the bowl. For 7 singapore dollars (About 4 US dollars), we got some of the freshest most tropical fruits around- mangoes, strawberries, pineapple, dragonfruit, papaya, guava, and watermelon. The bowl was huge, so it would keep our stomaches filled until dinnertime.

Back on the street, we hailed a cab to go back to Harbourfront Centre. Once again, the entire 20 min cab ride was full of history and facts about Singapore. You don't tip here in Singapore, but I did this time because he was so informative, and we didn't even have to ask. On Orchard Road he pointed out a tree lined street, guarded by security and asked if we knew what it was. Earlier, we had walked by, and I resisted taking a photo because I wasn't sure what it was. Patrick had said he thought that maybe it is where the President of Singapore lives. I figured it wasn't in the middle of the Orchard Road shopping. Well, Patrick was right. It was the President's residence. Should have snapped the photo. The cabbie said if Obama visits Singapore, this is where he will be entertained and dined.

The other thing he pointed out were all of the Mosques, Synagogues, Cathedrals, churches, and temples. Singapore is filled with every kind of worshipping place possible. And these places are all huge and lavish. For such a small nation and island, it is a place filled with culture and diversity.

Once back at Harbourfront, we were ready for some dinner and we found the perfect place. Marche, a Swiss dining experience like no other! I wish I could explain this restaurant , but go to this blog to read more. http://sparklette.net/archives/marche-restaurant-swiss-haven/
I googled it when we got back to the hotel, but unfortunately I couldn't find an English website or for that matter, any US locations. More dollar signs running around in my head if I could bring this concept to the states.

We returned to the resort via a complimentary bus that picked us up at the mall after dinner. Bedtime was not long after we got into the door.