Singapore Day 19

Greenery at Raffles,

construction across the street

Doorman at Raffles

Back to work and school for the Hayre-Lewis family, and we decided to go to the famous Raffles Hotel. After a lazy morning with me coughing and blowing my nose from my cold, we phoned for a taxi and set off for Raffles.

Named after the founder of Singapore, Sir David Stamford Raffles, the hotel was started in 1887 and except for expanding, looks pretty much like it did in 1899. Hotel guests are greeted at the entrance by a Sikh doorman, all in white.   I must say he was a very nice looking man too. Floors are tile with lots of open space and little nooks with greenery. It would be nice to stay here, but if the prices are anything like the gift shop it is way out of my price range.

Raffles corridor

Since the goal of this expedition was to have a Singapore Sling in the place it was invented, off we went to the “Long Bar,” which has been patronized over the decades by a host of literati, including Ernest Hemingway and Somerset Maugham, and more recently by such as Michael Jackson.

Tanis and her Sling

The Sling is a gin and cherry brandy with fruit juice, topped with pineapple and a maraschino cherry. I had mine virgin, but Tanis had the real thing. “Good, but not worth S$28,” is Tanis' opinion. Eaten with peanuts, whose shells are thrown on the floor, it was a once in a lifetime experience.

Civilian War Memorial

We then walked to the Civilian War Memorial which honors those killed during the Japanese invasion and occupation of Singapore during WW II. It states “Memorial to the Civilian Victims of the Japanese Occupation 1942-1945” in English, Tamil, Mandarin and Malay on the bottom.

After taking another taxi back, we were invited for dinner at Sheila's. There we had an all time Singapore favorite, wait for it, wait for it.....tacos. Lorna, who is Sheila and Pericles' domestic worker, certainly knows how to cook. We said good bye, as all will be at work/school tomorrow when we leave.

Maya