Roger and Stephen in Singapore

Singapore is in mourning

2015-03-25T15:13:00.000+08:00

The Prime Minster of Singapore has declared 5 days of National Mourning after the death of his Father and the much loved first Prime Minister of Singapore - Mr Lee Kuan Yew.
Mr Lee Kuan Yew passed away early Monday morning at the age of 91 and is considered by many to be the founder of modern Singapore. His vision for Singapore from its independence from Malaysia 50 years ago was a lifetime work and one of his passions was to have a city within a garden to distinguish itself from other concrete jungles in Asia. Fittingly a new orchid has been named after him and is on display for the first time while the body is lying in state.
TV and radio stations are playing tributes around the clock to him which give a wonderful insight to early Singapore as well as giving updates on the waiting time to pay respects at Parliament House.
A private wake was held at the private residence of the Prime Minister in the grounds of Istana which is also the home to the President of Singapore and today the coffin was transported by a gun carriage to Parliament House where the body will lie in state for 4 days.
Already there is a 4km queue for people waiting to pay their respects with people waiting up to 8 hours to gain entry.
Throughout Singapore 18 condolence sights have been set up for the public to pen their thoughts and leave flowers.
The State funeral service is on Sunday with various sites being set up to watch the live telecast.

Sign outside Istana

Floral tributes outside Istana

Floral tributes

Area outside Istana for public to pen there condolences

Messages of condolences on display

Video screen at Suntec City

Crowds along Orchard Rd waiting for funeral procession

The coffin leaves Istana

The gun carriage

Part of the funeral procession

Armed forces in the procession

Floral display ushers in the Lunar New Year

2015-02-05T10:00:00.000+08:00

To celebrate the Lunar New Year, Gardens by the Bay is showcasing a display called "Asian Tales" in the Flower Dome. The inspiration for the display comes from Chinese brush paintings of scenic mountains and valleys. Large mountains feature in the display surrounded by fields of flowers that have significance to the Lunar New Year. As 2015 is the Year of the Goat - goats have been sculpted out of wood and also chrysanthemum and marigold flowers and are scattered throughout the display.

The mountains

The goats

Looking down

Keeping watch

Yuan bao - good luck coins

Marigold goats

Fire crackers

Celosias are popular during Chinese New Year

Marigolds

The goat - made out of painted moss

Marigold and chrysanthemum goats

Information signs around the display

Chrysanthemums

Dahlias feature throughout the display as they signify good luck and prosperity

Jonquils beginning to bloom

Goat amongst dahlias

The Year of the Goat or Sheep

2015-02-04T09:05:00.001+08:00

With the Chinese New Year just around the corner - ( February 19th and 20th ) Singapore's Chinatown is decorated for the festive season to celebrate the Year of the Goat or Sheep.
The original Chinese word for this years zodiac is "yang" a generic term for the horned ruminating mammals. During the translation process, different people have interpreted the word differently either as goat or the sheep.
The main decorations in Chinatown are of goats but many stall holders have goat and sheep decorations. Our local shopping centre has the theme of sheep in their decorations.
The display in Chinatown features 388 Goat shaped lanterns and 1500 gold coin lanterns.

The start of the decorations on New Bridge Rd

A goat on the centre median strip

Some of the goats heads move up and down in the display

Some of the 388 goats

The goats were designed by students at Singapore University of Technology and Design

Goats on the mountain

A herd of Goats

The gold coin lanterns

Details on the gold coins

Goats under a bridge

Christmas Wonderland at Gardens by the Bay

2014-12-22T07:00:00.000+08:00

Gardens By the Bay have created a beautiful European style Christmas Wonderland in the gardens around the Supertree Grove.

Gigantic Luminarie light sculptures feature throughout the display and were constructed and imported from Italy. In the middle of one of these sculptures, snow making machines projects snow several times a night creating a White Christmas experience in the tropics.
Also imported from Italy is an illuminated bandstand that plays host to carollers at various times.
A 200 year old Spiegeltent, from the Netherlands is being used as a unique dining experience. The Spiegeltent interior is lined with mirrors and stained glass making it an opulent setting for diners. Visitors also can experience a European-style Festive Market selling festive treats and gifts.

Luminarie gateway to the Christmas Wonderland

The Spiegeltent

Lighting for the market stalls

Luminarie light arena

Luminarie light detail

The Supertrees and Luminarie lights

Inside the arena

It's snowing

Crowds enjoying the snow

The market stalls

Luminarie sculptures

The Cassa Armonica

Luminarie arch

Supertrees and Christmas tree

Yuletide in the Flower Dome

2014-12-21T14:51:00.001+08:00

To celebrate Christmas, the Flower Dome at Gardens by the Bay has been transformed into a festive theme with a gleaming tower, miniature village , topiary reindeer , snowmen and of course Santa.
Various Christmas trees are decorated throughout the Dome as well as poinsettias, lilies, holly and red and white begonias adding colour to the festive display.
To cope with an increase in visitors the opening times of the Flower Dome have been extended.

Banners in the gardens

Wise Wee

Lichen Snowman

Noble Fir Christmas tree

Santa and Reindeer

Tower with Reindeer

Red and white Poinsettias

A decorated Buxus

Rudolph the red nose reindeer

Part of the village

More of the village

The main display

A fireplace ready for Santa

Flowering heaths decorated with ornaments

Information about different Christmas traditions and customs feature throughout the display

Christmas candy store

Poinsettias and Christmas trees

Snowmen

Santa

The tower at night

The display at night

Smoke from the chimneys

Christmas on a Great Street

2014-12-17T13:10:00.000+08:00

This year Orchard Road celebrates 30 years of Christmas lights along the 2.88 stretch of road.
A photographic exhibition outside Shaw House showcases both the Christmas Lights over the years and celebrations on Orchard Rd on Christmas Day when the road is closed to traffic.
This years lights and decorations are multicoloured to represent Singapore's diversity as Singapore prepares to celebrate 50 years of independence next year.
Twelve of the major shopping malls will also be competing for the best dressed shopping mall which is determined by public votes.
The lights were switched on by Singapore's President Tony Tan Keng Yam on the 15th of November and will run to January the 1st.

One of the many spots to have a photo taken for tourists

This section of lights has the Christmas tree motive

This section has the snowflake and the lights are blue

Lamp post

Snowflake

Gateway to the main shopping stretch

Stars and lights dangle from the trees

Stars and globes hangs from the trees that line Orchard Rd

Hearts featured in this section of lights

Multi -coloured stars

Orchard Central shopping centre

Centrepoint shopping centre

Orchard Gateway shopping centre

One of the many Christmas trees that line Orchard Rd

Mandarin Gallery shopping centre

Takashimaya department store

Ion shopping centre

The tree at Ion

Inside the Ion tree

Tangs department store

Trees in Scots Road

Paragon shopping centre

A day in Paris

2014-12-15T06:00:00.000+08:00

Taking advantage of the quick and seamless crossing on the Eurostar train to Paris was a great opportunity to see Paris in December and in festive mode.
Despite the weather being extremely cold and the sky grey , the day was fine and enabled a full day of sightseeing without the need for umbrellas.
The major departments stores had crowds lining up to see the Christmas windows and roasted Chestnut sellers were doing a good trade until the police came by and they picked up their stands and fled!
The Champs-Élysées had a huge European style Christmas market with food, mulled wine and craft stalls. An ice skating rink was also set up and seemed to be very popular with adults and children.

Christmas trees on sale in the street

Galeries Lafayette department store windows

Galeries Lafayette department store

Upside down Christmas tree in Galeries Lafayette department store

Printemps department store

Printemps department store windows

Printemps department store windows

Printemps department store windows

Printemps department store

Printemps department store

Tiffany's store window

Printemps department store

Christmas markets on the Champs-Élysées

Christmas ornament seller

Christmas markets on the Champs-Élysées

Gingerbread and Stollen seller

Ferris wheel on the Place de la Concorde

Champs-Élysées

Eiffel tower in winter

Bus Art In London

2014-12-14T10:09:00.000+08:00

London loves an art trail and to celebrate the vital role that London buses play in moving people around London, artists have decorated close to 50 bus sculptures that are on display in various locations around London.
The buses will be auctioned off at a later date and the proceeds from the sale donated to charity.

"360 Panorama of London"

"Cath Kidson"

"Poppy Fields"

"London Skyline bus"

"Rock and Royal'

"Punk'ed"

Paddington Bear Trail in London

2014-12-14T05:00:00.000+08:00

To celebrate the launch of the movie "Paddington Bear" and to raise money for charity, decorated Paddington Bear sculptures are on display throughout London till the end of December. Over 50 bears are on display and can be found by a map or an app on your smartphone.
The traditional Paddington designed by the author of Paddington Bear - Michael Bond can be found on platform 8 at Paddington Railway station .
The bears will be auctioned off and the money and online donations will support child abuse.

Paddington on platform 8 at Paddington Station

Threadbear Paddington

Taste of Peru Paddington

Sparkles Paddington

The Journey of Marmalade Paddington

Stripes Paddington

Fluttery Paddington

Golden Paws by David Beckam

Paddington Jack

Good News Bear

Paddington is Great by Stephen Fry

Bear of London by Boris Johnson

Paddington the Explorer

W2 1RH Paddington

Bear Humbug

Bearer of Gifts

Parka Paddington

Paddington Lloyd Webber by Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber

Rainbow Paddington

Special Delivery Paddington

Paws

Wonders of the World Paddington

Blush Paddington by Nicole Kidman

Bear In the Wood

Paddingtonscape

Precious Paddington

Paws Engage Paddington

The Mayor of Paddington

London In December

2014-12-14T02:00:00.000+08:00

A week in London saw us amongst a vibrant city in full festive mode. The main shopping streets such as Oxford St and Regent St were decorated with Christmas lights. Shop windows featured elaborate displays and restaurants were offering Christmas menus. The weather was cold but fine and the daylight hours were reduced from about 8:30 am to about 4pm. A huge Winter Wonderland was set us in Hyde park offering European style Christmas markets and amusement rides for children.

Bond Street

Regent Street

Carnaby Street

Burlington Arcade

Knightsbridge station

Window display at Harvey Nicols

Harrods windows

Decorations at a restaurant

Shop entrance

St Christopher's Place

Lego Santa and reindeer in Covent Garden

Lego Santa

Lego reindeer

Convent Garden

Bond Street

Oxford Street

Selfridges Oxford Street

One of the many Christmas jumper designs on sale

Sunrise at 8:30 am

Crowds at Winter Wonderland

Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque

2014-12-13T14:18:00.000+08:00

The Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia are Istanbul's top tourist attractions and both were under restoration on our visit but still attracted the crowds and worth seeing. Both attractions are partially under scaffolding but still allowed a great view of the details inside and out of the structures.

The mosque is known as the Blue Mosque because of blue tiles surrounding the walls of interior design. The Mosque was built in early 1600 during the rule of Ahmed I.

Hagia Sophia is one of the greatest surviving examples of Byzantine architecture. First built as a Greek Orthodox church in 537 and the converted into a mosque in 1453 till 1931. It was then converted to the present day museum in 1935. Its rich interior is decorated with mosaics and marble pillars.

The Blue Mosque

Entrance to the mosque

One of the six minarets

Blue mosaics

Mosaics on the dome

The interior of the mosque

Mosaics

Detail on the minaret

Hagia Sophia

The main dome

Chandeliers

Detail on the dome

Islamic calligraphy

Mosaic tile

The interior - scaffolding on the left

Marble doors

The Deësis mosaic

Comnenus mosiac

Empress Zoe mosaic

The Bazaars of Istanbul

2014-12-13T13:03:00.000+08:00

The Grand Bazaar and Spice Bazaar in Istanbul are popular tourist attractions and can be very crowded at times attracting up to 400,000 visitors a day during peak time.

Some online travel sites have comments that the Grand Bazaar is a rip off and should be avoided. We found it to be an interesting experience with the shop keepers in jovial moods and not pushy like markets in Thailand or China. Many of the items on sale were repeated but with over 5000 stalls in 60 streets, there was a large variety of items . It was just a matter of saying "no" if we didn't want to buy a particular item. Bargaining was required and most prices could be decreased by 50 to 60% off the starting price.

Also interesting was the mosaics on the ceilings of the various domes in the covered market as well as the tea sellers delivering cups of tea on silver trays to the various stall owners.

The Spice Bazzar was a colourful and vibrant market selling a huge range of spices as well as Turkish Delight or Lokum in many varieties. Many of the premium Lokum was made with honey and had the addition of nuts or dates and could be sampled before trying to make a hard decision of which flavour to purchase. The spices could be purchased in small quantities and were vacuumed sealed for traveling.

Entrance to Grand Bazaar

Mosaics on the domes and arches

One of the main streets in the bazaar

Colourful lights on sale

Ceiling of the Grand Bazaar

The Spice Bazaar

Spices at the Spice Bazzar

Copper cookware

Tea and coffee sets

Spices

Turkish delight

Istanbul

2014-12-13T09:30:00.002+08:00

Istanbul has been in various travel articles as a top tourist destination to visit in 2014. Taking advantage of some great airfares we decided to spend 8 days in Istanbul in late November. Flight time from Singapore to Istanbul is approximately 12 hours. We had an overnight stop over in Doha which helped us adjust to the time zones change.
Traffic from the airport on the European side to our hotel was horrendous with constant lane changing and soundings of car horns. During peak hours constant beeping of horns as well traffic jams could be seen and heard.
Istanbul has so much to offer and we found getting around on the public transport system a breeze. Major attractions were not crowded and we were able to enjoy the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia and the Bazaars without the normal peak season numbers.
Several times we caught the ferry across to the Asian side to visit the various neighbourhoods and to visit a fantastic fresh food market.

Taking a 2 hour cruise on the Bosphorus Strait was a highlight of the holiday and the cruise takes you past many beautiful waterfront properties both on the European side as well as the Asian side of Istanbul.

Taskim Square tram

Simit ( Turkish bagel ) vendor

Courtyard of the Yeni Mosque

Houses on the European side of Istanbul

The Blue Mosque

One of the many cats asleep in the Bazaar

Drain cover with mosaics tiles

Artwork on a school wall

Flower seller

Sculpture in the street on the Asian side of Istanbul

Sunset on the Bosphorus

View from window of Hagia Sophia

Cats on the Rainbow stairs

A cat on a medium strip

Fish in the Kadiköy market

Indian Safari at Gardens by the Bay

2014-10-12T13:06:00.003+08:00

To coincide with Deepavali celebrations the Flower Dome at Gardens by the Bay have an Indian Safari theme till the start of November. The floral display is vibrant with amaranths, pansies, marigolds and orchid flowers mixed with grasses such as pampas grass.
Gardens by the Bay mascot bear ,Wise Wee is stationed in a lookout post looking for the various animals throughout the display. India's national bird the peacock features throughout the Indian Safari with flowers making up the tails of the birds.
Throughout the Flower Dome educational signs provide an insight into Indian customs and traditions.

Banners in the gardens

The main display

Peacock with flower tail

A tent is the focal point in the design

Peacock with orchid tail

One of the many peacocks

Elephant

Pampus grass

Peacock on nest

Marigold tigers

The peacock tails

Wooden elephants

Lotus flower

The peacocks

Snakes and Ladders game which originated in India

Educational signs

Peacock with orchid tail

Wise Wee on lookout

Deepavali celebrations

2014-10-07T11:48:00.003+08:00

Deepavali celebrations are in full swing in Little India in Singapore. Deepavali falls on the 22nd of October this year and the streets of Little India have been lit up with elaborate decorations that captivate the crowds at night. Large temporary markets are both crowded with stall holders selling decorations and food for the festival as well as people shopping for the celebration.
Deppavali is also known as the Festival of lights and is the most important festival in Hinduism. The festival is the celebration of good over evil and light overcoming darkness.

The gateway to Little India

Centrepiece of the display is the Goddess of Wealth - Mahalakshmi

Elephant

Happy Deepavali

Lights along Serangoon Rd

Diya (lamp )

The sacred Peacock features heavily in this years display

Diya symbols also feature in the display

Goddess of Wealth - Mahalakshmi

Garlands in the market

Decorations for the home

The festival market

Mid Autumn decorations in Chinatown

2014-09-11T09:48:00.003+08:00

Chinatown in Singapore is again decorated with lanterns to celebrate the Mid Autumn Festival. This years theme is "Blooming Mid Autumn" and 3100 lanterns in the shapes of Orchid flowers decorate New Bridge Rd and South Bridge Rd.
The lanterns are on display till the 28th of September and draw large crowds of people at night.

The main lantern centrepiece

Lanterns along New Bridge Rd

Closeup of lanterns

New Bridge Rd.

Shophouses and lanterns

South Bridge Rd.

Singapore Garden Festival 2014

2014-08-27T11:55:00.001+08:00

Singapore's biennial Garden Festival was held at the Meadow at Gardens by the Bay for the first time this August. Previous festivals have being held at the Suntec Convection Centre. The festival featured show gardens created by international landscape and garden designers, floral displays and Penjing competitions. Penjing is the ancient Chinese art of depicting artistically formed trees, other plants, and landscapes in miniature.
Gardens by the Bay were a magnificent backdrop to the wonderful show gardens and displays as well as the many market stores selling horticultural items. As many Singapore residents live in high-rise apartments and their gardens are confined to their balconies a large section of show balconies were on display to give inspiration.
The show was hugely successful with over 300,000 people visiting the show over the 9 days the festival was on.

Colourful advertising

Cup and saucer planters

A spinning lion

Lots of displays to keep children entertained

Drum planters filled with orchids

Carnival by the Bay Garden

Tinpot man

Sacred Garden was the Gold award winner

Australian Garden by Jim Fogarty

Vertical by Australian Designer Brendan Moar

Japanese Wind by Yamaguchi Yosuke

Full Circle by English designer Andrew Sturgeon

Silver Medal winner Layered Spaces by American designer Joe Palimeno

Layered Spaces by American designer Joe Palimeno

Crocheted trees

Grasshoppers

Orchid lady

Green model

Orchids and butterfly

Jute butterflies

Balcony garden

Penjing display

Fantasy garden

Orchid Extravaganza

2014-08-24T15:19:00.001+08:00

Over 18,000 orchids have been incorporated in a display at the Flower Dome at Singapore's Gardens By the Bay . The orchids are on show till the middle of September and also feature competition orchids from one of Singapore's Orchid societies.
The display features over 40 different species of orchids and the centre piece of the display is a walk - through 10-metre tall orchid kaleidoscope.
The floral display is designed by award-winning Japanese landscape architect Jun-ichi Inada and features Japanese elements in the design.

Orchid display outside the Flower Dome

Vanda Mrs Joaquim - Singapore's Floral Emblem

Oncidium orchid

Orchid arches

Phalaenopsis orchids

Bamboo poles add a Japanese influence

Orchid totems

Phalaenopsis orchids

Dendrobiums

The main display

The kaleidoscope

Phalaenopsis orchids on the outside of the kaleidoscope

Entrance to the kaleidoscope

Inside the kaleidoscope

The exhibits for the Orchid Society

Phalaenopsis exhibits

Dendrobiums exhibits

Vanda exhibi

Prize winning Tiger orchid

Some of the prizes

Yokohama Sand Sculptures

2014-08-12T10:54:00.001+08:00

While in Tokyo we read in the newspaper that a large sand sculpture exhibition had just opened in Yokohama. The train to Yokohama took us about 30 minutes from Tokyo and the exhibition is on until the 3rd of November.

Sand sculptors from around the world have created giant detailed sculptures that include World Heritage and historical buildings from China, Japan and South Korea. The artists used sand from the Tottori Sand Dunes, Japan’s largest coastal dunes which is about 6 hours by train from Tokyo.

Seajong the Great - Korean ruler

Incredible detail on the sculptures

Sand trees

Terracotta warriors

The Great Wall of China

The Forbidden City

Terracotta Warriors

The Forbidden City

Admiral Perry and officers who opened up Japan to the West

Meji era Japan

Admiral Perry's fleet

Meji era Japan

Terracotta Warriors

Dragon

Yokohama City

Imperial Palace Tokyo tour

2014-07-30T16:53:00.003+08:00

Having missed out on a tour of the grounds of the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on past visits to Japan , I made the effort to book ahead in order to go on the free guided tour during our latest trip to Tokyo. The tour is just over an hour and is conducted in Japanese but audio guides were available for other languages.
The Imperial Palace in Tokyo is the main residence of the Emperor of Japan. It is located in a large park-like setting of about 3.5 square kilometres close to the Tokyo Station and contains several buildings including the main palace and the private residences of the Imperial family as well as the Imperial Household Agency.
Most of the structures of the Imperial Palace have been rebuilt after being destroyed in World War II. After the war the current Imperial Household Agency building was used as a temporary palace.
The current palace complex which consists of 7 main buildings and was completed in 1968 in a modernist style with Japanese architectural references such as the large gabled roof, columns and beams. The gardens surrounding the palace are beautiful and very sculptured and would be spectacular in Autumn.

Entrance for the tour

Fujimi- yagura keep - Mt Fuji could be seen from here when first built in 1457

Fujimi-yagura keep

Imperial Household Agency

Chowaden Hall - used for receptions

The main entrance to Chowadan Hall

Sculpture that represents a pine tree

Chowadan Hall

Balcony for New Years Day and Emperor's Birthday greetings for the public in the courtyard

Shrubs clipped to form hills

Meganebashi Bridge

Part of the 7 buildings making up the Imperial Palace

Nijubashi Bridge

Fushimi - yagura Keep and Meganebashi Bridge

Lights on the Nijubashi Bridge

Hari Raya decorations

2014-07-14T10:17:00.002+08:00

The decorations and nightly bazaar are once again adding a festive spirit in the Geylang Serai area of Singapore for the Hari Raya festival or Ramadan.
This year 1200 temporary market stalls are set up in the area and this is an increase from the 800 stalls last year. The stalls sell items for the festival including decorations for the house, food for the daily breaking of the fast, gifts and clothing etc.
The end of Ramadan is on the 28th of July and is a public holiday in Singapore.

Selamat Hari Raya translates as "Happy Celebration Day"

Decorations hanging from the street trees

Some of the temporary market stores

Eid Mubarak - a traditional greeting meaning "Blessed Feast"

Decorations along Geylang Rd

Decorations on pedestrian bridge

Decorations on the light poles

Decorations along Sims Ave

Part of the street decorations

Persian Garden at the Flower Dome

2014-07-07T21:03:00.004+08:00

Gardens by the Bay have again created a stunning themed garden in the Flower Dome. The theme till the 3rd of August is a Persian Garden.
The display has the key elements of Persian gardens - geometry, water and shade. Plants that have been used in the floral display include Cyclamen, Jasmine, Persian Violets and Oriental Lilies.

The main display

Persian architecture

Oriental Lilies

Persian architecture

Decorative plates in the display

Tanjine and spice display

Outdoor setting

Cyclamen

Miniature Kangaroo Pawls surrounded by English box

Tile backdrop

The water feature

Lanterns as garden ornaments

Palms as a back drop creating a Persian experience

Halong Bay day trip

2014-05-17T15:46:00.001+08:00

We hired a tour guide who came with a driver to take us to Halong Bay from our hotel in Hanoi. The trip by car takes about 3.5 hours with a stop at a tourist souvenir centre for about 20 minutes which stocked the same items that are available in the markets and shops in Hanoi. The car ride certainly was an experience with constant lane changing (often on the wrong side of the road ) as we passed through many small villages and rice fields. Some of the cargo being carried on the back of motorbikes had to be seen to believed and the the most astonishing item was a washing machine being transported!

Arriving at Halong Bay the number of boats available to take passengers on a cruise is incredible and despite the large numbers of tourists we boarded our boat efficiently with 8 other tourists.

A seafood lunch was served on the boat while we headed out to the Bay and I was a bit concerned that the amount of boats would spoil the experience. But due to the vast size of the bay it was certainly peaceful as we motored around the countless limestone pillars and islands.

The weather was perfect and our tour guide told us that it is such a gamble with the weather and often after arriving the boat rides are cancelled due to the bad weather. Certain tours stop off at the many floating villages along the way but we instead stopped of at a huge caves called "Hung Dau Go" ( Cave of Wooden Stakes ) which gets its name from where the Vietnamese use to store sharpened wooden stakes to fight of the Mongolians in the 13 century.

The caves are reached by climbing 90 steps and once inside there are 3 chambers with many stalactites and stalagmites which our guide had much fun pointing out various formations that looked like certain objects. Some were easily seen but others required a vivid imagination!

Our boat for the the afternoon

Just so many limestone formations

The symbol of Halong Bay - Fighting roosters or Kissing chickens

A calm and clear day

Emerald waters of Halong Bay

Despite the large number of boats - peaceful spots could be found

Peaceful Halong Bay

Floating village

Fishing boats

"Dog" on a rock

Hung Dau Go caves

The tour boats at the caves

Hanoi - Vietnam

2014-05-07T18:15:00.001+08:00

Taking advantage of the Labour Day holiday in Singapore, we headed off to Hanoi for 5 days. As the holiday was also been celebrated in Vietnam the mad traffic most people mention about Hanoi was rather tame in terms of quantity but the lane changing and driving on the wrong side of the road lived up to expectations.
We stayed in the West Lake area which had many large homes lining the lake and was a short taxi ride into town.
The city is divided into different tourist areas and we spent most of the time walking around the French Quarter and also the Old Quarter.
The Old Quarter is the main tourist shopping area and the shops are filled with lacquer products, silk items and woven items made by the hill tribes of Vietnam.
People watching was very entertaining in Hanoi especially the locals going about their daily routines - from the fresh rice noodle sellers, flower sellers , vendors cooking in the street to men having their haircuts and shaves done on the footpaths.

Because of the holiday many families were taking advantage of the days off and were spending the the day beside the Hoan Kiem Lake.

Martyr's Monument

The Huc Bridge over Hoan Kiem Lake

Thap Rua - Tortoise tower on Hoan Kiem Lake

Peace memorial

Le Thai To monument

Balloon seller

Basket and hat seller

Opera house

Vegetable market

Cooking pork patties in the street

Hanoi Cathedral

Rice noodle seller

Traffic free- for- all

3D cards vendor

One of the many barbers on the footpaths

The Tulips are back

2014-04-21T14:15:00.001+08:00

From now to the 4th of May it is Tulipmania time at Gardens by the Bay. Some 25000 tulips have arrived in Singapore from the Netherlands and another 25000 will arrive in a few weeks time to keep the display fresh. The temperature in the Flowerdome has been lowered to increase the life of the flowering bulbs.
This is the second year Gardens by the Bay in conjunction with KLM airlines have put on the display and the theme this year is Holland's architecture and canals. The display features 20 varieties of tulips and 9 varieties of the highly fragrant hyacinths.
This year the popular white bunny Miffy from Dutch children's author Dick Bruna has also come to Singapore to have photos with children at Gardens by the Bay during the festival.

Advertising in the gardens

The display in the Flowerdome

Dutch style houses amongst the tulips

Hyacinths and tulips

One of the many windmills

Hyacinths and tulips

Wheelbarrow full of fragrant Hyacinths

The centrepiece of the display

Some of the 20 varieties of tulips

Tulips in a more relaxed display

The main windmill

Delftware vase in a still life display

A smaller display in the Flowerdome

A model Dutch village

Miniature Dutch houses

Information tulips featured throughout the display

Miffy shopping in Orchard Rd