July 1st Singapore Raffles Hotel

views around 'Raffles'

O.H. & S. nightmare

beautiful phalaenopsis orchids for sale

A quiet day today.  I’m still getting over my cold and Den has got another one.  So a taxi ride to see ‘Raffles’.  The sky was grey and threatening but it was still 30 and very humid.  The building must have really been something special back in the day (1910’s) when it was built.  There are very exclusive/expensive stores but the majority of stores seemed unoccupied.  It was about 11am when we were there and about the only other people were some painters doing some maintenance.

We went for a little walk only to have the skies open up and drenching rain fall. So we went over to Raffles City – a large shopping centre – undercover and full of people.  I was interested to see a lot of phalaenopsis orchids for sale.  In Hobart the prices ranges between $25 and $45 - here they were $19.  Such a huge range of colours.  Pity I can’t take some home.  We found quiet spot for lunch then a taxi home.

We decided to go to the ‘Blue Potato’ for dinner.  I thought Den was kidding me when he said the name.  It is one of the restaurants within the hotel.  It looked idyllic – outdoors by the pool a nice cool ripple of a breeze.  After about ten minutes I said to Den to look for the hidden camera as I was sure it was one of those candid camera type set ups.  Every few minutes the waiter would come over for some silly reason and say in a high squeaky voice ‘excuse me………have you any requests for me?’ etc. ‘No thanks we are fine’ – back he’d come again – and so on – or he would stand hovering watching our every move.  One of the times he came over I had the perfect reply but was too much of a lady to tell him.  By then the two men at the table next to us (the only other occupied table) were having a very heated discussion – sounded like an argument.  We thought about moving tables but it was only a smallish place anyway.  Our meals arrived and out he came with the biggest pepper grinder I have ever seen.  This has got to be a set up for a gag show.  But no just a weird night out in Singapore.  So if in Singapore don’t go to the ‘Blue Potato’.  At least the food was good.