After the tour, it wasn't far to walk to Raffles Hotel; it is due to reopen later this year, but there is still a lot of scaffolding in place, and a lot of work to be done.
The Long Bar has been open again for a while but, since refurbishment, we thought it had lost some of its charm, and felt rather sterile. It's hard to quantify it, but the old bar had a certain feeling of permanence,, and the thick covering of peanut shells on the floor looked as though it had been there for a very long time! In the new site, although patrons are still allowed to throw peanut shells on the floor as in days of old, we wondered if there is someone who comes along each night, and sweeps them all up, so that it is pristine for start of business the next day?! The ceiling fans still waft, but now they are powered electrically; and patrons have to queue up to get in.
It was then I understood why Wendy was clear she did not want to go to the Long Bar on Saturday night; the wait to get in would probably have been horrendous! As it was, it took us nearly half an hour to cross the threshold and be guided to a table.
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| The Singapore Sling Shaker |
Of course, the atmosphere is what you go for, and the history and the sense of occasion; it was lovely to be back.
Although Raffles Hotel isn't open, they have a little souvenir shop which is, and we went in to see where Wendy had bought pretty things from her last trip.
Wendy knew all the best shops; we really enjoyed ourselves seeing what was on offer, and although the shoe shop didn't have anything fresh to tempt Wendy, she saw a stunning pair of evening trousers - black, with silver stripes running down the sides, reminiscent of the building photographed from our room at the Pan Pacific! Very dramatic, very Wendy.
Back at the Hotel, after all that fun, sightseeing, walking and shopping, we didn't feel like eating in the restaurant, so again we ordered room service; we reckoned we wouldn't change a winning team, and kept to the same menu we'd enjoyed last night.
It was then time to make tracks to visit Super Tree Grove. It was actually not all that far to walk, but as we had been on our feet so much today, Wendy decided we would take a taxi; again, a wise move, and we arrived in good time for the light show.
It is a very beautiful place, with a ring of special trees festooned with lights, which dance to the music of Strauss waltzes, excerpts from opera, some very dramatic, some deeply romantic and moving. It is quite entrancing.
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| The light show at Super Tree Grove |
The few photographs we took don't do it justice, but in any case, I didn't want to have a finger pressing the camera button, clicking away all the time; I just wanted to enjoy the performance. It lasted 15 minutes and what wonderful impressions we took away with us.
Wendy was pleased to have shown me so many things she enjoys on her visits to Singapore; another taxi ride back to the hotel, another call to room service to order breakfast for the next morning, and that was it for the day. We both felt we had done well!
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