The many faces of Singapore

I've been on several trips to Singapore and was never disappointed. It has an interesting mix of East meets West with sightseeing, business, expat party life, diverse ethnic people / food, shopping and bizarre pampering.

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Tags: ..Singapore..

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One Week itinerary in Singapore

We wanted to escape the dreary damp weather in Hong Kong for the Xmas vacation so were fortunate to be able to crash at my cousins place in Singapore while he and his missus braved the rain, hail, sleet, snow, ice and general transport chaos, on their trip back to Ireland. Here's a few of the things we got up to during a very chilled out relaxing week.

Botanical Gardens including the extensive Orchid Garden

Sentosa Island which is south of the city centre but connected by bridges has lots of beaches and touristy attractions

Pulau Ubin which is a small island off the east coast where you can explore on a bike and get a feel for how the locals lived before modernisation and the financial sector kicked in

Shopping at the numerous markets and HUGE shopping malls where there is little sign of a recession given the number of folks carrying bags of designer label gear

The National Museum has a great permanent exhibit of the history of Singapore and how it separated from Malaysia

Raffles Hotel and shopping plaza where you can fine dine or sip a cocktail in a historic setting

Food glorious food courts which are everywhere and as well as being super cheap, they feature cuisine from all over Asia.  It is truly food heaven!

The Zoo and Night Safari.  OK - I'm kind of cheating here as although I've been to Singapore 3 times and wanted to go I've somehow just not made it yet but someday I definitely will.....maybe

We flew back to Hong Kong on New Years Eve just in time to head out on a boat and see the fireworks on the harbour




All in all not a bad way to finish of the old year and see in the new one.  How was yours?

Tags: ..1 week vacation One Week itinerary in Singapore..

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Fish Spa - Suck on This!

The locals love their 'creature' comforts in this part of the world.  Massages of every variety imaginable and some unimaginable - wink - wink - nudge - nudge!  Ah well sure - "All's well that ENDS well!" and sure don't we all love a 'Happy Ending' to be sure to be sure!

We went to a Fish Spa recently where the basic idea is, you immerse your feet in a large fish tank and the little blighters proceed to feast on the dead skin of your toes etc and give you a good 'foot cleansing'.  It was very ticklish and weird at first but somehow calming and therapeutic after a while.

We went as a group of four and some of our feet attracted more attention or seemed more appetizing than others - no idea why? - more toe jam perhaps?

The YouTube video below will give you an idea of how it all works. There's also a full body immersion version which made me squirm thinking about mini Parana nibbling on my private bits! - Ouch! ehhh.... no thanks!



In upcoming reviews I'll be commenting on my experiences of the following 'real life' Spa treatments.

Leech therapy: As the leeches bite the skin and suck away, their saliva is said to increase circulation and detoxify your system.

Snake massage: Relax clients’ aching muscles as six non-venomous snakes slip-slide down your spine, leaving you lulled into a reptile-induced slumber.

Bull-semen hair treatment: Aberdeen-Angus bull semen is mixed with Iranian plant root katera to create a hair mask alleged to improve thickness, strength and sheen.

Bird poo facial: Aestheticians apply UV-light-sanitised and powdered nightingale droppings, mixed with rice bran to the face.

... or I may just go for a pint down the pub - You decide which is next - let me know in the comments below?

Tags: ..Fish Spa..

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Four Floors of Whores

I found a cheap flight to Singapore (for u$d150 return) out of Maccau which is an old Portugese colony and about an hour ferry ride from Hong Kong. Considering it's Easter weekend that's a great deal. Singapore has a bit of a reputation for being sterile and strict but I haven't really noticed that too much on this or my last visit. It is not as scenic as Hong Kong but then again few places are.

The food in Singapore is fantastic and I sampled the renowned Tian Tian Chicken Rice supposedly the best in the country. It was good but I preferred the Malaysian version in KL. Alcohol is expensive especially wine and liquor. It's hot and humid here year round so the dress code is more relaxed with sorts and tee-shirt the norm and rarely jackets for business.

There is a big expat community and fairly young (late twenties early thirties) so quite an energetic youthful buzz to the place. They like to party here and there's no shortage of establishments to satisfy all tastes and desires including the 'four floors of whores' which is an entertainment complex (Orchard Towers, 400 Orchard Road) where apparently there are four floors with different bars and clubs but all offering one thing - Yup, it's a meat market where prostitutes offer their wares. Strangely enough prostitution is legal here but you can be arrested for spitting on the street or jaywalking and chewing gum is a big NO-NO!

Tags: ..4 Four Floors of Whores Singapore 400 Orchard road rd..

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