Singapore: Tea, cake and jumping boys

Two chums from Oman dropped in last night for a couple of days on their way to Australia. This was the perfect opportunity for Mrs M to dry run a few tourist activities for future visitors. Today’s programme included Chinatown, afternoon tea at the Fullerton and a riverboat excursion.

While the ladies bought chopsticks, dangly things and other un-declared items, we gentlemen sat sipping Belgian beer outside the superb Tin Tin shop in Pagoda Street. We detoured into several shops and stalls on the sweaty walk to the end of the street before continuing to the Fullerton.

An over-polite waitress showed us to our comfy chairs in the atrium courtyard of Singapore’s former General Post Office, where we nibbled on English Tea Sandwiches, quiches and cakes which were constantly (but slowly) replenished. Mrs M has a bit of a penchant for clotted cream and will go to great lengths to find it every corner of the world. Although it was not actually clotted, the cream passed muster and Mrs M. overlooked the inclusion of jelly rather than strawberry jam.

We waddled out of the hotel and crossed the Cavenagh Bridge to the riverboat station on Raffles Landing Stage. The ‘River Experience’, which extended aaaaaall the way from Merlion Park to Liang Court, included commentary in an inane American accent, supplemented with outbursts from the driver pointing out the bleeding obvious, ‘jumping boys’ (bronze statues), ‘jumping boys’, ‘bungee jump’, and ‘parliament building’. It was all too much for the guy next to me who was sound asleep for most of the journey. 
With the excitement over, we ambled back to the Fullerton for a taxi to the car park in Chinatown. I had to explain to our Flossie why the MRT station smells of durian.