Singapore- what is it like?

Several people have asked me what Singapore is like.

Think of an Asian Paris.A lovely city with wide avenues lined with exotic trees and flowers.Expensive shops , underground malls to protect you from the heat and rain, restaurants of every kind. A clean, well run city where nobody asks you for" spare change", vomits in the street or mugs you . A population of very hard working courteous people.

Yes, there are strict penalties for those who break the law but so what, it is a relief to walk around in a safe city , makes some of our western cities seem crude and out of control.

  

Shopping and Goodbye KL

This week has gone so fast.
The trip to Malacca was good, the driver was very nice and his car perfectly acceptable.
Yesterday was. our last day in KL.

We have done a lot of shopping, the goods are the same as in other stores around the world, e.g. Banana Republic, minus the purchase tax. and much cheaper. The exceptions to this are stingy old Top Shop and Marks and Spencer which charge the same as in the UK so they charge the UK VAT rate (20%) and fleece the customers. Avoid these shops .No bargains there.
The fake stuff is brilliant but check zips work and bargain for a discount.Petaling Street is the cheapest but the stuff is dodgy, could not believe people were buying optical stuff and electronics which were obvious fakes.

Flying Out

Going to Kuala Lumpur via Singapore tonight.13 hours flying time plus many more fannying around at the airports.
Hope I can get a shower at Singapore airport.
Weather forcast suggests it is still the rainy season.
Plan to do some fake ( sorry, inspired by) shopping in KL

Shoes and handbags are a good bet.

Diamond Jubilee Memorabilia

A lot of stuff is appearing in the shops, mostly tat.
Found this in Fortnum and Mason in Picadilly, London.
Quite a tasteful tin of biscuits  that plays God Save The Queen when you wind a key underneath the tin.Expensive at £12 , but a good excuse to visit F&M .
Worth a trip to look at the window displays.
Gorgeous Easter eggs.

                  
Try this link to see the Queen, Camilla and Kate at Fortnums     

  http://www.fortnumandmason.com/

Signs of Spring

The warm weather has brought the bulbs out over the weekend. These displays along the backs of Trinity College are always uplifting after the cold of winter.

Aconites and Crocus