Flyer, Flowers, F1 and Farewell

Singapore

Today was a sleep in and a slow bus ride around the city. We have done hop-on and hop-off buses in most cities and Singapore is no exception. It really gives you a different perspective and Singapore was a whole lot cheaper than London. 

We hopped off at Little India and the markets. This was far more intense than Chinatown and involved the local Indian population more than the other area. Lots of gold shops and tailors but also less affluent. 

This connection is playing up dreadfully so if this is to be our last post, there will not be anyphotos. Thanks to everyone for the interest and support, we know we have not been alone on this adventure.
Love to you all,
Poss and Pop

Sensational Singapore

Singapore

After our short stroll yesterday we had a good few hours sleep. The huge downpour did not prevent us from recuperating well and the drop in temperature and humidity were very welcome. We ventured out again and found our way into nearby Chinatown and the Mid-Autumn Festival. What beautiful scenes.

The markets were in full swing as well as the local temples.

This is the entrance to a Hindu temple and below the Buddhist temple was stunning in sight and sound.

We did not have a late night and prepared for our day with Celina with excitement.

Our day started with a taxis ride to a local museum of Peranakan culture and history. Celina is a very proud and knowledgeable Peranakan woman. This was a wonderful experience of local culture- we had been hoping for such an insight.

Peranakan bridal headdress

Poss loved the beading skills 

The museum is housed in a traditional style Peranakan house.

After a great tour, our personal guide took us for lunch at a beautiful Peranakan restaurant for some traditional foods - delicious and some hot and spicy. Celina took very good care of us and negotiated a great spread of flavors and textures!

After lunch Celina took us to the modern side of Singapore with a visit to the Gardens By The Bay. We explored only the domes of this huge garden wonderland filled with plants from all over the world. Just a few shots as the camera ran hot!

 

But really the true feature was not the human engineering as much as that of God.

 We finished our day after Celina left us, with a swim in the hotel pool and dinner again in Chinatown.

Love to all - home soon!
Poss and Pop

Singapore Stopover

Singapore

Our departure from Rome was in style, as we treated ourselves to a chauffeured private limo to the airport. Sleek and black, the luxury Mercedes (what else eh Mark?) Sped us through the streets like two movie stars. Our driver was appropriately dressed and built like a bodyguard. Oh the lives of the rich and famous!

Check-in was faultless as was the lengthy twelve hour flight. Movies and food both very good. Little sleep though.

After checking in at our hotel we had a short stroll around the vicinity.

We had forgotten how hot and humid Singapore can be. Also that nothing really opens before 10:00am. But we did find a little Chinese temple in a side street.

The evidence of a decadent holiday was pouring into our shirts and so back to the hotel, a shower and then some sleep. The heavens opened with such a downpour that we couldn't see the nearby buildings for a while. Thunder and lightening greeted our arrival in this high rise capital.

Tomorrow our dear friend Celina is meeting us and will show us around. Unfortunately, Lance is back in Melbourne at Camp I on college assisting with one of the programs. We hope to catch up with him again in Shepparton.

Love to you all!

Poss & Pop

Arriverderci Roma !

 Rome

Well we have just spent our final day on the Continent. There is a mixture of sadness at not seeing more, and a sense of inevitability that our homeward bound leg has commenced. It will be great to see you all again for it has been a long time. 

Today we had planned to go to the coast at Ostia Antico but our experience on the Metro put Pop off, and the weather turned cooler with several heavy downpours. We were fortunate to escape these by seeking refuge in a pizzeria and ice cream shop. (It could have been worse - a jewelry shop!). 

We wandered up to St.Peter's again thinking we might say a few last prayers, but the queue was almost as long as yesterday. So we tested God's hearing by offering them from the Square. Then we took an open topped bus for a tour of nearly two hours and got a few more pics and insights into this city's ancient past.

Castle Sant'Angelo and bridge over the Tiber

This is the church of Saint Mary of the Angels and is built incorporating the ruins of Roman baths and spa.

A nice villa in a nice neighborhood, near the Hotel Eden.

These ruins were in the vicinity of the Coliseum and the palace of various Caesars.

This place also incorporates ruins that look like the Colosseum but wasn't even mentioned by any of the guides.

Even the everyday streets hold numerous monuments and sculptures and are interesting just to sit and observe.  The city is also The City of  Dings which has nothing to do with bells. Nearly every car has some panel damage. Just in the one block from our B&B we saw a crash at one intersection whilst there was one being cleared from the next. Oh to be a tow truck operator in Rome !

Well it is time to say the final Ciao! A long trip to Singapore but looking forward to seeing our friends there and lying around in the hotel pool. 

Flight is 12 hours or so and we lose time so there won't be a blog tomorrow! 

Love to you all!

Poss and Pop