Swedish in Singapore: First visit from family in Singapore

On the 5^th of November we went to Changi airport to pick up the first family visitors from Sweden: Jonas’ excited parents! We had prepared with a BBQ fiesta by the pool, so after viewing the premisses, some soaking in the water with ice cold wine and beers we had a smashing first dinner together in almost 2 years.

First taxi ride together with exhausted but very happy Jeanette and Hans Moeller

The first day downtown we got tickets for the tourist Hop-On-Hop-Off bus from Suntec City. We went all around Singapore, stopped for lunch at La Pau Sat (central hawker center situated in an almost European looking parlor), walked through 1-Fullerton to the Merlion, took the boat to Clarke Quay and continued to Brewkertz microbrewery for more fun.

From the bus roof

From the boat deck

From the beer rim

On the Monday, which was also a Singaporean holiday, we took the MRT to the Botanic Gardens and had quite an interesting time in the Evolution Walk, Orchid Gardens and Ginger Plantagenet. Unfortunately we had to get lunch there (hotdogs with a pale pink color, chewy chicken nuggets with wet battering and very old nachos; not recommended), but made up for that with dinner at Chijmes.

Decision time on which route to take

Description of stone trees; had never heard of them before

A stone tree

People getting wedding pics in the Evolution Garden

A beautiful ginger flower

A 'new' orchid I haven't seen before

Another 'new' orchid I haven't seen before

The spectacular scenery at Chijmes

The next day we went to Holland Village to try out parts of our midwinter ball gears; we had lunch at the local hawker, checked out The Butcher and La Fromagerie and then took a bus to Chinatown. We had a good runaround with appropriate beer stops and finally took a taxi to Greenwood Bistro for their fabulous Tuesday Oyster Night. It’s really, absolutely fabulous.

Interesting frogs on the Chinatown Bridge with the business district in the background

Jonas walking into Chinatown

Hans and Jonas hanging out at Sago St in Chinatown

Start of the outstanding dinner at Greenwood Bistro

The oysters..

My squid ink pasta

The entire Wednesday was devoted to chillin by the pool, having hawker center food at Serangoon Central and dinner at Chomp Chomp. It was rounded off with a late night swim and after party at our balcony with dry Martinis and poker.

Moeller Sr and Jr had some issues floating, so sorted this out engineering style

It was then time for the high roller day. E started off at the Marina Bay Sand’s Casino, went up to the Skypark on the 53^rd floor, had Singapore Slings and lunch at Raffle’s, did some shopping at Orchard and finished off with a quick beer at Boat Quay before we shot up to the 64^th floor, 282 m:s up in the sky to 1-Altitude.

The Moellers at the entrance of Marina Bay Sands Hotel

Hans and Jeanette at the Skypark on the Marina Bay Sands

Hans and Jeanette at Raffle's Hotel in Long Bar having slings and throwing peanut shells on the floor

All the Moellers at 1-Altitide looking down on Marina Bay Sands

View from 282 m:s over Chinatown and the business district

Evening view from 1-Altitude over the Marina with the Singapore Flyer to the far left (Ferris wheel), a golf coarse lit up in the distant, the lotus shaped, white Science and Art Museum, Marina Bay Sands Hotel and finally the Casino in from of it

The weekend became a long fiesta with sleeping in, tanning by the pool with support beers and tropical fruit. We then headed for the ‘real’ quite early Chomp Chomp where we fortunately got hold of a table. We ordered chili and black pepper slip lobster, garlic baked tiger shrimps and together with grilled sting ray fillets it was ten times better than the traditional chili crab we’ve had so far. And so cheap! We also managed to squeeze in a lovely Swedish dinner at our friends’ (thank you Anna and Micke) with amongst others herring and snaps, tried a tuxedo and had kwak beer.