SINGAPORE
We were lucky enough to sign on to a trip to Singapore with the Chinhae Navy MWR. It was a small group with only about 15 people traveling. They were a nice mix of people. They were very kind to our children. Singapore is a very family friendly place. We enjoyed every minute of it.
This is in Chinatown. We did a little shopping and a little tasting. There was a stall where they cut the top of the coconut off, put a straw in and gave it to you to drink. Jenna and Ben enjoyed it......as you can see Katie did not!
We went to the botanical gardens to see the orchids. It was the end of the season but they were still quite beautiful. It was a hot, humid day. You can tell by the way we are looking a little droopy!
We went on a dinner cruise on a Chinese Junk boat. I wish I could say that the views were fabulous but they just were not. Singapore is a very industrialized port. We saw lots and lots of oil refineries just of the coast and many big ugly rigs passed out way. We did, however, enjoy the cruise. The food was delicious and being out on the water just felt great.
The next day we went to Sentosa Island. It is a small island that has been built up as a tourist attraction to draw visitors to Singapore. They have many resorts on the island plus various attractions. We went to the Singapore Experience Museum and to the Aquarium. Jenna is standing in front of what they call a Chinese Christmas tree. It was covered with oranges for good luck!
That night we went to the famous Night Safari. They take you around on a tram to see all the animals at night. You really can't take any pictures because you are not allowed to use flash. We really enjoyed the break from the heat and enjoyed the evening. We went to see a show and Katie was picked to be a volunteer. Some animal used his nose to guess in which hand Katie was holding a grape. When asked where she was from, she became confused and did what all military kids say..."Do you mean where I was born? or Where we are now? or Where we came from? She eventually said Korea which of course confused everyone!
We had a free day on this tour and of course we decided to head for the beach. We went back to Sentosa Island for the day where we spent a fabulous morning on the beach. For lunch we headed down to the beach to find a place to eat. Soon after sitting down for lunch, the skies opened up and poured for about two hours. We just stayed at the restuarant and kept the food and drinks coming. We had a nice long lunch. The real trouble came when it was time to go home. We couldn't find a way off the island as it was the beginning of Lunar New Year and everybody was on vacation. We walked from one side of the island to the other and back. The kids were real troopers. We finally made our way to one of the resorts and were lucky enough to snag an empty taxi. It was one of those days that in the end it all was good.
On the last day we went to the famous Sinapore Zoo. It was a wonderful zoo. There seems to be no borders in the park. Everything blends into the beautiful surroundings. We had breakfast with the Orangutans. It was fun experience. The children were able to get up close and personal with the animals. It was quite a treat!
Finally, any trip would not be complete without our customary visit to the Hard Rock Cafe and Singapore was no exception.....
