Another nostalgic trip for me. Brought the kids here when they were little. We had the place to ourselves this time, it being a week day.
Snapped by Ruth with the Turtle temple behind us. Legend has it that a turtle rescued ship wrecked sailors and landed them on the island. 
In the three year I spent here in the 1980's, I never visited Faber hill. It isn't even in the guide books we have. But it a great place to see the city scape.
Singapore pockets of green are being progressively joined together by walk ways.
This one is between Faber and Telok Blangah Hill. Just don't look down between the walk way boards. Turns your tummy.
Up the Singapore River, a little way.
Coming across this sculpture after a couple of beers of an evening could be a bit alarming.
A basin view of the Esplanade Theatre complex. 
Our young friend has recently moved to Singapore on a month or two's contract. Serviced apartments just off Orchard Road. Nice work my friend.
The front door. It is just so classy
On the outside walls of the theatre are a series of lovely paintings. Humorous
and evocative of times past.
There will always be time for afternoon tea.
In the Junker's area a Hindu Temple, a Mosque and a Buddhist Temple line up on one side of the street. 
Apart from the hill at the centre, this gate is all that is left of Alfonso d'Albuquerque's 1511 fort. And this is only here because our friend Raffles intervened to halt the demolition.
St Paul's Church, 1521, is not in any better a state. But it is quite extraordinary to walk on European tomb slabs in the floor of the nave. The Chinese, Portuguese, Dutch, English and Japanese have held this place. A light house in front of a church, neat.
Chinese Clan house, some very ornate. This was the street of the rich Peranakan Chinese in Melaka.
Could explain why they got away with blocking the ends of their five foot ways.
The Peranakan museum. It is housed in the three houses that were jointly occupied by one extended family. Has the feel of house still lived in...as if the family has just popped out for dinner.
A very relaxing cruise on the river. We turned up early for the 5 pm cruise to find it cancelled. Well, OK, lets uncancelled it and "shall we go now?" So we pushed off at 4.45 pm. Very Malay I have to say. Very refreshing.
A replica of the first type of Portuguese boat to get here in 1500 and something. Cheng Ho the eunuch Chinese Admiral got here some 300 year before that with junks more than twice the size of this bath tub toy but, hey........... who cares???? Extraordinarily, these junks may have used ply wood principles in the construction of thier hulls. That is truely amazing.
St. Francis Xavier's Church, 1849, and yes it has a lean to rival Pisa's tower but much scarier...the whole building is off plumb..
As part of the town's development the river banks now have a new walk way. How different it looks from 24 years ago. Muddy banks all gone. The river has also been dammed at its mouth and is no longer tidal. But it is less smelly.
To end with the start of the cruise in the newly formed basin. 
Lovely place. The front part of the hotel has been partly restored to a Paranakan style with the back extension very modern
Very cooling garden between the blocks,
and a fabulous place for breakfast. At 25++ quid including buffet breakfast we could be coming again.
Slowly, slowly.
The upper floor is complete with about half the ground floor tiling laid.
Stored all the finds in one room more or less. Doesn't look very much but has taken a lot of energy to find even this small amount!!
A posh lunch at Flutes at fort Canning. Nearly $50 each!!!! But very, very nice. Not up to the standard of Veranda in UB, but close enough. The eatery is housed in an old "Black and White" colonial bungalow. Ideal for twelfth scale me thinks. Nice lamps too.Too small a story for the big screen. Play for Today on TV would have been better. About taking responsiblity, sins of the fathers etc.......or in this case mother. Dark. Liked the last scene, walking from the darkness to the light. But the hand held camera drives you crazy. Reluctant 3.5. The lady seated next to me was weeping.
Love faces. I don't know if it was where I was standing or what, but the masqueraders begged me to take their photograph!!! Honest.
Even the Guys.
BUT, guys are not as gourgous as gals. Has to be said.
No contest, 
you must agree!!!!
There is always one isn't there????!!!!
