Singapore

My parents recently came for their 4th visit to Hyderabad...
I felt there isn't much to do in Hyderabad that they haven't seen so we took them to Singapore.

I like to call Singapore the anti-India. (By the way this yam flavoured ice cream tastes like captain crunch cereal.)

Singapore is known for it's orderliness. (Is that a word?)

Here is a picture of us crossing the street. Everyone waits (like they should) until the light says they can cross and it's a mad dash to get to the other side so they will be on the other side before the light changes...It was kind of thrilling and felt good to be so exact.

Here is the night market...people crowd into the narrow aisles to hunt for bargains.

This guy was at a fruit juice stand. Art is subjective.

I don't know what kind of fruit this was but they were everywhere...I love the color.

We were in Singapore right before Chinese New Year (welcome Year of the Ox). It seemed everywhere we looked you could see red and gold lanterns. There was so much excitement in the air...it felt a lot like Christmas.

One night John and I stopped at a stand for a snack and took a picture of a crab escaping from this basket... Looking back it might have been more friendly to the stand owner to tell him his crabs were escaping instead of sitting there taking a picture.

Here is John with his 'nerd' glasses he just bought at the night market...they are clear glass with no prescription (sometimes I cannot figure out what makes this kid tick).

My parents were really impressed with how well John uses chopsticks...He was really impressed with how well they use silverware.

Here is a picture of the hotel we were staying at. The Intercontinental is adjacent to the Bugis Junction Mall and across the street from the night market. It's such a nice hotel...this was our fifth/sixth time visiting and this is our favorite place to stay.

This is a picture I like to call "keep that teenager in line!" I will threaten to show this picture to John's friends when he is a teenager if he doesn't...clean his room...come home on time...just say no...

More colorful lanterns.

Mom and Dad having some fresh squeezed sunshine.

John, Scott and Robyn at the dim sum restaurant.

Can you guess what this is?

Who said octopus balls? You're right!

We saw this restaurant at Bugis Junction mall...it's theme was the U.S.A. They had these standees of Obama and McCain to invite people into the restaurant...finally a use for politicians!

Yummy Asian sweets!

Mike and Scott on the crowded subway.

A peaceful bamboo garden.

What vacation wouldn't be complete without a trip to Starbucks?

Mike...What's in the cup that's making him smile like that?

Three Smiths on a fountain.

Chinese New Year Lanterns.

Just outside of the Chinese market was a Hindu temple....I had to take a picture.

Here is the Chinese market... I don't think it is normally this crowded, but people were stocking up for the New Year celebrations.

We decided to go back to the American-themed restaurant and see what they had. Here is a picture of the two Johns.

What could be more American that deep-fried food dipped in melted cheese (ahh to be young again).

Here is a picture of John and me having a pedicure via sucker fish.

The fish nibble at dead skin...yes it tickles.

We went to the night safari at the zoo. This is such a clever idea. You ride a tram around the zoo and see the nocturnal animals frolicking in natural settings...It was interesting how many Indian animals they had.

John, Scott, Donna and Mike on the tram.

John and I enjoyed the fish pedicure so much...we talked Scott into going back and trying it.

Here is a picture of Scott's feet.

This explains how the fish work...if you can read it.

We stopped for some late night satay and were visited by this little gecko. He was very friendly.

My guys.

Singapore is only 1 degree north of the equator. It is very tropical - reminds me a little of Hawaii.

The Smiths would not go to Singapore without going out for conveyor belt sushi. It was interesting to take Mike out for his first sushi...couldn't talk Donna into trying it.

John took a picture of one of his favorite things to eat. Edamame swimming in soy sauce.

Singapore has such interesting architecture. This is a glass building where they strategically placed sun shades to counteract the green house effect. This building has many nicknames, but it's twin next door makes the buildings look like fly eyes.

This is a relatively new attraction in Singapore...the Singapore Flyer was shut down for repairs while we were there.

Ancient banyan trees.

I love how they painted these shutters different colors.

We stopped at the famous 'Long Bar' at Raffles Hotel. This is where the Singapore Sling drink was invented. Here is John doubling up (there is no alcohol in these ones but lots of sugar). Really expensive... but the peanuts are free.

Robyn, John and Scott at Raffles.

I'm not sure if you can tell from the picture, but this building is so thin it looks like a piece of paper.

Gesundtheit.

John insisted I take this picture...He thought it was the best Mona Lisa he's ever seen (and he's been to the Louvre).

We took a cable car to Sentosa Island. This (non-operational) one is made out of legos.

Scott and John on the cable car.

Scott and John gearing up for the street luge.

My Mom never seems to age.

Scott and John on the chair lift.

Robyn, John and Scott on the street luge.