Today is all about Raffles Afternoon Tea

Another late breakfast, thanks to super comfy bed and idling time looking at the ships in the bay..which are huge and there's so many!
Following breakfast I decided to go across the road to the Art ,Science Museum as they had a mind and body exhibition. It turned out to be a rather wierd interactive experience which at one point required you to choose 3 words based on the answer to three questions. It then generates a personal poem based on the 3 words...quite remarkable.
A further interactive thing needed you to raise your arm then dance around and it generates a kind of tarot card ..which in my case was surprisingly appropriate.
There was a haze room that is supposed to relax the mind and focus the senses sitting in a hammock chair...too wierd so came out .
I encountered a couple from New Zealand having a brew and started chatting with them for a while ..the man was from Liverpool originally and the lady's family were from North Manchester. They now lived in Auckland but had also lived in France.
Time to get ready for Raffles afternoon tea..so shower and ironing the dress I'd bought specifically for this auspicious occasion.
A taxi took me to the iconic hotel
In stark contrast to the Marina Bay Sands which is a modern marvel, Raffles has retained its dignified, sophisticated, calm, ambience and is stunning in its own right
I loved the guy dressed in Indian dress on the front steps .Very distinguished.
In sharp contrast, I made a very undignified entry, not befitting the sophistication and red carpet approach of the place, as I slipped in my flip flops...I only have flip flops and walking boots 😳 so flip flops it was.
It's a simply beautiful place and the service was exceptional.
It felt grown up and special..Mum would definitely have appreciated it's high standards.
I couldn't believe that I was brought a selection of tea samples to choose from and could open the lids and smell each of them before deciding.
...I chose Assan Gold tea , which proved to be delicious and getting cold milk wasn't an issue either !!
( It had taken 3 attempts to get cold milk at breakfast this morning at Mbs)
The afternoon tea food was beautiful and each item was explained .
The waiter brought scones separately with jam and cream and then stayed to chat .We spoke about a mutual experience of going as solo travellers, to Angkor Wat.
The young waiter then thoughtfully returned with some books about Raffles, rather than making much of the fact I was on my own.
It was all rather overwhelming and emotional, not least because I had spotted the grand piano upstairs, in an area for guests only..
I had to ask to go to see it ,even if the answer was No. In explaining why, I got upset.
The staff were brilliant.One went to find someone to take me upstairs. One walked by and noticed i was tearful and quietly returned with tissues ,without fuss or asking questions .
Needless to say ,they accompanied me upstairs to the piano for which I will always be grateful ,because its thanks to Mum.and Dad I am having ALL these experiences.
I had some time in the grounds at Raffles and went to the Long Bar
I didn't have a Gin Sling as I'd had a Large Rose Champagne...surprisingly in an ordinary wine glass...Id like to think I got more champagne as a result!
I will probably do the Gin Sling when return to Singapore, lafter Borneo, as I have 12hrs to wait for the New Zealand flight.
Coming out of Raffles, I spotted the Emirates shop-- of course I had to go over!🤣
I only looked through the door, but was encouraged to go inside
They have a mock up of a 1st class cabin,which they invited me to try ..I didn't need telling twice !
Also they have a selfie photo machine.
By this time I had all 5 staff involved and we had a great time doing the selfies.
Unfortunately, I didn't manage to upload on my phone fast enough and as we'd already had several attempts at doing this selfie machine I thought I best leave it ..
It would have been good as the photo was me with 5 Emirates staff, superimposed on 4 different scenes, the Maldives, Egypt, the 1st class cabin and one other. The staff were lovely and laughing a lot .Apparently the shop had only opened 2 days earlier!🤣
I showed them my photo behind the bar in business class...on the A380, which they were amazed at ..and found funny.
I'm sure they were glad when I left ..!.. but they'd seemingly nothing better to do.and no-one else in the shop.
There's a building I wanted to capture on photograph (.in true Instagram style )It is .the old police station and it has multicoloured shutters.
I saw a picture of it in the Art gallery , but had to work out where it was first .
Having done so, I caught a taxi to the Clarke Quay area and took the pics .
Realising where I was, I walked to the hotel I'd stayed in when I initially arrived ( The Wyndham) and got their help to get a taxi,( in race across the world style!🤣)as I'd no taxi numbers and getting a taxi after Raffles had been a bit tricky.
Returning to my room at the Marina bay sands I've been writing up my day on penguins .Time has passed as Id contemplated going in the infinity pool for that all important photo but now can't be bothered
Considering a room service snack and watch the cinema size tv.
Today is my last full day in Singapore. Tomorrow I fly to Borneo which feels surreal..I've talked about Borneo sooo much and now it's upon me..
Some of today's photos will have to go on tomorrow's entry but then tomorrow is only a transit day anyway so the photos will liven it upRead more