Singapore

Raffles Hotel, Singapore

In Toxic Cruise Cocktail, Rachel and family kick off their cruise holiday by staying overnight at the famous Raffles Hotel. Here, Rachel encounters a bombastic man named Bigham who creates an unpleasant atmosphere. Bigham turns out to be an old friend of Rachel's father, Brendan Prince. There the mystery begins! Raffles Hotel is an iconic and historic luxury hotel located in Singapore. It is one of the most famous and prestigious hotels in the world, known for its colonial architecture, impeccable service, and rich history: Raffles Hotel was built in 1887 by Armenian hoteliers, the Sarkies Brothers. The hotel is named after Sir Stamford Raffles, the founder of modern Singapore. Over the years, it has become synonymous with the city's colonial past. Architecture: The hotel features distinctive colonial architecture with a blend of Victorian and Moorish influences. The main building is white and adorned with tropical gardens, creating a unique and elegant atmosphere. The Long Bar and the Singapore Sling: Raffles Hotel is famous for being the birthplace of the Singapore Sling, a cocktail created by bartender Ngiam Tong Boon in the early 20th century. The Long Bar at Raffles is where visitors can enjoy this iconic drink. Rachel and family spend an hour or so in the Long Bar sampling Singapore Slings when they meet fellow cruisers. Guests and Cultural Significance: The hotel has hosted numerous celebrities, dignitaries, and royalty over the years, contributing to its cultural significance. Writers such as Somerset Maugham and Rudyard Kipling have stayed at Raffles, adding to its literary allure. I couldn't send Rachel to Singapore without including a stay at Raffles, it wouldn't have seemed right. I visited the hotel during a three month SE Asian tour in 1982. My uncle asked me to visit as he'd been there for a while during WWII.…

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Travel Journal 1982 Day 5

Sunday June 20th 1982 Awake at 8:30am, got up and went for a swim. We were going to sunbathe but the rains came pouring down. When it stopped we went out for a game of tennis, but it started to rain again! Temperature was still 30˚C. Suzie's father came around this afternoon and we spent the afternoon chatting with him and Suzie's friends. We've changed our itinerary, missing out KL and going straight to Penang and on to Haadai in southern Thailand. From there we'll go on to Bangkok and Chiang Mai then back to Bangkok and over to Sri Lanka. We can't go to Burma as it would take too long by boat and it's expensive to fly. We did end up flying in and out of Burma as part of the trip. I met Wai Yin at 5pm. We went to the Wesley Methodist Church; great service. He's a really nice guy. I didn't know when I met him in London that he's a doctor! We walked alongside the river after church and Wai Yin showed me the poorer side of Singapore. Here, people live in small huts and it's filthy. There is a mix of religious symbols and artefacts in the bushes with traditions from Muslim and Chinese faiths. Numerous altars lined the way. Wai Yin told me people used to come to die here, though not so much nowadays. Half-sunk barges lined the river, mostly empty, but some with sacks of rice on board. Singapore was once a small fishing village until Sir Stamford Raffles landed in 1819. He brought the British over, who colonised it. It was taken over by what was then Malaya in 1963 and gained independence in 1965. Skyscrapers are being erected throughout the city and the cost of living is rising. There's…

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Travel Journal 1982 Day 3

Friday June 18th 1982 Woke at 12:30pm after a glorious 12 hours sleep. This apartment is gorgeous, we're certainly spoilt with the air conditioning. We've decided to stay here until Tuesday and then we'll go to K.L. (Kuala Lumpar). I've just had to throw my jacket down the rubbish chute as it was weighing me down – sob, sob! It's nice not having to worry about leaving our belongings while we go out. The beige jacket was a favourite of mine but it was going to be too hot lugging it all around Asia. Had a fairly busy afternoon. Got a but into town and went to a market place called Change Alley. An incredible place where traders pounce on you as soon as you walk in; offering anything and everything for sale. We met two New Zealanders who gave us their map as they're going to England in 5 days time. Statue of Sir Stamford Raffles We visited the famous Raffles Hotel. My uncle was stationed in Singapore during the war and asked me to visit the place as he had fond memories. Singapore is beautiful, it's so clean... there's a S$500 fine for dropping litter, even cigarette butts. They also have a law against jaywalking with a S$10 fine. You have to use pedestrian crossings all the way. We walked along Queen Elizabeth Walk and found some beautiful gardens there. We saw the Merlion which pours water from its mouth into the river. Arrived back at the apartment at 7:30pm. Suzie was home. She's really sweet and is going to show us around Singapore tomorrow. She says we can use the car! It's incredible how trusting she is. We took advantage of the onsite open air swimming pool at about 8:30pm; fantastic and really cool. I came out feeling…

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