Final Singapore

On this last day in Singapore, we have lunch with James and Mia on their day off. The restaurant is across the bay from MBS. We began our love affair with Singapore at the Mandarin Oriental 17 years ago. Back then we were upgraded to a corner suite. It had a balcony in the corner and CJ would sit there and count the cranes on the Marina Bay Sands building site. There were more than a hundred. 

The finished product sits across the bay from today's restaurant location which is across from the Fairmont Hotel and not far from Singapore's famous spitting lion.

We think we're having a light lunch with each of the four of us ordering a taco. Mia goes crazy and the table is soon blanketed with food; excellent food. CJ didn't expect a good black lager.

A photo commemorates the event.

It's James day off. Sammy is in New York. We pass our final evening at Wakuda with James' protoge, Amos, and his sidekick for the evening Ryan. It's a great time. We finally discover the contents of the huge ten or so liter bottle at the end of the bar: Cognac. In the three years Amos has been at Wakuda, the bottle has gone from two inches from the top to its present level.

Even though it has been going on twice every evening during our stay this is the first time we've seen the Gardens By The Bay light show. We catch the last few minutes of the first show and the entire repeat two hours later.

At breakfast CJ has his usual killer doctored laksa soup. This is his second one of the day doctored and served up in the Singapore business class lounge. Farewell Singapore, Paris here we come.

Unplanned French Wine Tasting

We have aperitif hour at Maison Boulud. The tasting platter is disappointing for a fine French restaurant. Have they ever heard of French bread? There is a salmon offering over a plain white bread. Seriously?

With the rather ordinary pate, they serve pita bread. Really? And the frites are average, even McDonalds are better.

We had hoped to again people watch the parade down the boardwalk. It is Friday and their upstairs is slammed with Friday night happy hour. We're relegated to a table in the main restaurant. 

CJ spies a wine sampler flight. 6 wines. It's expensive but the wines appear premium. The Indian sommelier who serves them up is a pleasant bonus. The bubbly is a Blanc de Blancs.

Next up a pair of white wines, a Chablis unwooded Chardonnay and a white Bordeaux from Graves, a blend of Semillon and Sauvignon Banc. We had ordered a sampler for one hoping we could make each serving work for the two of us. The pours are monstrous for a sampling flight.

On to the red wines. The first is a fine Pinot Noir from the Gevry-Chambertain appellation of Burgundy. It is a 2022 wine made from old vines.

The star of the show is next up. We last had a wine from this producer some 30 years ago. The next red is 2012 Chateau Lynch Bages from Paulliac in Bordeaux. It is luscious and a beast. As James would say, "Give it a few years." This 14 year old will be drinking just fine in ten to twenty years!

The flight concludes with a Sauternes, a desert wine from the sub-region of Barsac in Bordeaux.

It was incredible fun, perhaps the best tasting flight ever; certainly the most expensive ever. That said, we cannot complain about value based on both quality and quantity. 

Singapore Orchid Gardens

We return to the orchid gardens after many years. They truly are spectacular.

Who knew there were this many variety of orchids?

We just make it, well perhaps we were five or ten steps short, before the skies opened up. The forecast threated rain all three days. Today when we venture out, it decides to fulfill its prediction. Lucky us.

Continuing on through the Mist House.

The rains stop and we continue outdoors. There are also cool sculptures here.

We're again forced to seek shelter. This time for nearly an hour.

We arrive back at MBS wet and cold. Instead of going to the room, we go directly to afternoon tea. Our favourite hostess touches Carol and finds her hands freezing. She gives her this shawl.

Enjoying Marina Bay Sands

The MBS complex is huge. We explore the shopping on the way to have lunch at Milo. Why have lunch when our package includes a full day of food. Because this lovely waitress cutting fresh basil onto our salad is Mia, James' fiance.

Like the Venetian in Las Vegas, MBS has gondola rides.

Aperitif hour this evening is directly across the mall from today's lunch spot, Milo. Koma is our second favorite spot and another Japanese restaurant. There are three we frequent here. It is the home of the best aperitif presentation and the coolest sake carafe. We sick James on the hunt for one of these.

After dinner, we explore more of MBS. At one end of the mall is a section of the usual high end clothing shops. This area is unique to children. Pictures is a Dolce & Gabbana toddler outfit. It is obvious MBS caters to the uber-rich or people with more money than brains.

On the return to our room from the mall, we pass by Wakuda. James prepares us a cocktail.