Singapore Birthday Trip - Marina Bay Sands Day Monday/Tuesday

The fifteen minute cab ride from the IHG to the Marina Bay Sands (MBS) is disappointing. The last few times the road has been lined with gorgeous flowers of all colors. We are between seasons.

We take afternoon tea at Rise where today the steamed dumplings are the star of the show. Carol loves the scones on offer.

There were orchids throughout the IHG. The same is true here at MBS.

This hydrangea has amazing colour.

We take aperitif hour at Wakuda where Carol is met on entry with a huge bear hug from the bartender to the astonished glares of nearby customers. Clearly, they wonder who we are when CJ also gets a hug from James.

The next two hours we enjoy their complimentary aperitif hour offerings of sushi, fried chicken (really good), edamame, and a mango desert.

Each of us has one complimentary drink as part of the aperitif package. CJ has his and Carol's glass of wine while James pours her the special nonalcoholic wine from Denmark she loves. The sommelier, Sammy, also a friend recommends a carafe of special autumn sake. It seems it is a bottomless carafe. Carol's glass is also topped off endlessly. 

We present Sammy with a gift of a 375ml bottle of Classe Azul Reposado. The bar serves it.

We chat with both of them most of the two hours. Fortunately, James is the bar manager and has assistants to deal with other customers. Sammy's services are only sporadically required this evening.

Back in the room, the hotel has delivered a welcome and birthday gift.

The next day is a typical day at MBS without leaving. CJ is up early waiting for sunrise. Carol's ships are still there. We call them Carol's ships because since our first visit, she has always loved looking at the ships in the Straits. It is one of the things that brings her back.

At daybreak, we can see lights on inside of the Cloud Forrest pavilion.

From this years room in Tower 2, we look down on the elevated walkway to Gardens By The Bay.

There are two cruise ships in this morning.

We breakfast at Rise where one of the staff recognizes us and informs us we should be sitting in the adjacent The Club area instead of the general restaurant. We've had nine brekkies and now we discover we should be sitting in the less crowded club area. It is also much closer to the buffet stations.

We hang out in the room until afternoon tea which we now take at 3p. Instead of reserving aperitif hour at 5p, we book Koma for 6p.

Koma is our favorite location (staff of Wakuda excepted) for aperitif hour. This program enters the pictures backwards. So first up is the complimentary birthday cake. That hole is where the candle was.

This is a great sake carafe and chilling stand. The search for one begins afresh.

The sake cocktail was very good if not a bit miniscule.

Carol selected the Pescatarian option. She mistakenly ate it backwards believing it to be served in the same order as CJ's selection. It would have been if she had been sitting on the other side of the table.

CJ aperitif hour selection.

Aperitif serving with sake cocktail.

CJ's on top row, Pescatarian option on the bottom row.

The famous Koma bell. We can't help wonder what it is made of. It's certainly not cast iron as an original would be.

We sat or slept through the previous evening's Gardens By The Bay light show.