S.E.A. Aquarium

   I couldn't find any inspiration for the title of this piece so I'll name it as it is. It's been a long time since I last stepped foot in Sentosa as a local "tourist". The last time I came to this island was for a convention. Thanks to Standard Chartered we had complimentary tickets to the new SEA Aquarium as well as dining vouchers. It was a good opportunity to spend time with the entire family.

 

 

   The exhibition that greeted us introduced Tang Dynasty Admiral Zeng He's voyage throughout Southeast Asia and the many colourful characters he might have encountered along the way. The main attraction was the S.E.A. Aquarium. Enjoy the photos...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gentlemen, who needs drawings when we have Google Maps?

Out of the Rat Race and into the Mousetrap

   The evening started with dinner at the Halia at Raffles Hotel. This is the third of three Halia restaurants. The first is located at the Ginger Garden of the Singapore Botanical Gardens. The second, in Hanoi, has been rated the best restaurant in Vietnam by the Miele Guide. The wifey's prior research didn't turn up anything impressive. Nevertheless we decided to give it a go. Boy, we were glad we did. 

   Raffles Hotel's old world charm coupled with a "green decor". Particularly fascinating was the centrepiece of a tree in the middle of a round table which was carved out of a tree trunk.

   The wifey had chilli crab pasta and I had the pre-theatre dinner set. My main was Yellowfin Tuna Loin (served rare). The tuna steak was lightly salted and grilled to perfection - crispy on the outside, juicy and red on the inside. It would please both steak and sashimi lovers. Pairing the tuna with avocado sauce was an excellent choice. The buttery taste of the fruit coupled with the aroma of the sea makes a splendid pair. 

   How can we forget the ginger when one is at Halia? I chose coffee, infused with cardamom, ginger and cinnamon. In the mouth, it has a unique taste of coffee and spice. The explosion comes after you swallow it. Definitely recommended if you'd like something spicy to fight a cold.

   Finally, to top it all off, Ginger Nougat Parfait. The slice of pineapple added zest and the pastry stick was a welcome addition, tapering the taste of ginger. This resulted in a combination of spiciness and sweetness in a delectable proportion.

   The main event of the night - a play by the renowned Agatha Christie.

   "The Mousetrap" is the longest running theater show in the world. This "who dunnit" by the renown Agatha Christie is celebrating its Diamond Anniversary at the Jubilee Hall in Raffles Hotel. For the uninitiated, a "who dunnit" is of the murder-mystery genre, where the audience is kept in suspense, not knowing who the murderer is. Besides the mystery and suspense, "The Mousetrap" does have it's humorous moments (I love British Humour). It is great fun for the entire family. You have to experience it for yourself to understand why "The Mousetrap" remains one of the most beloved plays in theater history.  

   What I particularly enjoy about "The Mousetrap" is the fleshing out of almost all the characters. We are fortunate that Agatha Christie took the effort to develop each character. Everyone hides a secret. Nobody seems totally innocent. My favourite character must be the ever self-confident, flamboyant, ladies-man, Mr Paravicini. You either love him or hate him. He brings humour and sarcasm, adding to the colour of the play. 

   I simply adore the venue. Jubilee Hall is one of the very few places in Singapore where you can imagine that you're enjoying a play in the 1940s. Quaint as the decor may be, the seats were actually very comfortable. Indeed a very apt venue for this long-running play.

   As the wifey pointed out, what is most amazing is that all through the 60 years it has been running, no one has ever let the cat out of the bag. So "who dunnit"? I'm not going to be the first to tell. But let's just say, it wasn't the butler with the candlestick.

Having a Blast in Bangkok

    After a tiring Russia trip in the middle of the year, we decided that we needed something slow paced, to relax and just chill. The wifey decided on Bangkok, Thailand. Thus we found ourselves checked into one of the best hotels around - the St. Regis, Bangkok. I'll let the pictures tell the story...

   The St. Regis lived up to its name with it's impeccable service. Although we had access to a full suite of services of a 24-hr butler, most of the time we only used it to order our coffee/ tea and biscuits. This we had several times a day. I found myself starting to drink lemongrass tea to balance the effect of too much cappuccino. The biscuits were simply irresistible.

English tea at the St. Regis Bangkok. Yummy!

The MBS-que pool of the St. Regis. We spent quite some time at the spa, herbal steam bath and hot jacuzzi.

First dinner in Bangkok. Some Thai restaurant. Food was great except for the kangkong which tasted like dried grass.

We didn't expect in-room dining to come with a table on wheels

Phad Thai the St Regis way. And it costs as much as that from Thai Express!

World's best Mango-Sticky-Rice. We actually had two portions of this. Check out the real gold flakes.

World famous London roast duck from Four Seasons Restaurant. Power!

 

The wifey trying out Ethiopian drip-coffee. 

Cheap and Good! Som Tam Nua restaurant.

Salmon and Wagyu sushi from Zen Cucina (Central World)

Matsuzaka sushi. Look how thin the layer of rice is, versus the ingredients.

    For Japanese food-lovers, Zen Cucina located in Central World is a must try. The restaurant remains pretty empty most of the time we were there, perhaps because the prices tend to "have wings". My wife's colleague told us that we probably ate one month's worth of some Thai's salary that night. In our defence, the Sing Dollar was strong.

We could see Central World from our room (the lighted billboard)

   This trip turned out to be more enjoyable than expected. I can't say I enjoy the shopping much but the food, hotel and pampering made up for it.

Phantastic Time at the Opera

   The Phantom of the Opera is in town and we caught the second-last show. I've watched the musical on television and at the movies, but this is my first time watching it "live". I commented that it was a pity that it's held in such a modern venue as MBS' theatre. Little did I know what was in store. The story opened with an auction scene, selling off trinkets from the "old theatre". Not to spoil the fun, let's just say, I got my wish when the set transformed into the opulent Parisian Opera that I expected of this musical.

Pre-musical dinner at Ma Maison

   I shan't delve into the plot as I presume most of us would have an idea about it. It was the first time I realize that the scores of "Music of the Night" and "All I Ask of You" are similar. Andrew Lloyd Webber's use of the same musical piece to contrast the obsession of the Phantom with Christine and the love of Raoul is a masterpiece; especially coupled with such heart-renting lyrics. Having been exposed to this musical numerous times, it was all I could do to keep myself from singing along.

Rare glimpse of the wifey in spectacles

Posing outside the Guggenheim-like facade of the MBS Theatre

   Sitting there, taking in the sight and music, I asked myself how a man, who has never felt love in his life, could claim that he loves another human being. Was it simply an obsession with possession? The dilemma that Christine had was excellently portrayed as well. How could the supposed promised (by her deceased father) "Angel of Music" turn out to be such a villain? Initially torn between her "Teacher" and her childhood sweetheart, it was a little disconcerting to see the quick decision Christine made to go with Raoul. Perhaps it's the short time we have in a musical.

   Nevertheless, it was indeed a "Phantastic" experience. Although I enjoyed the musical thoroughly, the icing on the cake certainly has to be watching it with the person dearest to me.