Singapore 2011

I am sitting at the computer in the hotel room writing this blog, feeling just a tad jetlagged.    It is Monday, 4.15 pm Singapore time, and I cannot remember when I slept last, properly that is.    Friday night, I think.  At home.  The hotel in Heathrow, where I was sure there was an electric blanket on the bed (turned up high), was not a restful night.   It turned out we needed to turn the air conditioner on.   Silly us!

We arrived at Heathrow Airport and found to our surprise that Terminal 3 had been renovated.   Security was a breeze, shops everywhere and everything fresh and tidy.   Not many quiet places in which to sit and rest, but then I think the idea is that you shop while you wait on your flight.    

Luckily we were flying Singapore Airlines, seeing that Qantas was out of action due to industrial problems.   An easy flight, 12 hours long, and plenty of movies to watch.    We were on the top deck of the big air bus A380, very quiet and worth the extra money to get an exit seat.    I still do not like taking off though - how to those big brutes manage to get up into the sky!   And then stay there!   Best not to think about it.

The only bit of excitement on the flight was when the air hostess tipped food onto my lap.    Not intentionally, and she was very apologetic.    Normally it is me that spills food on my clothes.  So it makes a change. She gave me two packs of cards as a goodwill gesture.    Maybe they will be my lucky cards now and I will always win the card games against my family.     

After we booked into the hotel, we went to the nearest cafe for a much needed cup of good coffee. Expensive at $10 (£6) but worth it.   On our last trip to NZ we worked out that we spent $750 (£325) on coffee.   Easily done too

A view of Victoria Street from the cafe.    

At The Coffee Bean Cafe.     Not looking my best I know!

 Walter lining up at immigration.    Those long lines disappeared very quickly.

The giant sculptures in Singapore Airport.

A rain forest in the arrival hall at Singapore Airport.

Back in Heathrow, we watched the never ending line of aeroplanes waiting for their take off call.

Our electronic gear, plus the necessary charges, leads, memory sticks, SD cards, readers.   I later added a small speaker box and my mini hair dryer to the bag.    My assortment weighed nearly 3 kilos, and I carried it all in my computer bag.    I can remember when I first went to Australia (1965) I owned a small camera, and then later on I bought a small transistor radio.    Now I cannot do without all my electronic bits and pieces, not for four months anyway.  

Eltham Palace

Today we visited Eltham Palace with Emma, Steve, Jackson and Isabel.   Eltham Palace is only about 20 minutes drive from our house and yet we have never visited it.    And what a find it was too.   The Palace was built during the 1400's and was very popular with the royal families of that era.    In fact Henry VIII organised for a chapel to built there.    During Elizabethan times, the royal families preferred the palace in Greenwich as it was easier to reach, due to access via the Thames River.   From that time, the palace slowly

fell into disrepair and by the 20th century all that remained was the Great Hall plus ruins.   

During the 1930's Stephen and Virginia Courtauld (millionaires) bought the Great Hall and the surrounding land.    They then renovated the hall, and built an adjoining house (very large) which is now a remarkable example of art deco building and design.    The gardens are also beautiful     Unfortunately we were not allowed to take photos inside the house.   

When the Courtaulds moved out in 1944 they gave the house and gardens to the Army Education Unit.   There was no mention of money changing hands!   The 1944 Education Act was written by the then Education Minister, whilst staying at the house.        

 The weather was glorious, so we had a lovely picnic lunch in the gardens.

 Jackson enjoying the sunshine and the gardens.

 Looking towards the swimming pool at the end of the old moat.    The water was very murky and full of large carp.   Swimming with carp?

 An old Tudor bridge.

The old ruins have been incorporated into the gardens.

Steve, Isabel, Walter, Jackson and Emma taking a well deserved rest stop.   If you look closely you can see Walter making a 'V for victory' sign above Jackson's head.    Some people never grow up!

A view of the art deco house.    

A most enjoyable visit, and we will be definitely returning for another look at the house and gardens.  

Out and about in London

A great week for activities around London.     Lunches out, a visit from Margaret, shopping at a local shopping centre and a tour around some old haunts.

Today I was invited to attend a 'Pensioners' Lunch' with someone I worked with, which turned out to be a really flash affair.    The lunch was organised by the firm where Milita once worked and was aimed at retired employees and guests.    It was held at the Meridian Hotel in Piccadilly - drinks beforehand, plus a three course formal meal and lovely wines   All was revealed during the speeches.    It turns out the 'Pensioners' have a continued interest in the company through shares that they were either given as bonuses or purchased themselves.    They were also given an update on the positive state of the company's pension scheme.   All very impressive, especially in the current economic downturn.    However, it is a world wide highly successful company, which specialises in the mining of minerals and precious stones and the running of aluminium smelters - all in other countries of course.     I had a wonderful time!  

I always like the ornate lights in these old hotels.

Relaxing on the couch. 

Milita standing in front of the very ornate  dining room.

On Tuesday, Margaret and I went out to lunch and met up with some friends from SJF School.    We spent the time talking and laughing and eating the very good food at this pub in Bexleyheath.   Another great lunch!

SJF School - this was my first school in the UK.  For those people from Holland, NZ and Australia, schools here have high  security fences around them.    I often wonder about the negative messages being given to children about security, and the fact the community cannot use the lovely green spaces around schools during weekends and holidays.    

A view of the high rise flats around SJF School.   I was pleased to see  the large number of trees that  have survived and really green up the area now.  

My new purchase!   A woollen cardigan with lots of feathers on it; around the neck, sleeves, and down the front.    Not much use for our intended visit to Australia in the middle of summer.   But I love it!

Margaret's new gloves which are edged in very large feathers!   Margaret is currently looking for an occasion when she can wear the spectacular gloves.       

Birthday Party

Last night we attended Georgena's 18th birthday party. It was a lovely evening, attended by Georgena's family and friends. Lots of talking, sharing of experiences, dancing and food. Plus some alcoholic beverages of course.

For those people on the other side of the world, Georgena attended STM school and her mother, Carole, taught at the school. I remember when Georgena first started at the primary school, which just seems like yesterday. And now she is a grown up 18 year old. Still just as beautiful and friendly as she was when at STM school.

My apologies re the darkness of the photos - the flash on the camera did not work so well. Or was it me!

Georgena and Carole.
The three ex staff members of STM school.
A line up of the STM group with Georgena.
Even Walter got up to dance. And enjoyed it too!
Georgena's family giving a display of their special dance.
A truly wonderful evening.

Toonkamer

Toonkamer literally means show room. And it is full of designer furniture, curtains and floor coverings. All with appropriate price tags of course. The building is used for display purposes only, and if you are interested in a piece of furniture or a designer, then you either take a brochure or ask an assistant for further information. All very impressive!

I am not sure what the following display represents but I like it!
This room contained a shop, with French designer objects, clothes and shoes mainly.
I love the wave effect!
An oversized chair! Great fabric design.
Kylie taking a rest on a very stylish piece of furniture.
I am taking a rest on a pod chair. The lid closes on the chair. Portable I suppose. A portaloo?
Raphy was not impressed with the visit to Toonkamer.
Then outside was a beautiful old water tower.
And the sunshine was brilliant too. After days of slecht weer (constant grey drizzly weather) we certainly welcomed the sun and blue skies.

Work around Houten

There is much activity around Houten at the moment, with the cleaning of canals and roads being renewed.

The path in front of the house will be renewed during the next few weeks, as well as the road on the other side of the edge. The huge machines are getting closer!
The machine below is shovelling all the bricks into piles for the dumper to collect. There is also a huge machine with a grabber on the front (for picking up the pallets of bricks). The grabber swings from side to side when it is driven at speed (often) and we all feel very scared when it comes towards us. I also saw a man doing wheelies whilst driving a small dumper truck! Irresponsible Dutchmen!
The roads and footpaths are paved so the work proceeds quite slowly, in comparison with the laying of bitumen roads. The thoroughness of the work is quite impressive. The workmen also clear away unwanted trees, roots and replace pipework where needed.
The bricks that are removed are not thrown away, but instead are washed and sorted and put onto pallets ready for replacing other roads and footpaths.
I always wondered how the canals are kept in pristine order. Usually the work is done in September so that the leaves from the trees can fall to the bottom of the canals in order to provide nourishment for the plant and animal life in the canals. They are running a little late in Houten this year. Luckily most of the trees still have leaves on them.

The canals are cleaned out by using a flat bottomed boat which has a huge hedge clipper on one side and a spiked clearer at the front. The sides of the canals are cut back (trees, rushes and grass) and the spiked attachment on the front lifts all the debris and puts it into piles onto the banks of the canal. The water plants which have been growing all summer are also removed at the same time. Of course the roots of the plants are left behind for the next growing season.

As there are thousands and thousands of canals in Holland, the maintenance of canals is a major undertaking, but I think that the local councils and farmers are responsible for clearing out the canals in their areas. The overall supervision of work would all come under the State Water Authority though.

I would love some of the debris for my compost heap!

Raphy loves watching the water clearing machine.
Raphy also loves the park down the road, although I don't like all the large road building machines around there at the moment.
The park was but a brief interlude on our walks.

Utrecht

Today we rode our bikes to Utrecht, which is a 10 km ride away, all on flat land of course. A grey day, but not cold.

We locked our bikes together, due to there being no available bike racks.
A view up the street towards the Dom.
Hot chips with lashings of mayonnaise! Delicious!
The shop window opposite had mannequins wearing size 8 clothes. This reminded us that hot chips were very fattening!
Colourful bikes everywhere!
I love them.
The last time we were in Utrecht, it was March. The trees were beginning to come into leaf and people were sitting in the sunshine. Now they were still eating outside, but the leaves were beginning to yellow and fall off and there was no sun.
The rondvaart weaving its way through the canals.
The Heaven07 'the most vibrating shop in town'. The vibrator which plugs into the IPhone looks interesting. Music and vibration together!
And so ends an interesting trip to Utrecht.