Compare with the shots taken a year before while construction was still going full bore.
In the nearby Botanical Gardens is something far more complex, however: nature’s work in creating self-replicating Orchids and Cymbidia….
GONG XI FA CAI… words we learned (meaning “Happy New Year”) while we stayed in Singapore over the Chinese New Year.
Stopped off at the Long Bar at Raffles for the required Singapore Sling followed by dinner with Arif Asmath, Director Rooms, and erstwhile Institute trainer. We were ably assisted by Dheeraj Bhatia, Raffles’ Sommelier, who steered us in the direction of some remarkable Chateau Margaux, a Premier Cru being highlighted in the ongoing annual Wine, Food, & Arts festival.
Returned another time for afternoon tea. We had already sampled such a tea at TWG in the Ion Center. They have a wide selection of teas well presented in a tea pot with its own metal cosy; the food is not traditional, but overall a good effort.
At Raffles, however, we were disappointed at the offer of a single tea (Breakfast Tea) for the entire tea, although a request for an Oolong was met without batting an eyelid. Raffles provides a buffet of hot Asian, as well as multiple desserts…an interesting way of providing multiple possible courses. Sandwiches were not open face, and entirely too much bread (see the pile of unused bread on my side plate).
But overall, a good effort, if they’d just apply the same variety and creativity to the teas as they do to the foods (and skip offering champagne as a basic element of their “tea”).
The many butlers of Marina Bay Sands in Singapore, an iconic property destined to be a leader in the Far East, had their butlers trained, Round 1. Here the entire complex is still under construction, 10,000 workers laboring feverishly to complete by the opening date.
Compare with the finished shot taken a year later.