Can't keep a good Dame down. Encore trip on the QM2.

[Pushka]

An interesting factoid. Dame O is about five inches shorter than me and we both have steps app on our phone. We were together with our phones all day yesterday. Her step count was around 10,500 and mine was around 9,000. She walked further than me. Well, so she said.

We went up to the pool again around 6pm to watch the ships sail out. So, these white robes. We don't wear them in public. But we were confronted with this sight -
Image of the day:


Everyone was wearing a white robe and we were distinctly overdressed - never seen anything like this. Like a giant kind of, well, Roman baths kind of thing. And the pool was packed.

And this of course led to Miss Manners regrets: many people eating their dinner in the water and not bothering when something fell in. Which became another image of the day.


The pool area looked awash with people and not the idyllic place it was earlier in the day.
Last night we had dinner at the Chinese Dumpling. Restaurant packed and a line out the front. Rather delish and great value. Sorry - just one picture.

Endless green tea.

Last night we had a spectacular thunderstorm - lasted about four hours with heavy dumping rain. We were watching it from the balcony at around 3am.

But this morning the clouds have cleared and made for a bright sunny and hot day.

Breakfast this morning at the kawa toast shop. And coffee sweetened with condensed milk. Yum

 

[Pushka]

Off to the Marina Gardens. Last time we were there it was Christmas display but this time - . A favourite flower that we don't see much of in Adelaide.

First stop - made Dame O buy a hat and she was making me feel much too hot with her head in the sun. So I bought another one to replace my bucket one.

Into the wonderfully cool pavilions but first some shots of the Hotel.



The tulip display was bright and colourful and themed for Vincent Van Gogh.

 

[Pushka]

Ok. So Dame O is whinging that she not shorter than me so we lined up. She comes just above my chin. That makes her not five inches - more like 7! Denial.

Right. Back to the report.
Thanks to Dame O I found the macro dial on my new camera.
So some close ups.






We thought this was Eeyore. Sorry BC


And someone else thought these were cats.

 

[Pushka]

Lunch was satay and beer. Rather good value for $30.


More shots of the gardens.
Lego

Pitcher plant





And a driverless car. I was tempted to walk in front of it to see what would happen but Dame O wouldn't let me.

 

[LadyC]

That satay looks delicious!

 

[Pushka]

That satay looks delicious!

They were soo good as was the beer. Not usually a beer drinker but the timing seemed right.

These were the closest I've had to the original Singapore Satay markets of years ago. $15 SGD for 20 chicken satays, 2 rice and 2 peanut sauce.

 

[JohnK]

2 old dames on the old dame. Sounds like fun.

 

[LadyC]

They were soo good as was the beer. Not usually a beer drinker but the timing seemed right.

These were the closest I've had to the original Singapore Satay markets of years ago. $15 SGD for 20 chicken satays, 2 rice and 2 peanut sauce.

Where is said delicious satay located? I will be in Singapore in July so will try and visit.

 

[love_the_life]

Enough of the old Dames there JohnK. We are spring chickens

 

[Pushka]

This afternoon we decided to explore the top of the MBS and take photos of the Grand Old Dame in the berth. We also wanted to find the sky deck that we missed earlier.

The layout up here is a little confusing. There are areas where only guests can go and they can go anywhere. Of course. Like the Pool and the sky deck. You can come up to the top for a limited view for free. Or you can come to the restaurant here to buy a drink and look at the view but not swim.

Or you can buy a ticket and come up here - but the restaurant drink doesn't let you do that.

It was very very hot. Everyone is cramped in the shade. From where I took this photo of the conservatories in the shadow of the hotel.


The pool is for guests only.

Where is said delicious satay located? I will be in Singapore in July so will try and visit.

It's right near the Gardens by the Bay and it is called Satay by the Bay. You walk up the road towards the Children's water park and it's about a five minute walk. It's very much like the original style. So a bit rustic.

 

[love_the_life]

Where is said delicious satay located? I will be in Singapore in July so will try and visit.

It's at Satay by the Bay, at the Gardens by the Bay, just past the children's playground. Dame Y found it when she was here in January and it's great, a bit like the hawker centres with quite a few stalls (and a bar).

 

[Pushka]

Snap.

There are a few restaurants at the pool side. Lots of atmosphere and people wore clothes, not white robes.

The first was casual then the others were dinner only and formal.






And at the far end (opposite end to the sky deck restaurant posted above) and we saw the remnants of a wedding.

 

[Pushka]

And that little blob in the water is this:





Ready and waiting for us tomorrow. I can see Dame O's stateroom (she's Portside) and I'm starboard. No noisy port tethering issues for me. QM2 is stern in so she just motors straight out. We'll be on the back deck waving bye to......Singapore?

 

[Pushka]

Dinner tonight was at one of the many TWG restaurants. Dame O's choice. They specialise in the fine art of tea.

We did not partake of these teas


Yes. $228 and fifty cents a teapot.
But it was still a complicated affair.

Select the desired brew from here:

Then read about it in this book

I selected Ceylon Orange Pekoe

Then order food.

The teapots are gold.

 

[Pushka]

The tea was exquisite. I do love Orange Pekoe.
The ambience was excellent with Andrea Bocelli as background music.


UNTIL: Miss Manners regrets: the seating of a child on the table next to us on the iPhone with no earphones playing a video with ping pong sounds very very loudly.

The waiter kindly moved us when he brought our food.



I ordered the wagyu hamburger. It was delicious. Dame O was going 'healthy' with Niçoise salad.





We then decided a macaron was just the treat. I ordered a black tea and caramel and Dame O the rose concoction. Her choice was wise as it turned out. Oh dear. After I had eaten she just burst out laughing. Oh dear. I won't spoil her story. Sigh.

 

[Pushka]

That is all I saying about this.


We then lined up for the light and water show on the Harbour as were many others. 8.30 came and went. Nada.

Googled. The light show created in 2013 ended in April 2017. Sigh. And in any event was on at 8pm.

But the city lights were nice.






We got back to our room and saw the light show on the trees. Quite nice.



Now it's time to pack ready to depart tomorrow.

 

[love_the_life]

And.....Dame Y's lips and tongue had turned an interesting shade of black. A lot of rubbing with the napkin took place with some limited success. On enquiring of the waiter, this hue was normal but would disappear eventually. More rubbing and glasses of water. She wouldn't let me take a photo unfortunately :mrgreen:

 

[Pushka]

A few computer glitches saw the entire boarding process shut down for about an hour. Finally sorted and we were able to register and check in. Of course the credit card wouldn't register but having been standing for so long I said I'd sort it out on the boat. Wise move. After a little wait at the Pursers desk listening to a lot of people whinging (you are on a gorgeous ship - what is there to complain about?) it was done. It's a full ship.

The update is gorgeous and the staterooms now have kettles etc which is very unusual for a ship. The staterooms look gorgeous.









The dreaded Pol Aker. Now replaced by a Moet in a full bucket of ice.

 

[Pushka]

Someone is happy. Herein now to be referred to as Sir Grumpy.



One of the best makeovers has been to what was called Winter Garden. It was a nothing kind of place. Now it is a wonderful seating area with some very nice tasters (free) and a full bar. Wonderful comfy seating.







We purchased the spa pass which now gives access to every day rather than five days as in the past.

I'm not sure of the mix of passengers. Certainly a lot of Americans and British and a smattering of the rest. Probably several Aussies.

 

[Pushka]

Muster. What a hoot. Could fill up all my Miss Manners for the rest of the trip. Sadly people have forgotten Costa Concordia so quickly.
1. People whinging they have to come at all.
2. People talking loudly when announcements are on.
3. Do not put on your life jackets = cue for putting on life jackets. Rip rip rip as you hear Velcro being pulled apart.
4. People who think they are the first people who think it's funny to blow the whistle. And such people worry about hygiene when they blow into a (well spittled) whistle in a non emergency issue?
But it's done now.

I can understand why people on longer sectors get weary on short sector boards as everything has to close while muster is on.