coughet, I'll give it a crack.

[Noel Mugavin]

Another day, another breakfast and 2 hours on Layan Beach.







Little inlet behind the beach



Sea rescue







Not long at the pool, bit overcast, few drops of rain and couple of kids being way too noisy. Good thing as at 4.20 the phone rang, the spa asking where Mr Noel was. I thought I had 5 booked, turns out it was 4. No problems, great massage.

Dinner, squid again for starters



Main, New Zealand striploin, bearnaise sauce, truffle fries. Was okay


Finished on a high with the dessert, lemon meringue, lime sorbet, couple of other things. Was very, very good

 

[ellen10]

Thanks for your good comprehensive report of the area and especially all the photos.
I never been to coughet so it is interesting to read your report and consider a visit.

 

[craven morehead]

Looks like you're having a reasonably relaxing time. Agree that Patong is too hectic these days and the Russian invasion just keeps on coming.
Thanks for the TR and photos. Have been to Thailand numerous times but not for 2 or 3 years now and mostly for golf these days. Have had some good vacations there when the exchange rate was $1 to 33 THB

 

[Noel Mugavin]

Looks like you're having a reasonably relaxing time. Agree that Patong is too hectic these days and the Russian invasion just keeps on coming.
Thanks for the TR and photos. Have been to Thailand numerous times but not for 2 or 3 years now and mostly for golf these days. Have had some good vacations there when the exchange rate was $1 to 33 THB

1 - 20 for me, and a very nice golf course in the immediate area.

Up early for the flight to Singapore and for the first time made use of the golf cart service to reception.



Pastries and coffee made available for me at reception which was a nice touch, taxi had been ordered for me a few days earlier for a 7.30 pick up. Early as always, was about 10 to 7, they happily rang to get a taxi to me straight away, and within 5 minutes one was there. New landcruiser, no taxi signs on it so asked the price before I got in to avoid getting a rude shock at the airport. 700BT, ($35ish) which was around the mark from what I had read on forums and when playing around with pre booking sites.
Painless trip, arrived a few minutes before check in of 7.30, wandered a little, then a quick check in and quickly through immigration.
coughet International is quite a new terminal, crowded down below, lot more room upstairs as people don't seem to make the effort to find the escalator. Nice views over the water, with the runway off to the right, you can see the planes approach and touch down.





The Russians dominated again, within the time I was there previously unknown airlines to me - Nordwind, Pegas, Azur Air all took off, with other flights scheduled to come and go later in the day.

My ride



Arrived late and took off late, probably about 30% load



More Ruskies



Nice spotting beach directly under the approach path



Leg room and an okayish sweet and sour chicken





As far as coughet goes I arrived with low expectations and was pleasantly surprised. Was able to fall into the relax mode very easily which is a huge departure from my normal mood of traveling. Beaches were very nice, people friendly.
As for the resort the staff are sensational, extremely friendly and welcoming and can;t do enough for you. The location is a little too remote/quiet, closest beach is not walkable due to the road, and there is nothing there other than the beach and a beach club. Ideal if you want total relaxation, not so much if you want easy access to restaurants, shops or a bit of activity.
You could grab taxis to get to restaurants etc, but for me it was too easy to be lazy and walk the 50 metres to the restaurant.
coughet is somewhere I would visit again, however would be in a hotel closer to the beach and more dining options

 

[Noel Mugavin]

Took off late, landed late, long taxi then waited for a gate to open up. Half an hour to get through immigration, 5 minutes to get a sim, too long a line for the tourist card, 10 minutes to get to the front of the line to buy a one way fare to Clarke Qauy. Eventually got there on the MRT, then a short walk to the hotel - Holiday Inn Express





Bags down, shower, then off to eat.
Stop at a 711 to have a look at the chip flavours


Down through Chinatown, Year of the Pig







Over to the Maxwell Food Centre, last time I was here Tian Tian Chicken Rice wasn't open so today was the day to give it a go. Sadly for me, once again, even though this is supposed to be one of the best, it's nothing special



Next stop, Mt Faber Nasi Lemak, 5 minute or so walk from Maxwell Centre. Had seen this on one of the food bloggers I had seen on you tube. Malaysian ex-student of mine was shocked that I wasn't a fan of Nasi Lemak so told him i'd give it another go. Minus the ikan billis of course.



Egg was good, chicken was good, rice was rice, fish cake not for me.

 

[Noel Mugavin]

Still chasing food, a walk up to Tiong Bahru Food Centre



Lot of art deco styling around the area. Close your eyes and use you imagination you could almost be in South Beach.







To the food and firstly some Chwee Kueh or steamed rice cakes, preserved radish and chilli



Rice cakes are really starchy, put the preserved radish and chili on and becomes very nice.

Dessert was a mango cendol, red beans and corn in this one which I'm not really a fan of.

 

[Noel Mugavin]

Walked back o the hotel for a bit of a rest before heading out for a bit of a stroll later in the evening

 

[Noel Mugavin]

Off to Chinatown MRT Station to pick up a tourist card, via Pearl's Hill City Park





On to the MRT and Hillview Station at Bukit Timah and a bit of a walk to the Former ford Factory
Bridge of the old railway line, hoped to get a few black and whites and different angles. Unfortunately quite a few bridal parties waiting their turn for photos, so no luck for me today



15 -20 minute walk from the station but eventually got there



Former Ford Factory is where the Japanese Command set up during the invasion and where the surrender was signed by the Brits. Was able to visit Fort Canning, Fort Silo and Changi Museum on my last visit, so was quite keen to visit where this significant piece of history occurred.



You can follow the path that Percival and his troupe walked, it's pretty much the roadway leading to the upper carpark. Couple of markers to fill you in.





Having seen the newsreel and photos of the walk it did have a sombre feeling for me, perhaps influenced at how sorrowful and defeated Percival always looked.

Inside and entry is $3, card only, no cash. Little strange I thought.
Few reminders that this was actually a Ford production factory



But it is all about the invasion



Sultan of Jahore's Building in the picture above. Yamashita and the Japanese leadership based themselves in the building with Yamashita using the tower as a viewing spot to see what the Brits and Aussies were doing re defending the island. fRecently watched a doco with and Aussie vet saying they could see the Japanese looking at them from the tower, all they had to do was get some heavy artillery and attack it and Japanese leadership gone. Permission refused by the Brits, due to not wanting to cause damage to the building and upset the Sultan and have difficulties dealing with him once the war was over

 

[Noel Mugavin]

A room of displays before walking into the room where the surrender discussions took place. Not the original table, recall correctly it was donated to the Australian War Memorial in Canberra, happy to be corrected, nor the original chairs. Reel of the meeting on continual loop.



You can go right up to the waist height barrier in the room, I finally worked that out when I walked around the corner of the glass wall where I had stationed myself for 5 minutes or so. Copies of the terms of agreement and transcript of the conversation are in the room to the left of the table in the picture above.
.
Some displays on the wall




Another room of displays about the Japanese occupation



Another room and a timeline of World War II.
Quite the chuckle when i shared this one with my many Italian friends



Back through the foyer and through to 2 rooms concentrating on the years after the Japanese were forced out. Lady at the desk told me the next rooms are quite cold due to the air con and offered me a shawl or the like to wear in there. I politely declined



Back through to the foyer, and a couple of more displays





And to the outside



As for the four World War II sites I have visited, this one had the most impact re feeling, but not a great deal of displays or information. Changi museum by far the best displays, as far as not too much information but more than enough to hold your interest. Unfortunately still closed for a while. Fort Siloso is great, but information overload, while Fort Canning doesn't stack up for me.

 

[Noel Mugavin]

As for Percival, don;t know that he would really fill the troops with a lot of confidence



The Japanese on the other hand



Despite his looks, Percival did gain a lot of respect for the way he spent his time as a Prisoner of War and had a the last laugh somewhat when he was in attendance when Yamashita signed the surrender of the Philipines.

Yamashita was executed for war crimes with many taking the view that Yamashita was harshly dealt with due to his personal beliefs that included treating prisoners and British leaders humanely, which went against the beliefs of the higher ups in the war ministry. ,

 

[OZDUCK]

A room of displays before walking into the room where the surrender discussions took place. Not the original table, recall correctly it was donated to the Australian War Memorial in Canberra, happy to be corrected, nor the original chairs. Reel of the meeting on continual loop.

As for the four World War II sites I have visited, this one had the most impact re feeling, but not a great deal of displays or information. Changi museum by far the best displays, as far as not too much information but more than enough to hold your interest. Unfortunately still closed for a while. Fort Siloso is great, but information overload, while Fort Canning doesn't stack up for me.

We visited the Ford Factory last year and your memory is correct about the table and chairs.

My wife was actually a little disappointed with the information displayed as her mother was in Singapore during the Japanese occupation - and actually ended up speaking excellent Japanese. (My MIL was not interned as she was a "local" Eurasian, but her sister, a nurse, was killed during one of the many massacres.) After hearing many stories of the occupation from her mother and others she felt it was actually a pretty shallow presentation.

 

[GarrettM]

Thanks for the Singapore photos and thoughts. I am keen to make some of these sights the focus of my next visit, whenever that may be.

Recently finished The Long Road to Changi by Peter Ewer, outlining the travesty of Singapore's defence, and the way the Brit's conned the colonials into paying to defend the Empire's tin and rubber resources.

 

[Noel Mugavin]

Took the MRT to Orchard Road where I picked up some casual shirts and a ice cream bread from one of the uncles stationed along the road. Back on the MRT to Bugis Station and the short walk to Zam Zam. Very hot, very crowded very dirty, by the murtabak is great.



15 minute or so walk to Little India







Headed into the Tekka Centre, which was also hot, crowded and dirty. Little respite with an ice kachang



Headed towards the Mustafa Centre to pick up some supplies of Milo Nuggets, white coffee and a few things for people at home. About 20 minutes of torture in there, thin aisles, hordes of people, don't know why I do it to myself especially as 5 minutes in Coles or Woolworths is 5 minutes too long for me.

Walked back to the MRT then a bit of a rest back at the hotel

 

[Noel Mugavin]

Time for dinner and out to try some bak kut teh



Had seen this place on my last visit and always a line waiting to get in. There's another location about 4 doors down and same deal, always a decent line waiting to get a seat.



About 20 minutes in line, then a bit of a bonus for being a solo traveler, bumped up tp the front when a seat became available.
Peppered pork rib soup. Very simple, but very good.



Off to Gardens By the Bay and the light show.
Outstanding, made a cultureless pleb liked me enjoy opera













Walk back to the Marina Bay MRT and then to the hotel and bed

 

[Noel Mugavin]

Sunday morning and headed out for some kaya toast. Really enjoyed the Ya Kun store in Chinatown last visit, so headed there. Quite crowded however found and sat at a cleared and cleaned table and waited. After 5 minutes or so and no one showing any interest, and the table although cleared still being fairly grubby, decided to cut my losses and head elsewhere.
My wanderings took me towards Amoy Street Food Centre via the Telok Ayer area.
Sculptures in a little park along the way





On to Amoy Street


Some nice wall art




Only a few stalls opened at about 9.00am but able to find one selling Kaya Toast.
Very nice

 

[Noel Mugavin]

On to the MRT and off to get a closer look at the Kellang airport gates and terminal building.
Was really heating up and fortunately the area had covered walkways so there was some protection form the sun.

Airport gates




Entrance and exit roads are still intact, closed off at the gates and just short of Kellang Airport Way


Terminal itself is fenced off








The walkway toward the National Stadium and over Nicholl Highway gets fairly close to the terminal building

 

[Noel Mugavin]

Walkway over the Nicoll Highway has quite a few information boards along it.













The walkway leads to the National Stadium and there was quite a lot of activity going on being a Sunday morning.
For me, just wandered around the complex



Down to the river and there was a kayaking competition of sorts going on. Not a bad spot for some photos of the skyline



Plan was to walk to Old Airport Road food centre for an earlyish lunch, but me relying on my memory to get there, I zigged when I should have zagged, and early lunch was a more around the right time lunch.

Well worth the walk, pork wonton mee



And rewarded myself on the extra exercise with a cendol

 

[Noel Mugavin]

Spent the late afternoon in the rooftop pool.
Out for dinner and through the hordes in Chinatown to Hawker Chan

Fortunately not a long line, the 2 directly at the front of this picture had already ordered and were taking up a bit of space. Soon got that sorted.



Soya sauce chicken rice and char siew noodle
Fairly certain my first experience of michelin star food, and totally underwhelming.
Just not a fan of soya chicken, crunchy pork is always good and the noodles were good



Did beat the crowds though, line had no stretched out the door and up the street a bit



Bit of an after dinner wander, different view for me of the Maxwell Food Centre





Couple hundred metres or so from Maxwell, Ann Siang Hill Park, walkway to the right spits you out about 50metres form Amoy Street Food Centre



Wall art on Amoy Street



Big day walking, so back to the hotel.
Bit of occupation information on a street corner in Chinatown

 

[Noel Mugavin]

Breakfast at the hotel, then up to the roof to take a few shots





A quick trip to Chinatown to pick up a few food items to take home. Nothing exotic, some white coffee, milo nuggets and some kaya cookies.
Back to the hotel, a last shower and checkout at about 11.00am.
Stored the bags, then off to have a look at Tanjong Pagar Railway Station
This was about as close as I could get, pretty well fenced off and a coupe of security guards stalking close by. Good news is it's the site of a future station on the Circle Line





Walk back to Outram Station then on the train to Tiong Bahru Station. Different angle of attack to the food centre than I took on Friday, more art deco







My last Singapore meal, White and Black Carrot Cake



Had played it pretty well, with about $2 worth of coin left, enough for a dessert.
Bo bo cha cha



Finely shaved ice, coconut milk, tapioca pearls and sweet potatoe. Extremely refreshing, although I did leave most of the potatoe

 

[OZDUCK]

Couple hundred metres or so from Maxwell, Ann Siang Hill Park, walkway to the left spits you out about 50metres form Amoy Street Food Centre

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Enjoying your photos. We walked up the same steps two weeks ago.