Wonderful Dinner At Prego Last Evening ✔ TFun Time With Friends Last Evening ✔ Wonderful Memories Of Singapore ✔
Lee and Betsy posted asking what type of camera we are using. Lee and Betsy, we are using two cameras. For the majority of our outdoor photos Keith is using the Nikon D7000 SLR Camera and from time to time changes lenses based on the type of photos we are taking. We are also using this camera for some of the indoor photos but for the majority of the close-up photos such as those of food, and close up shots at the various receptions and before dinner we are using a Lumix point and shoot camera.
Before dinner last evening we went to the Crystal Cove where we spoke with some fellow guests. One of the guests is Merle who along with her husband Norman left the ship earlier today to go home. We first met them in 2004 on a Trans-Atlantic Crossing on the Crystal Symphony and we actually got to know them well as back then we played Table Tennis (Ping Pong). Coincidentally, we sailed with them the following year on a back-to-back cruise in the Fall of the Mediterranean on this very ship. Since that time we have seen them on the World Cruises as they will book two to three segments of the World Cruise each year. Merle is one of the few people who we know who still take photos with a film camera and then during the course of the cruise she has the film developed and photos printed and then she will pass out the photos to others such as ourselves as she did last evening.
We enjoyed a very nice dinner in the Crystal Dining Room last evening. These were the dinner menus.
Since we ate in Prego on Formal night rather than the Crystal Dining Room, we had spoken with our headwaiter, Augusto, about having one of the items on the formal night dinner menu last evening, but changing it up a bit.
We began our meal with a Caesar Salad which Augusto made for us table side. He makes a very tasty Caesar Salad that we truly enjoy from time-to-time. We would describe it as not being overpowering as some Caesar Salads can be where all you taste is the dressing. His way of making it is much milder so that you can taste the numerous ingredients that are part of the salad. Augusto enjoys making items such as the Caesar Salad and brings to this passion and enthusiasm
We had lobster for our entree and this is where we changed things up. On the formal night menu the entree was a Lobster Thermidor and a Broiled Lobster Tail with potatoes and a few other items accompanying the lobster. Rather than order that entree we asked for two Rock Lobster Tails which we had boiled rather than broiled and we had this accompanied with risotto. We also had the side order of the steamed vegetables.
Augusto brought over more than four Lobster Tails as you can see in the photo. We each had two and then Keith had one more and there was some leftover tails. He served it with lemon and also with Mayonnaise and some dill on the side. The lobster was fantastic. It was not only very tasty and moist but you would just never know that it had been frozen.
Augusto brought over more than four Lobster Tails as you can see in the photo. We each had two and then Keith had one more and there was some leftover tails. He served it with lemon and also with Mayonnaise and some dill on the side. The lobster was fantastic. It was not only very tasty and moist but you would just never know that it had been frozen.
Anne Marie had the sugar-free Mocha Cream Cake for dessert and Keith had one slice of a cake which Anne Marie had ordered for him. We will have the cake over the next few days.
Later in the evening, we met up with friends Bob and Glo and Mike and Sandy and we sat outside as we took in the scenery of Singapore. 
It was nice to catch up with everyone.
Bob and Glo left the ship a little past Noon today for a three night overland in Thailand and when they return and meet the ship in Bangkok they will be leaving the ship the following day for an overland at Angkor Wat. Both of their overlands sound wonderful and we look forward to hearing about each one.
As the six of us sat outside and chatted it was as if we were on a private yacht as it was very quiet outside and no other guests were out and about. The only noise we would hear from time to time were ferries that passed by the ship. The weather was terrific and we could see lights from some of the distant buildings lighting up the sky. We didn't get back to our room until around 10:45 PM.
Although the ship remained docked at the cruise ship terminal in Singapore, we fell asleep quickly last evening and got a very good night sleep.
Keith was up early to workout at the Fitness Center. He enjoyed a nice workout as he does each and every morning.
Then it was off to the Lido Cafe for some coffee and to catch up with his e-mail. He uses the iPad from the Cafe.
A little while after Keith returned to the room, Anne Marie walked for an hour. With such nice outdoor weather she walked on the Promenade Deck. We then enjoyed our daily breakfast in our room. We spoke with Rao for a few minutes and as usual shared some jokes and some good laughs.
We wanted to note that today marks the end of the second leg of the World Cruise as well as the start of the third segment of the World Cruise. During the second leg of the World Cruise we sailed from Sydney, Australia to Singapore with a total distance of 5,102 Nautical Miles or the equivalent of 5,867 land miles. It was an extraordinary voyage between the beautiful ports of call in Australia as well as other ports, the enjoyable day at sea with those World Cruise Games on top of all of the other enrichment activities, the World Cruise Shoreside Event, the World Cruise On-Board Dinner and the glorious weather and relatively calm seas we experienced. We made some wonderful memories that we will carry with us for the rest of our lives and after all that is part of discovery and what makes this a true adventure for us.
With the conclusion of this voyage some guests who we know quite will will be getting off the ship to return home while other guests we know boarded the ship today. The same is true of the remarkable crew. Several members of the crew from various departments around the ship went home today for well deserved holidays while several familiar members of the crew boarded the ship this morning.
After breakfast we got ready to go off the ship. We had thought about going back into the downtown area of Singapore but since we had spent several days in that area between our arrival to Singapore last year and our post-cruise stay following last years cruise, we decided that we would just explore the area closer to the ship.
We took the monorail over to a nearby Island called Sentosa. There are three stops along the way. The cost is $3.00 R/T per person in Singapore Currency.
Our first stop was a Beach Station and it is appropriately names that as it has a long beach area as well as a boardwalk. There happened to be what they called an Aquathlon today and that included a long run as well as other sporting events.
There were lots of lush areas as we walked fairly close to the beach area. There were some resorts and restaurants located in this section of Sentosa.
You could easily get around by foot or by say tram but a bicycle was also a nice option.
You could also take this lift for views from atop.
When we were finished walking around we took the monorail to the next area which is all Imbiah.
This area included various water activities in and around this part of the park.
This was made of sand.
You could take this revolving elevator for some nice views from atop.
This was one of so many water attractions.
Our third and final stop was a Waterfront Station which is home to Hard Rock Cafe, along with some other restaurants and hotels and the casino along with Universal Studios.
We were thinking of our son who is a General Manager for one of the Chili's located in San Antonio.
They were first building out this area on our first visit to Singapore in 2008 and it is nice to see how much they have accomplished in only four years. There is also more improvements planned.
For those of you who have not yet visited Singapore we would highly recommend it. There is a lot to do and to see. This includes the Botanical Gardens which we visited in 2008 which has the nicest and most beautiful orchid gardens we have ever seen. Other places to visit include little India and China Town, the Parliament and other government buildings and the nearby churches, the Zoo and the night-time Safari, along with other nearby places such as Sentosa which is an Island that is reachable by Cable Car, Ferry, Monorail and by Car.
At the same time there are lots of easy ways to get around Singapore that do not involve traveling by motor vehicle which can be challenging at times given traffic congestion. One easy method is the Subway System which is so very easy to use and stops at many of the tourist attractions.
There are also lots of great restaurants at a wide range of prices along with a wide range of hotels. In terms of food, Singapore has extremely high standards for food preparation and cleanliness so you can dine almost anywhere without concerns for food safety.
Overall, it is a relatively safe city for tourists. That is not to say there is no crime but it far less than what one would find in other comparable places around the world. We have found many of the locals to be very friendly and very helpful during times we have visited here and we have several examples of this. For example, we can remember last year when we were standing on a city street with a map out trying to figure out our precise location and someone came up to us and asked if we needed help. On top of this for tourists such as ourselves who come from English speaking countries there is the additional benefit that majority of locals you meet will speak English.
When we arrived back to the ship we ran into Cruise Director Rick Spath and we had lunch together at the Lido Cafe. We ran into several other people we know who boarded earlier today in Singapore. This included Destination Lecturer Ken Rees and his lovely wife Lynn. We also ran into some members of the crew who boarded earlier today and that included Prego Head Waiter, Bruno, who came back from a two month vacation as well as Alberto from Silk Road.
In the afternoon Anne Marie walked on the Promenade Deck and Keith caught up with some of our fellow guests and he also did reading and writing.
Before dinner this evening, we will attend the mandatory lifeboat drill and we will dine in the Crystal Dining Room right after that.
TODAY'S THOUGHT FOR THE DAY.......
Keith and Anne Marie
That looks like such a fun day. Enjoyed the colorful shots that you captured. Can't believe you crammed all that in BEFORE lunch!
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