Adieu Vietnam, And Asia

March 3rd we took the taxi back to Danang, then flew to Ho Chi Minh City, and then to Singapore, the last stop on our southeast Asian campaign. We were ready to leave. HCMC was the only major destination on our itinerary we had not visited before. And the deteriorating situation in the US only added to our hurry. We were glad to get out, regardless of the uncertainties still before us.

Danang airport: I wonder who built those revetments?

Big city

Over southern Vietnam

Rivers converging, approaching the delta, Ho Chi Minh City

A golf course?

Memorial

HCMC

Landmark 81 building, tallest in Vietnam

Welcome to HCMC; at this point, we were thinking only of the lounge and
the trips onward...

In Singapore, our weirdest and most expensive accommodations yet...the Yotel,
in the Jewel, at Changi Airport...we did not want to miss the next day's flight!

No, the weird lighting did not change

At least it was in the Jewel

Adieu, Asia

Adieu, Singapore: The Jewel

As if Singapore needed another giant shopping center, the latest is the Jewel, astride Terminal 1 (International) at Changi airport. (As if the whole airport is not much more than a giant shopping center.) Anyhow, we packed up and left the hotel early the 26th in order to spend some time at the Jewel, and also at an airport lounge, before Scoot scooted us back to Bangkok for an over-night stay there. Apart from many, many shoppes, the principal feature at the Jewel is the Vortex waterfall, an indoor man-made multi-story waterfall that you could only find in Singapore...

Singapore: Out-Takes

Taking Theravada Buddhist begging to a whole new level

You have been warned

Penalties are severe

10,000S$ fine for missing

No smoking anywhere except in these yellow-painted
smokers' boxes; no chewing gum either: big fines; but it's
so refreshing to walk down a street, no gum on the sidewalk,
no smoke, no beggars (they're cared for), no buskers....

OK, not everything is up to date in Kansas City

On the MRT, the metro

Hand-washing stations in restaurants; pretty common in
Asia

Contemporary vs. traditional

More on the MRT: I wish we saw more of the education and
library systems, which, I would guess, are exemplary

Not even catch and release?

Robo-police at the Jewel

Crucificado, at the Botanical Garden

Green Man

Singapore: Assorted Food

So I have featured food in several previous posts. Singapore is a great food city, a world crossroads of food. Below are some more pix of the variety, some from the department stores, some elsewhere.

At Ngee Ann City, Japanese dominates 

Vicki would have gone for this had it been a grade above Iberico

At a better restaurant: essence of Singapore: "an additional
charge of $5.00 per 100gm for food wastage"

Dim Sum high tea

Healthy choices

Sugar-free too

No, "Urushi" is not Japanese for "Hershey"

Initially we thought this was really beautifully-carved soap: no, long-nose breath,
this is bird's nest, one of the finest of Chinese delicacies; look it up

We always thought British crisps were over the top in terms of flavors...

Your flavor, Rebecca

The patisseries would have been right at home in Paris

With a few exceptions

Double-barreled hotdogs

Zweiback?

Tastes like jam

 

Real delicacies: the musk melon is 150U$D

Despair not: there's a Marks and Spensers right down the street; with scones,
and even castor sugar too, in case you're thinking of baking

At Texas Chicken (no relation to KFC; no relation to anything,
certainly not in Texas (we lived there 13 years))

Kept me going for days; love those candied minnows

The only food truck in Singapore we saw; veggie burgers

Me enjoying a fine sushi dinner; I thought the Japanese department store might
be a safe place...

Best 7U$D sushi ever