One year….a long time ago…like 2003 long time ago PC and I flew to see his sister who lived in Japan at the time. We had enough miles to get business class tickets but there were no seats available on United so we were told we could use them on one of their partner airlines- Singapore Airlines. Having no idea WHERE Singapore was (to be quite honest I thought it was some third world country) I was a little leery of flying an airline I hadn’t heard of before. Little did I know that Singapore air is one of the best airlines in the world. We got to fly in the upstairs of a 747 (something I’d always wanted to do) and man, business class is just the way to go. In addition to seats that folded flat, on demand TV and great food, there was a large drink menu that we could work our way through all the way to Tokyo. Enter the signature drink- the Singapore Sling. The Singapore Sling was invented at the Long Bar inside the Raffles Hotel in the early 1900’s.

PC and I decided on that flight that if we ever made it to Singapore, having a Singapore Sling at the Long Bar was going to be at the top of the list. I don’t think at the time we thought we’d be going there with our kids….or that we’d be drinking at 10:30 in the morning….or that we’d pay $100 for four drinks, but- it was so totally worth it.

The hotel itself…its one classy joint. So classy that only “residents” (yes- you are a resident, not a ‘guest’ at the hotel) are allowed free reign-all the rest of us had to use the side door. Its very British colonial (?) style meets the tropics– its beautiful….large verandas, wicker furniture, the old school fans. I loved it.

My drink was all that I’d hoped it would be- maybe more. If you are ever here- you must do this. I realize for me there is some ‘history’ which made the anticipation of actually doing it that much greater but really– this is one of those things you just have to do in life, if for no other reason than to say you’ve done it. And they taste good.

The approach

The 'resident' entrance

I love magnolias....

Nathan loved the peanut cracking part, though he refused to eat them

Oh geez...his didn't have alcohol.

So. Good.

In case you couldn’t tell- this has been the highlight of the trip. More to come….

Filed under: The Whole Wide World, Things I like, Travel, Uncategorized