High tea at Raffles

Garry and I decided to do the classic tourist thing while in Singapore. We caught the MTR subway to the iconic Raffles Hotel to enjoy a drink at its famous Long Bar. However, upon arrival, we discovered a highly touristed venue with an entry queue snaking out the door. We both agreed such a clique affair wasn’t worth the wait.

However, Raffles redeemed itself on our final day in town. We had time to kill after checking out of our hotel and heading to the airport for a midnight flight to London. I booked us in for a late afternoon high tea in the Raffles Grand Lobby. I’m delighted to say that this proved well worth the experience. We enjoyed a relaxing afternoon in its marble-clad surrounds while being entertained by a talented pianist.

On our way to Raffles, we also took a quick detour to soak up another classic Singaporean sight. It’s been decades since I’ve visited the city’s renowned Merlion fountain. This mythical beast, half mermaid and half lion, is the city’s mascot. 

When I last visited the fountain (probably in the 1990s) it sat on the coastal fringe of Singapore. Today, it looks over an entirely new district reclaimed from the surrounding harbour. However, despite the change, the fountain is still an iconic tourist destination. During our visit, we found it surrounded by an Instagram-friendly, selfie stick-wielding crowd.