This was our final day in Singapore. David wanted to spend some time in Changi Airport as he'd read that there are enough attractions within the airport complex to keep us amused for a few hours. Our flight from Singapore to Penang was 1820 hours so we decided to get to the airport around 1430 to explore a bit.
So, on our last morning, for the first time we decided to check out the pool at Furama hotel. We'd bought swimsuits with us 'just in case' but never actually been near a pool this trip. The pool is on Level 6 and the first thing we noticed on that floor was a pervading smell of damp. I'd read some reviews on Trip Advisor where people had reported musty, damp smells but on the 20th floor we've had no such experience. I think if we'd not booked an Executive Package and had been allocated a room on a lower floor we might have revised our opinion about the hotel.
Anyway, the pool area isn't the nicest we've seen but its more than adequate.
I think the thing David will miss most about the Furama is 'ECHO' our virtual butler. He's got into the habit of saying 'ECHO' turn on room lights, 'ECHO' play sleep music etc., I wasn't too chuffed when in the middle of a lovely refreshing shower all the lights went off - David playing with the commands again! I did try 'ECHO' turn off husband but the response was 'Sorry I don't know that one'. 'ECHO' has a female voice and the usual response is 'OK' with no arguments so nothing like a wife then!
Lots of shoe repairers around
She isn't begging .. this lady trishaw driver was listening to music and bopping away very happily.
We were there around lunchtime and the food halls were all packed solid. Traditional meals are around S$5 to S$15 (£2.80 to £8.40) - good honest no frills dining. Apart from breakfasts which were included, we haven't eaten in any of our hotels this trip, always opting for local/street food.
Just choose your dish and find a table in the central seating area
Helpfully for us the stalls all have pictures of the different dishes so we can work out if its something we can cope with but we always query chicken dishes to make sure they are boneless. The Chinese tend to just chop ducks/chickens with a cleaver and you get portions, bone splinters & all
We booked a 'Grab' - kind of Uber car to take us to the airport. In the UK we've never had any dealing with Uber so we're in awe of how efficient the Grab system is here. Grab bought out Uber in Malaysia/Singapore. Once the Grab App is downloaded you just request a car to take you to xxx destination and wait for the response. You're told the car registration, the driver's name, the fare and the estimated time of arrival (and you track its progress). Sorry if this is normal with Uber in the UK but to us its a revelation - and they're half the price of standard taxis.
Ours was just a short flight to Penang (scheduled to be 90 minutes but was actually around 70) and it left from Terminal 4. The Changi Airport attractions David had read about were mostly in the other terminals - cactus and sunflower gardens, Enchanted Gardens, Kinetic Rain art installation, Butterfly Garden etc.
In Terminal 4 there were a few things to see including a mini museum and metal flower artwork.
There were also some huge metal 'slinky' type decorations suspended from the ceilings which moved and changed shape constantly (quite mesmerising). The airport is very, very spacious. The bathrooms are palatial - there are snooze lounges if you want to rest comfortably
This area was fun for a while ...
Its a row of 'shop houses'. Periodically the doors/windows are thrown open and holographic images/scenes played including feuds and romances between neighbours, ladies shopping for fabrics etc. Its all very well done.
You might have to view in full screen mode to see the detail. The videos are cut short because a very irritating man walked in front of my camera 3 times (he soon realised how cross David and I were)!
The shops below these houses are functional .... David shopping for curry puffs:
So, on our last morning, for the first time we decided to check out the pool at Furama hotel. We'd bought swimsuits with us 'just in case' but never actually been near a pool this trip. The pool is on Level 6 and the first thing we noticed on that floor was a pervading smell of damp. I'd read some reviews on Trip Advisor where people had reported musty, damp smells but on the 20th floor we've had no such experience. I think if we'd not booked an Executive Package and had been allocated a room on a lower floor we might have revised our opinion about the hotel.
Anyway, the pool area isn't the nicest we've seen but its more than adequate.
I think the thing David will miss most about the Furama is 'ECHO' our virtual butler. He's got into the habit of saying 'ECHO' turn on room lights, 'ECHO' play sleep music etc., I wasn't too chuffed when in the middle of a lovely refreshing shower all the lights went off - David playing with the commands again! I did try 'ECHO' turn off husband but the response was 'Sorry I don't know that one'. 'ECHO' has a female voice and the usual response is 'OK' with no arguments so nothing like a wife then!
To kill a couple of hours we had a walk around the huge People's Park complex adjacent to our hotel. We've had a couple of cheap & cheerful evening meals there but never really explored it all. Its a meandering complex with some indoor and some outdoor stalls/shops and caters primarily for the local Chinese/Singaporean population. There are still lots of older folk carrying on their traditional trades like shoe mending and barbering (if thats a word). Refreshing to see that not all the traditional trades have been eradicated/modernised yet.
Lots of shoe repairers around
She isn't begging .. this lady trishaw driver was listening to music and bopping away very happily.
We were there around lunchtime and the food halls were all packed solid. Traditional meals are around S$5 to S$15 (£2.80 to £8.40) - good honest no frills dining. Apart from breakfasts which were included, we haven't eaten in any of our hotels this trip, always opting for local/street food.
Just choose your dish and find a table in the central seating area
Helpfully for us the stalls all have pictures of the different dishes so we can work out if its something we can cope with but we always query chicken dishes to make sure they are boneless. The Chinese tend to just chop ducks/chickens with a cleaver and you get portions, bone splinters & all
We booked a 'Grab' - kind of Uber car to take us to the airport. In the UK we've never had any dealing with Uber so we're in awe of how efficient the Grab system is here. Grab bought out Uber in Malaysia/Singapore. Once the Grab App is downloaded you just request a car to take you to xxx destination and wait for the response. You're told the car registration, the driver's name, the fare and the estimated time of arrival (and you track its progress). Sorry if this is normal with Uber in the UK but to us its a revelation - and they're half the price of standard taxis.
Ours was just a short flight to Penang (scheduled to be 90 minutes but was actually around 70) and it left from Terminal 4. The Changi Airport attractions David had read about were mostly in the other terminals - cactus and sunflower gardens, Enchanted Gardens, Kinetic Rain art installation, Butterfly Garden etc.
In Terminal 4 there were a few things to see including a mini museum and metal flower artwork.
There were also some huge metal 'slinky' type decorations suspended from the ceilings which moved and changed shape constantly (quite mesmerising). The airport is very, very spacious. The bathrooms are palatial - there are snooze lounges if you want to rest comfortably
This area was fun for a while ...
Its a row of 'shop houses'. Periodically the doors/windows are thrown open and holographic images/scenes played including feuds and romances between neighbours, ladies shopping for fabrics etc. Its all very well done.
You might have to view in full screen mode to see the detail. The videos are cut short because a very irritating man walked in front of my camera 3 times (he soon realised how cross David and I were)!
The shops below these houses are functional .... David shopping for curry puffs:
Love the videos, especially the dragons.
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