Otters, Monitors & The Orient Express
Another weekend fast approached and more entertainment was needed for the kids and adults. I had spotted this new event involving The Orient Express. I love The Orient Express. One day I really hope to do London to Venice via Paris and Instanbul. I have to. It’s a bucket list thing. The mystique of it. The early travellers, almost following the Spice Trails of old… So this is a must-do for me and therefore the family haha. OK, this is punchy up there in the $$$. I think Wifey and I agree that last week’s Star Wars was worth every single cent, today’s little adventure was a little over-priced. Still, it was good though.
How on earth they have got two actual Orient Express original carriages in a tent, in a field in Gardens by the Bay amazes me. Oh yeah, and not to forget the steam train and its tender sat outside the tent. Amazing… It really is cool to ‘board’ the train and then walk through 2 full carriages laden with history and interesting little signs with anecdotes and history and then a big open exhibit of more stuff.
Let’s have a look…
Otters, Monitors & The Orient Express
1st stop today is lunch, and lunch at Satay by the Bay. Usual orders thereof chicken wings, kebabs, gong gong, satay and the like so no need for photos. But when I ordered a beer I spotted this on the counter. I thought it was a mummified or taxidermy animal arm that had seen better days. Actually, this is a plant. Can you believe it? Called Monkey Hand, for obvious reasons. Also, a tad ‘voodoo’ is a belief that if you hurt your hand you can transfer the pain to the Monkey Hand by cutting a similar part on the plant to the inflicted area on your arm. Spooky!!!
My little explorers and Wifey and I then head off for a little walk to the green parky bit in front of Marina Bay Sands. This is where our Orient Express fun was scheduled for. But on the way, we encountered Malay Water Monitor Lizards and were extremely lucky to see one of the Sea Otter families mucking about in the eaters – literally right behind Jude Jude and Strawberry Blonde in this photo – watch the video below…
CLICK HERE to enjoy our little walk and Sea Otters & Malay Water Monitors.
Here is the little sign welcoming you on board. Read that last sentence or two and it sets the scene for the majesty of what this rolling stock became. The epitome of luxury on the move. It really is romance. From James Bond to Mata Hari to Agatha herself…
CLICK HERE to go back in time aboard The Orient Express.
Oh no. 12 stabs wound in a corpse that Jude Jude and Strawberry Blonde just found in the second carriage. Shrouded in mystery. How did it happen? There clearly has been a murder on The Orient Express… Or someone is really bad at tenderising meat in the dining carriage…
Actual furniture from the turn of the century used in this exquisite 1st class living. Quite amazing.
Back to the $$$. You have a walkthrough two actual Orient Express train carriages, then step into a big warehouse with posters, video-streaming and stuff placed about to read. That’s it. Back to the questions of, how much $$$ in comparison to all the interactive stuff you get with Star Wars…
See what I mean… Not chuffed… Good job the kids are trained for exhibits… The exhibit started down the right tracks though… Wifey got very excited and didn’t know how to conductor self… So many posters I lost my train of thought… And it was steaming hot in here…
But this poster says it all. Written and 1st published in 1934 by the amazing Agatha Christie. Check out this cast. Holy shit is this an A-List or what. Pretty similar to the recent version with Branna and Jack Sparrow in it… Connery was in this film and also on the train as James Bond in ‘From Russia With Love’ – DaddyPedia… This train attracts the A-list, as it did again today cough cough!!!
Yes, yes – this is what I wanna do. If my kids read this; when you are famous and earning shit tonnes of money don’t forget Daddy’s bucket list. Orient Express – London, Paris, Venice, Istanbul…
How the hell do you get these two original Orient Express, 1920’s carriages into Singapore, in a tent, in a field, on tracks… AMAZING effort again Singapore organisers. This really is rather cool. To the right of this photo, which is the front of the tent is a mock-up carriage where you can go and have an Orient Express style lunch or dinner from a guest Chef. All rather nice, but quite punchy on the pocket haha. Clip that ticket!!!
Very Hogwarts. Again, amazing how they get this bloody thing lifted and dropped into a field in the middle of Singapore. Perhaps some Wizard did the old Wingardium Leviosa spell and dropped her. VERY impressive though. This is the closest you can get to her though sadly. Not that I am a train buff or anything, but would have loved to have sat in the cabin and pretended to sound the whistle… Yep, big kid at heart.
And then we’re finished and we have the beautiful Gardens by the Bay to welcome us as we walk out. No wonder those sea otters were playing in here. I mean look at it, as playgrounds go, that is pretty special.
Otters, Monitors & The Orient Express. Not every day you get to see that lot in one day, is it? A holy trinity? Maybe not quite, but still quite amazing from otters to lizards to trains. Another lovely family day out in the open air (most of the time), with some walks for exercise and limited time on the iPad/iPhone. Love it. ENJOY!!!
Is Life a Recipe YouTube Channel
