Staycation @ Ascott

I needed a break and I need to do things not done before or have not been done a long time before I need mental medication. Perhaps as we age, instead of having less meals but heavier meals, we should be having more frequent but smaller meals. I think it is the same for vacation.

I opted for a short "staycation". The advantage of a staycation is that you do not need your passport or pay for extra transportation and go through the hassle of airport, seaport or land immigration clearance and you get to do national service by dumping money into the local economy. As in all things, you always start or end with a meal. We went to Chinatown.

It's been sometime since I came here. I have brought some ''ang moh'' guests here and they love it because they got tired of having dim sum at expensive hotels. They love the sight and sound of trolleys pushed over the wooden floor located in an old building.

Many in the olden days believe that you can't count after eating chicken feet. Heck, I can't count anyway and it was delicious. 

It was a high tea buffet - eat all you want gluttons' paradise.

I don't even know what it was but it was good. Give it to the Chinese. They can make anything and eat anything with legs but with their backs to the sky.

I love "siew mai" since I was young. It was a great creation.

So too these bean curd dumplings.

There were too much to eat and I found myself quickly settling into dessert mode with some small egg tarts. I know some people whose name sounded the same like ''Aik Tat"?

Banana fritters can be a bit oily but these came with red beans in it. Not everyone will like but I thought they were good.

Finally I was there at the Ascott Raffles.

The king size bed came with an excellent mattress which makes me think of changing a new one at home. Would you pay thousands for a really good mattress since you use it everyday for a good night's rest? Food for thought.

I am a fan of rain forest shower. Maybe I belong to the rain forest.

How many of you have a long-bath at home and how often do you use it? Or when was the last time  you did?

But not many will have a pool at home or on the rooftop.

We swam from sunrise to...

Sunset.

I took a peek over the pool. This is the road I often travelled to and from work most often for so many years. Yet, in the hustle and bustle of daily life, I have never taken in its beauty and purpose. Until now, when I slowed down, looked at it from a different height and angle that I realise the roads and buildings have their lives.

To the far right you can see where the Cavalia is being held.

I soaked in the this great architecture. From Tokyo to Hong Kong to Singapore, I never failed to be amazed by such buildings. There is a certain soul to them.

Inside the Ascott, everything is first class. A thought crossed my mind that it is possibly better than a hotel.

While I lamented the demise of the original "Lau Pa Sat" where I must have many a meal, I found the Friday crowd at the food street very happening.

We once have the Satay Club at the Esplanade opposite the Padang with a few Chinese and Indian stalls, the rest being Malay stalls peddling the best satay. The old Lau Pasat and Satay Club were truly great places which I will never forget.

Every satay stall here seemed to have some awards. When I first started work, some typically more successful people would ask me which clubs I belong to and I would just smile and say Satay Club.

I ordered from still no. 4 and their best were the Turkey satay. The satay and peanut sauce were a little too sweet though they were delicious.

Inside Lau Pasat, things looked better in terms of the layout, etc. , the clock tower on the rooftop is still there but as I rummaged through my memory bank, all the best food stalls from the original Lau Pasat came flooding back. 

It was halted by this stall owned by a Japanese man who refused to open other outlets in Japan no matter how good the money but he was persuaded to come to Singapore.

We tested several types of cakes and desserts. I chose this green tea dessert with red bean. It was fantabulous! Just as I would have chosen my ice-creams. Either this or rum and raisin for me and I can sell state secrets.

If you think that doing nothing all day is easy, try going on vacation. When our minds are fully occupied and we are moving around, we can get tired at the end of a day but nothing is even more tiring. I slept like a log. Keep busy, keep engaged. An empty mind is a devil's workshop.

The breakfast settings and ambience were superb!

This is the beginning of an eating fest that shall continue into another week as I stretched my vacation plans.

The suite came with a most amazing bathroom. It is huge. The sink is good enough for two to do synchronise teeth-brushing. I share it here because on both doors there were big door-size mirrors and right in front of you, a mirror above the sink. There is no better place to practise your golf swing. Look to the front, to the left and to the right. Wow! 

Finally, we explored the top of the rooftop.

I could clearly see the whole Raffles Place.

More impressive skyscrapers.

The pool view from the top.

We had to hang loose staring into the clouds. Free your mind, the rest will follow.

We found caveman paintings at the stairway tracing its history back to 1800s.

To its current day.

I like street art. I like expressions. 

Life is but about expressions. Expressions in writing, feeling, conversation and...

Thoughts or haha meditation. Like a Guru on a roof top not a cat on a hot tin roof.

Peaceful, easy feeling. Many men are afraid of their wife. Not me.

Oouch!! Ok, I am afraid, very afraid! I am going to scoot and get out of here!

The ''Why? You not happy is it?'' pose.

The Award-Winning Ascott!

I often look up to the skies. That is where my power comes from and I saw this from the pool.

I will be heading for another short vacation from here and I shall be sharing with you some great stuffs in a blog near you coming your way. Watch this space.