Singapore Day 2

       

There were several places we wanted to see like the Botanical Gardens with hundreds of varieties of orchids, and the WWII sites. The location guide on board had also told me that the best place to shop for fabric in the world is Arab Street in Singapore. We were going to do that first the previous day but decided to do a WWII site instead which was rained out. So we headed to Arab Street first thing in the morning with a stop at the Jim Thompson store at Raffles on the way. Once Arab Street was pointed out to us on a map it was easy to find. We walked the 5 or 6 blocks to get there from the hotel.

The street was quite amazing. There was one store after another just full of different, very colorful fabrics. Each store was only about 20 feet wide but deep. If it wasn't full of fabric it was full of notions, lots and lots of beads and sequins. The prices were not low from what I knew, but what a variety! They had beautiful cottons from Japan and Switzerland at the low end, gorgeous French lace at the high end. I bought a few pieces. There was so much to choose from that it was hard to decide. 

                              Thai Silk

                                                                        

                                                                                     Ideas for lace and fabric dresses

Next to Arab Street was a beautiful mosque and a street set up for tourists. There were shops full of things from Indonesia and Malaysia. It was interesting to see it all. A mask like we'd purchased in Indonesia for $3 was $40 at one of the stores. 

                                 

By this time it was too late to really do anything else so we walked back via Bugis Street and picked up a T for the grandbaby. We also walked back by Raffles as the store had been closed earlier. We then got on the MRT and went back to the ship. We had about 1/2 hour before all aboard so used the cafe's wifi again then got on the ship. No one knew why we had to be on board a full 2 hours before we sailed. Seemed like such a waste of time. 

Yesterday had been hump day, we are 1/2 way thru our cruise! It seems like we have been gone such a long time and have seen so much. Amazing that we still have a lot to see! In our cabin Mel had been saying that something smelled bad. When he returned from the show he said it was worse. I had been in the cabin so guess my nose had slowly grown accustomed. We started searching everywhere to see what it could be. We finally narrowed it down to the air vent!  We called the front office and an officer was there in about 10 minutes. She immediately said there is a bad smell and she would find us another cabin to sleep in! We just moved the few things we might need in the night. Fortunately it was just down the hall. I moved in my pj's and robe. They could only speculate that it might be exhaust from the ship being sucked into the A/C, so possibly carbon monoxide! I told Mel that we should go up and down the hall pounding on doors so people wouldn't die in their sleep. I was happy to hear that our elderly neighbors who are also table mates were fine in the morning. 

This morning the smell was on the deck below us also which is the Internet Cafe and Library. They still have no idea where it is coming from so we are still sleeping in another cabin. We had the door to our verandah open all day so the smell was a bit better but it is now hot and humid in there. Hopefully we can go home tomorrow. 

                                           

At Hong Kong Disneyland I bought one pin for myself. Mel asked one of the Chinese on board to translate the Chinese writing on the pin. The direct translation is run hide big house! I thought that was interesting. I would think there would be a character for mystic, guess not.