Colonial District

I got about 2hour sleep last night, between roaring club music from next door, a guy having his bedside light on until 3am (there were 5 other people in the room all awake because of his light, looking back I'm not sure why none of us said anything instead of looking at each other in misery…) and another guy coming in at 4am clearly tipsy and climbing onto the creakiest bed.. 

After a quick breakfast (although the complimentary breakfast is very simple, as it is at most hostels, they've chosen what they offer really well!) I got ready and set off over the river into the Colonial part of town! 

This was just before I got to Esplanade Park

I really loved this part of town (hopefully you'll be able to recognise one or two of the places Frank!)

I worked my way up to the Padang, passing the Old and New Parliament houses & the New and New and Former Supreme Court.

The Arts House of the Old Parliament

The New Parliament Building

The Old Supreme Court

 The New Supreme Court

Overlooking the Padang was City Hall and St Andrew's Cathedral 

Cit Hall

St Andrews

Across from the Padang was Esplanade Park which was lovely as not only did it have great views over the financial district but it was dotted with trees giving some shade and a nice place to read a bit of my book before setting off again. 

From there it was up St Andrew's rd, past the 'chopsticks' to Raffles City Shopping centre - and into their lovely air conditioning! 

(each 'stick' represents an ethnicity living in Singapore who died in war for Singapore)

Then it was onto the thing I was most excited about seeing in this part of town - Raffle's Hotel!

Raffle's Hotel

 The Singapore Sling (it was first created here at Raffle's Hotel, so I thought what better to sip in the afternoon sunshine?

After lounging around enjoying my lovely pink cocktail I wandered up Raffles Boulevard, past the Singapore Art Museum, to the National Museum.

 The 'glass atrium' 

One of my favourite exhibitions they had on that day

It started to drizzle a little be after the museum (pretty common in Singapore) which just made the humidity even more stifling! On the way back I passed the Chinese Chamber of Commerce & the Armenian Church of St Gregory.

The roof of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce

St Gregory's

Anyway I finished off the day by stopping by a vender's cart and picking up a Sugar Cane drink - they're all the rage here with everyone sipping on them throughout the day! Anyway it was pretty cool, she grabbed a stick, washed it and then put in this machine… and somehow I ended up with this green liquid, add a splash of lemon and a handful of ice and it was done! 

 The sugar cane

It's not what I was expecting.. I think I was expecting something really refreshing but it was very sweet (I know, duh, it's made form sugar cane) but anyway it was nice after a day walking around in the heat!

Then I managed to find a quiet spot to have some dinner overlooking the Buddhist Temple