Talking of Singapore, is Newton Circus the enormous outdoor eatery still there?

[Brexit = Keine Pumpernickel]

About 30 years ago wife and I stayed for a few days at the Shangri-La hotel where they even changed the carpet in the lift every day.

The receptionist almost fell over laughing when I asked what I thought was a pertinent question in a city not visited before - Was it safe to go out at night? Essential knowledge when visiting the likes of Lagos.She kindly directed us to Newton Circus, what an amazing place. I have an abiding memory of ordering lobster and the waiter returning with a live one in each hand to ask which one we wanted. Then someone else appeared with beer. While we were waiting for our food a beggar(I thought he looked like a heroin addict)approached our table and was very promptly jumped on by waiters who appeared as if out of nowhere to whisk him away in a thrice with a bleeding great flea in his ear. I also tried eating Durian which was an interesting experience as it really does smell like **** :strood:

[Peter]

[Brexit = Keine Pumpernickel]

[Peter]

After the refurb raffles looks good but even the faintest genuine whiff of its history has gone. Tourist trap with a shopping arcade.

True for most of singapore but there is some wonderful stuff to see if you look hard enough. I do enjoy going there although kuala lumpur is more fun. Penang even better.

[Brexit = Keine Pumpernickel]

There were only a couple of hotels there in those days. Next door I think it was called the Golden Sands. The village was across the road with some wonderful little restaurants in not much more than shacks. One said "Anything that swims we have it".

Also about a mile along the deserted beach was a restaurant called the Eden Sea Food Village, the place to go for a good blow out. I loved the barbequed snapper they did. Then walk back to the hotel along the beach in bare feet with my new wife, a few fishermen out with their lanterns and the clear sky full of stars. Life doesn't get much better.

I looked at the place on Google earth recently and it looked like an American concrete jungle resort, no sign of the village at all. It reduced me to tears :cry: they do say never go back. If we go to Malaysia again I'll go up the other coast to Kota Baru which I hope will be less spoiled by development.

[Snin]

and was looking at port dickson as very reasonable down there but guessing its bit over built up ? will check your place out east imo now

[Brexit = Keine Pumpernickel]

The one thing to watch is the monsoon season which is different for east and west coast.

Have a great time - we did.

[Peter]

Georgetown is wonderful, as is penang hill. And the e&o is a beautiful hotel, quite reasonably priced.

I have stayed up in the golden sands a couple of times but georgetown is much nicer.

Imdont tend to get much time to get out much while there so tend not to stray and i havent been to many of the more remote places.