I did get a 30 minute power nap yesterday lunchtime ... which I think the boys found rather amusing.
Yesterday (as it now is) was frantically exhausting ... the first day of filming ... but we achieved a huge amount so we are VERY happy.
At 0830 we arrived at Jade - the hotel's famous Chinese restaurant - for a lesson in how to cook Peking Duck ... at least 5 ways ... with Chef Leong. He's a young fellow - a Cantonese speaking Malaysian who lives here. His English is great -- but soft -- my Cantonese is non-existent BUT we still managed an entertaining cooking feature.
The most prized part of the duck is the crispy skin and a small layer of the meat. This is turned into the "roasted peking duck with marinated orange peel, zesty hoisin sauce and cucumber wrapped with pancake". As with yesterday, this dish is awesome. The orange peel gives it such a fabulous taste.
The other dishes include a steamed chawanmushi with diced duck meat, duck bone consomme, sauteed duck with foie gras (I am NOT a fan) an finally a "crispy money bag filled with friend rice and duck meat" ... yum! The actual menu contains two other, non-duck related dishes. I have been told that the menu is a HUGE hit in Singapore and I can see/taste why ... those duck spring pancakes ......
We then started filming my suite - complete with air-conditioned verandah, private elevator, state of the art music and tv centre and of course Shahar - the Butler who is actually more like a friend. I have had a bad throat for a couple of days and whenever I turn around, Shahar is there with hot lemon and honey. Dude!
The Singapore Tourist Board has been very kind to us on this trip facilitating us with guides and transport. Even though the show is all about luxury, we try to do a nice segment on the history & geography of the destination.
Our guide Toon Hee & the driver Johnny took us around some of the more ethnic areas - Little India, Little Arabia and Chinatown - which all help tell the story of Singapore ...
What now follows is a brief history/geography lesson in Singapore. If I have made any errors, PLEASE tell me ... its better that I right them now .. rather than on the show!
Singapore is an island city-state located at the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula. Its 710 square kiloemetres in size (ever expanding through reclamation). Its the smallest nation in Asia but the largest of the three sovereign city-states in the world (other two are Monaco & The Vatican in Rome.Singapore is made up of 63 islands.
The name Singapore derives from the Sanskrit words - Singa and Pura or Lion City. The island was originally called Tamesak (Sea Town) ... when a Prince, Sang Nila Utama - who had taken over the area - apparently saw a lion in the area (14th Century) and renamed it Singapura. The motif for Singapore is the head of lion, body of the fish - denoting The Lion City and its humble beginnings as a sea town.
Although a port visited by traders from India, Malay, China and Europe, by the 19th century, Singapore was on a decline. Sir Stamford Raffles - a visionary from the East India Company - arrived on 29th January 1819 and started Singapore on a path that would see her become one of the greatest financial and cultural cities in the world.
The British influence is clear to see - road-signs, architecture etc - but with areas like Chinatown, Little India and Little Arabia - there's also a HUGE ethnic influence as well. There are approimately 5 million people in Singapore ... most Residents (70%) the rest being foreigners from India, Europe and the rest of Asia.
Following WW2, Singapore became a self-governing state within the British Empire in 1959. She gained full independence from Britain in 1963 and in 1965 became independent from Malaysia too. The driving force behind this was a chap called Lee Kuan Yew.
Sir Stamford Raffles has left his legacy for all to see with roads, hotels and hospitals names after him.
Local currency - the dollar - 2 Singapore dollar to the British pound ... and this place is HUGELY expensive for alcohol! HUGELY!
The country has a tropical rainforest climate ... so real seasons ... and at the moment, it's hot & humid! Lots of linen clothing!
ANYWAY - after the lessons from Toon Hee, I was joined by Lynn (hotel concierge) and Shahar for a boat trip down the Singapore River. This is A MUST -- especially at dusk when the city comes alight ... not in Hong Kong fashion ... but it's still spectacular. The Fullerton REALLY lights up ....
OK - loads more planned over the next few days. For now - I will TRY & sleep.
I did go out last night for drinks at a local hotel where the views of Singapore were just magnificent! Apparently the hotel is currently the tallest in Asia ...
It wasn't the greatest evening ever BUT it was lovely to see that the Singaporeans take their fun seriously - even mid-week!
Party on Singapore!
Song of the Day: Love In an Elevator - Aerosmith
Weather - Hot & Humid
the boys in "little somewhere"
"the" finest butler in the world - Shahar
a power nap - THANK YOU ANZ!
erm - a dead duck?
